Pontoon Modification Question

[jasonvilly]

So thoughts might ask a few questions here about upgrading the pontoon.

 

I am buying a trolling motor and battery tomorrow however I have concerns that the mesh back that comes on the outcast 9IR won't be tiring enough to hold 30lbs of deep cycle.

 

For the time being I am going to strap a piece of wood on there.

 

I would like to eventually put some Aluminum on there. strength and weight?????

 

Questions

-do you think Aluminium is the best to go with?

-where do you get Aluminium?

-where do I get it cut to what I need!

 

Any other ideas?

[slingshotz]

I have almost exactly the same boat as yours the 10-IR with the mesh in the back. I have a full size deep cycle motor (in a battery case) and the 30lb trolling motor mounted with no issues. The mesh is really strong and I've been using it for 2 years now. The mesh still looks like the day it came out of the box and I haven't baby'd it.

 

The most annoying thing I have yet to figure out is how to easily steer the motor when it's behind me. The best I've figured out is to extend the handle far enough so that my back can touch it and steer it that way. I need to find a way to make a pulley system to steer the motor when seated.

[jusfloatin]

I have almost exactly the same boat as yours the 10-IR with the mesh in the back. I have a full size deep cycle motor (in a battery case) and the 30lb trolling motor mounted with no issues. The mesh is really strong and I've been using it for 2 years now. The mesh still looks like the day it came out of the box and I haven't baby'd it.

 

The most annoying thing I have yet to figure out is how to easily steer the motor when it's behind me. The best I've figured out is to extend the handle far enough so that my back can touch it and steer it that way. I need to find a way to make a pulley system to steer the motor when seated.

 

 

Why don't you just change it to a front steer?

[Fishslayer74]

I just bought an IR10 Stand-Up and I have the same mesh strapping on the back. What I ended up doing to reinforce it was buy

the thickest piece of plexiglass from lowes and cut it out around the bars and rounded the corners etc. to make it nice and smooth.

From there I just placed the mesh overtop of it to hold it in place. This give me that extra support for overnight floats and putting

my large marine battery on the back.

 

Cheers.

[jasonvilly]

By front steer do you mean flip the propellor head 180 degrees?

 

That's what I was thinking of doing, then I would just drive backwards.

 

I like the plexiglass idea, might be easy to work with than Aluminium.

 

I will try the mesh this weekend and see what I think. Slingshotsz do you put the battery in something? Like a rubber tub?

[jusfloatin]

By front steer do you mean flip the propellor head 180 degrees?

 

That's what I was thinking of doing, then I would just drive backwards.

 

I like the plexiglass idea, might be easy to work with than Aluminium.

 

I will try the mesh this weekend and see what I think. Slingshotsz do you put the battery in something? Like a rubber tub?

 

 

No mount the electric motor so it is in front of you and yes you would need to spin the head 180.

[wayne]

I put a swivel on the seat of my old fishcat that really made it easy to sit sideways and steer. Swivel and hardware all under$20

Wayne

[Fishslayer74]

Yeah, the plexiglass is great and it only took 30mins to cut and finish off. And it's bomber on there.

 

As for the swivel seat I was thinking of that to. Will sure make stearing a hell of alot easier.

 

Cheers.

[jasonvilly]

Got the swivel on my toon already. But I think I paid less than $12 for everything. Got the swivel at wholesale for $7

[slingshotz]

Why don't you just change it to a front steer?

 

Then I lose the standup platform which is by far the best part of the boat. I mostly use the motor to get around the lake and only troll with it maybe 20% of the time.

[jusfloatin]

Then I lose the standup platform which is by far the best part of the boat. I mostly use the motor to get around the lake and only troll with it maybe 20% of the time.

 

Then it is not mounted properly.

 

 

[TerryH]

I've never understood why people want to go to all the trouble of putting a motor on a pontoon boat. Between flippers and oars, I've never had a problem getting around on any of the lakes I fish. To each his own I guess.

 

Anyway, for those of you who insist on using one, I'll pass on an interesting setup I saw recently, to deal with the problem of how to steer using a rear mounted motor. This guy had a metal bar clamped to the vertical shaft of the trolling motor. The bar was oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the boat. There were short cables attached to each end of the bar, that extended forward so the he could hold one in each hand. By pulling on these he could control the direction of the motor, and hence, steer the boat. Of course this isn't going to be too convenient if you're trying to troll at the same time -- unless you use a rod holder. I suppose with a bit of ingenuity, one could set modify this scheme so that steering could be done with your feet. Too much trouble for me -- I'll stick to flippers and oars. Terry

[jasonvilly]

I think I am just going to turn the head of the propellor unit around. That way the pontoon will be going backwards (this is how they are designed to move anyhow)

 

In this set up the motor will pull the boat along behind the motor, which should allow it to track fairly well (saw a guy last weekend with a similiar set up and he didnt look like he was struggling).

