Help sizing and Mounting trolling motor on bow 1988 fundeck 196

sonny55

I restored a 88 FD196 and am considering installing a trolling motor on the bow. Need recommendation on sizing and mounting , best way to gain access to the underside for wiring and mounting? Would like it to retract sideways outside the front gate. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

cjjjdeck

The boat looks great!

There are many threads on this forum related to trolling motors.  I would encourage you to put "trolling motor" in the search box and browse them.  You definitely need to angle mount from the side (like many of us), especially with the shorter front deck on your model.  Minn Kota makes some really nice quick release mounting brackets that will help with your installation location, especially if you have to overhang the motor a bit over the front edge of the deck.  I've had both Motorguide and Minn Kota trolling motors and both have performed very well, but Minn Kota definitely has the technology edge.

Here's some links to get you started.  Post some pictures on your final installation!

Trolling motor selection wizards:
Minn Kota:  http://www.minnkotamotors.com/Trolling-Motors/Product-Group/Trolling-Motors-Group/#freshwater

Motorguide:  http://www.motorguide.com/motor-selector

Minn Kota Mounts:  http://www.minnkotamotors.com/Accessories/Trolling-Motor-Accessories/Rigging/Rigging/

I knew the mount I chose was going to overhang the bow a bit, so I picked the MKA-32 bracket because it had a bigger footprint.  If you don't need to overhang the bracket, then you have other models to choose from.

One important thing about some of Minn Kota's quick release models.  The MKA-23 (black) bracket is the same as the RTA-19 (white); and the MKA-21 (black) bracket is the same as the RTA-17 (white).  Only the colors are different.  The RTA models indicate that they are only for the Riptide models, but that is false.  They are the same as the black colored brackets.  I even contacted Minn Kota to discuss with them about changing how they market these as most people would probably have preferred to have installed the white colored bracket for their white boat!

Some forum links to trolling motor discussions:

http://hurricaneboats.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1974/#Comment_1974

http://hurricaneboats.vanillaforums.com/discussion/1249/trolling-motor-mounting-sd-217

http://hurricaneboats.vanillaforums.com/discussion/1374/hurricane-226-rf

sonny55

Thanks for the advice

powerhouse

I have a 196 Fun deck, in the process setting up the boat for a trolling motor and i'm pretty sure I'm going with MK SP80.  I've been trying to figure out trolling motor position also.  I've read though most if not all trolling motors post and none seems to be regarding the FD196.  I'm not sure how you could mount the TM at an angle, it looks to me that the TM has to sit under the front door when it's in the stored position.

cjjjdeck

Judging from the picture that sonny55 posted, the deck does look a bit short to position a bracket properly for a sideways mounting position.  Positioning it through the door is always an option, you just have to secure the door open when in it's stowed position.  Another possible option is installing an extension plate to the front deck to better position the motor bracket.  I would recommend using a marine grade material like King StarBoard.

cjjjdeck

Here is a link to a thread  that has pictures of an extended mount of StarBoard material the EzGoinFlGuy did for his boat that might give you some ideas:

http://hurricaneboats.vanillaforums.com/discussion/985/new-install-on-hurricane-gs-202/p2