Homemade canoe motor mount.

[Ken C.]

I just bought an Old Town Guide 147 canoe. I plan on using it for a lighter alternative for fishing. I have it pretty well stocked and accessorized for fishing but I'm looking for a motor mount for a trolling motor. Anyone know where to get one or have one they aren't using? I was thinking about making my own but I thought I'd ask here first.

 

[VCM3]

Ken,I think Cabela's carry these,but I'd check with Old Town,too
-Vince

 

[Ken C.]

I had no luck finding a canoe motor mount for a decent price so I opted to make one. It cost me $25 and works like a charm.

I used a piece of Trex decking 1/2' carraige bolts, nylon spacers, and 1/2" wing nuts. It locks up solid and doesn't slip. The motor mount fin is glued and screwed into place and is very strong and secure. I had it out on the lake earlier today and I can't be more pleased with the way it turned out. It's water, warp, and rot proof! Perfect for the wet enviroment.

 

[truthseeker]

Do you have to register the boat there if you put a motor on it? I was going to do that to a kayak, but it's not worth the extra money and red tape here. My range on "people-power" isn't what I'd like it to be sometimes...

 

[Esav Benyamin]

A motor mount ??? Paddle your own canoe !!!











If I knew you were down at the lake, I'd have gone and heckled ya.

 

[mete]

I had a canoe project which worked very well. Hunting geese from a canoe presented problems of possible overturning and into cold November water. I made outriggers of 4" pvc pipe on the ends of 6' cross pieces. With two big guys in the canoe the outriggers cleared the water by a few inches and there was no way we could turn it over !..My hunting buddy later took it across the Hudson River which was not the smartest thing but he said it would have been impossible without the outriggers !

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Across the Hudson? (How far upstate?)

 

[mete]

Newburgh ! Dodging freighters ,currents ,etc. Man powered !

 

[mkhop]

A smal moter mounts quite well on the side of a canoe without additional hardware.

 

[Ken C.]

In NJ any watercraft over 12 feet needs to be registered. My canoe is 14' 7" so it really didn't make a difference whether it has a motor or not.

 

[Normark]

Hey Ken...

I had a 5 hp Mrec on my Coleman,, Sweet....

This is pretty easy to do on the 147..
I'm actually going to buy one tomorrow...

All you really need is a piece of pressure treated 2X4 and 2X6..
That's all I did...

Screwed them together and bolt it onto the gunnells..
Hang the motor off whatever side you steer with and you'll be fine..

It's really easy to do and works well,, although mounted off to one side,, you'll have a little bit of a steering problem.. No big deal though and you'd be surprized how fast a motor will push a canoe...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST

 

[kgd]

The solution you have should work fine.

I used to run my canoe off a little 35lb thrust electric for fishing. As long as you don't gun it, a full battery will let you troll for several hours. However, you can move much faster than by paddling when the engine is put to full thrust, just the battery drains really quick that way. So I used to paddle to get where I wanted to fish and then use the motor to troll while fishing. As a side note, I found it easier to mount the motor off my weaker stroke side.

For fishing purposes, that little trolling motor will be a big improvement over paddling/fishing. Have fun - and don't forget to release a few of those guys - cause you're gonna catch a pile with that rig!

 

[Row]

It may seem kind of dumb and really obvious but make sure you bring a paddle too. I had a friend who got stuck in the muck and had to hand paddle out of the mud and then try to start the motor- it did not sound like fun. Good luck fishing, I personally could never really get into it, so props to you who has the patience.