 

This seems to make more sense than trying to push the boat, it would also be easier troll (which I dont think I will do)

 

Terry, I understand your point as well and was on the fence about whether I wanted/needed one. But looking at some of the lakes I want to fish (which I have no knowledge about, alot of exploring is going to be needed) are quite large. So a motor will definitely help. But hey if you ever see a guy on blue 9IR that is stunningly handsome and you need a tow, feel free to holler over.

[slingshotz]

Then it is not mounted properly.

 

I'm not sure how it's possible to mount the trolling motor piece in front of the standing platform without severely front weighting the boat. This is my boat http://www.flyfishusa.com/outcast/fc-10/fish-cat-10.htm

 

I love standing on the platform with the trolling motor running and I can cast from it like a bass boat and cover a lot of ground.

[wayne]

If you set the motor up to pull you by spinning the motor head just tighten it pointing straight and either use your fins to steer you or let the oars trail behind you and use them to steer.

Wayne

[SanJuanWorm]

For all your metal needs. http://www.canpages.ca/page/AB/calgary/met...y)/1748762.html

 

These guys are great.

[jusfloatin]

I'm not sure how it's possible to mount the trolling motor piece in front of the standing platform without severely front weighting the boat. This is my boat http://www.flyfishusa.com/outcast/fc-10/fish-cat-10.htm

 

I love standing on the platform with the trolling motor running and I can cast from it like a bass boat and cover a lot of ground.

 

You make up for it by moving the battery back a couple of inches.

 

One other atvantage to haveing a front steer is you can actuly use the anchor.

 

Spot fishing in a pond or lake trolling, front steer is the only way to go.

 

Even pontoons without a stand up feature can run a front steer, you just incorporate a light floor into your removeable front steer mount.

Yours could be set up with 4 nuts and bolts and 20" of a 2/4.

 

[DonAndersen]

Terry,

 

Your OLD just like me. You understand the value of exercise. Just them young folks that need a motor.

 

Remember a guy on a lake that allowed gas motors. He pulled and pulled cussing all the time about his rotten gas engine that wouldn't start. I finned along side and waved a fin @ him with the comment "starts first time every time".

 

catch ya'

 

Don

[gentlemang]

Jason:

You may want to consider one of these for your pontoon.

 

Seriously, though. you can find aluminum angle or tube at most auto parts stores, And you should make sure that you put the battery in a plastic battery box.

You could also get a transom mount trolling motor and guide it with the foot pedal, would solve that problem, even if you are using the foot pedal as a joystick.

Greg

[jasonvilly]

Your OLD just like me. You understand the value of exercise. Just them young folks that need a motor.

 

 

I understand your point about the value of exercise Don (and consequently hard work) however there are other ways to get exercise in.

 

But when you go fishing you go to fish, not row your boat. A trolling motor will significantly increase the size of lake that I am able to explore now.

 

Cheers

J

 

 

 

 

[Fishslayer74]

I understand your point about the value of exercise Don (and consequently hard work) however there are other ways to get exercise in.

 

But when you go fishing you go to fish, not row your boat. A trolling motor will significantly increase the size of lake that I am able to explore now.

 

Cheers

J

 

I couldn't agree with you more BiggyJ.... Especially when those Calgary winds pick when out on one of those large lake.... Been there and have wished I had a motor.

[jusfloatin]

I am of the view that just pulling the pontoon off the truck and dragging it down to the bank was all the exercise a person needs when a days fishing is ahead of him.

 

[DonAndersen]

For all you motor users out there.

 

Something you should consider is fishing rather than going from end to end of the lake.

 

Watched it many times - crank up the motor head off here make a couple of casts, crank up the motor and head there to make a couple of casts. At the end of the day, lots of touring but not much fishing.

 

That is the reason that of the nearly dozen guys I fish with occasionally, only one owns a motors which is rarely used. We'd rather fish.

 

And just so you know, we all could afford one.

 

 

 

regards,

 

 

Don

 

 

[jasonvilly]

Those guys are probably fishing graphite too, unbelievable!

 

 

[jusfloatin]

For all you motor users out there.

 

Something you should consider is fishing rather than going from end to end of the lake.

 

Watched it many times - crank up the motor head off here make a couple of casts, crank up the motor and head there to make a couple of casts. At the end of the day, lots of touring but not much fishing.

 

That is the reason that of the nearly dozen guys I fish with occasionally, only one owns a motors which is rarely used. We'd rather fish.

 

And just so you know, we all could afford one.

 

 

 

regards,

 

 

Don

 

Don are sure it's not the wake from those high powered electric motors being cranked up or is it the noise of them because I find it hard to believe haveing the ability to axcess more area with little effort to be bad thing.