Testing Bowmount Motor.

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Digger
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Testing Bowmount Motor.

Post by Digger »

I had a Watersake 54 lb Thrust transom mount.

New one is Watersnake "Combat" 54 lb bow mount.

Boat is Savage 4.1 "Kestral". Aluminium

Firstly the light domed bow on the boat made for problems mounting a bracket as it was too light to weld to. Overcame it by mounting on a series of S/S metal treads using nyloc nuts.
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The following is an extract of mail to Steve R and I couldn't be bothered re writing it for here sorry. Just though there may be some here that may find it interesting.


As you would have seen, the motor was good for shaft length and I was nervous because I didn’t know where the water came to on the front of the boat, but it is perfect. The 48” shaft saved me $170 so the calculated risk was worth it! The prop is a good foot under water or more.

It was difficult on the small ramp in the park launching yesterday, as the water was high and I didn’t want to get wet. I was close to needing the back of the car in the water to float the boat off and trying to pull if off with a rope just got the boat sideways on the trailer which meant I couldn’t pull back to try something else. It must have taken 1/2 an hour to get it in the water. I should have put waders on and got in the water but it wasn’t very inviting early on. There was a tree up against the tie off spot so that was awkward too.

The outboard wouldn’t start!! That’s never happened before and I must have flooded it but didn’t muck around as I intended to test the “leccie”. Now the instruction book is prime “Chinglish” with labels for buttons and that but nothing about how to use them, very small print too!

"She’s right I don’t need a stupid instruction manual anyway, I mean how hard could it be?” Yeah right!

When I finally got it (sort of) going forward the motor rode up when I applied power so I tried to crawl out to clearer water, sort that out in a minute type of thing. The channel to the river is narrow and tree lined and believe me I had more than one intimate encounter with tree branches on the way out there. On the way out I found that the support cradle for the motor housing had to be clicked back & that sorted the motor rearing problem out.

I was surprised after so little rain locally, to find the river flowing downstream at about 5 or 6 KPH and still struggling to control things I rocketed down under the bridge barely managing one cast at the pylons. At this stage corrections of the remote quickly need a counter correction. I had tried the foot remote to find it bloody useless so I was relying an a wireless remote on my wrist. Tricky stuff initially!

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A couple passes under the bridge had me more comfortable but there was nothing on the sounder at all. 100 metres down there was some interest in worm but it resulted in a 6” bream which soon was back with it’s mates. Anyway it wasn’t about the fishing on this trip. I headed off upstream to try things out and changed up to high gear! Not as fast as the old motor was my impression but then I was bucking a strong flow. Then when I hit top gear there was this annoying noise which I though was the motor about to blow up! If I walked as far as half way up it stopped and was perfectly quiet as befits an electric motor? I sat down the back and touched everything with a landing hook but it continued, and my conclusion is that them mount or motor being on the front has set up a harmonic vibration. Fix: carry a passenger or don’t sit down the back until I can think of a fix.

However I realised that with the wireless remote I wasn’t nailed to the back seat and could walk around stand on the casting deck and that is a major improvement! I ran for a while up towards the Lind Bridge and experimented with control and stopping in a strong flow to cast, not bad and getting better by the moment! A few of the fishos looked puzzled wondering who was driving as I stood up in the middle enjoying my new found freedom

Back down under the bridge a few times and my control is much better now though when I checked the battery state it said recharge!! My 105 AH deep cycle gave me roughly 4 or 5 hours on the stern mount but not much more that 2 hours on the bow mount and then I realised that it was steering using a motor and battery power. That obviously accounts for a lot of battery capacity. Then I was initially controlling more than I usually would, as I was learning how to use it.

I’m going to have to review things as I’m in the habit of only using the electric some days but now I might have to use the outboard to go from place to place and then electric around the fishing zone. Alternatively I may have to run a second deep cycle battery?

I didn’t run the outboard yesterday to check trim after re-siting the deep cycle battery to the front and side to try and balance out my weight, my fat bum, fuel tank, the outboard, a general battery for the sounder and the heavy bow mounted electric. Adding another heavy battery might not be wise?? Need more tests to see where I’m at currently before making further changes.

I have 2 handles at the front of the boat that act as a guide for the anchor rope so the motor is offset to the left a little and I’m not sure how that effects steering buy not being in the centre if the bow, but I noticed that if I stand on the same side as the bow mount and deep cycle, it takes more corrections to steer it. Other side, not so much!

An interesting day and I’m sure it will only get better as I use it more.

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Re: Testing Bowmount Motor.

Post by Steve_R »

It's good to hear you are on the water instead of battling wood.
The Bream should switch on down your way soon. Between new tractor and this, you won't know what to do every day.
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Digger
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Re: Testing Bowmount Motor.

Post by Digger »

Steve_R wrote:It's good to hear you are on the water instead of battling wood.
The Bream should switch on down your way soon. Between new tractor and this, you won't know what to do every day.
Yeah delays in the tractor mean I'm going to be spinning my wheels for a while longer yet!

Maybe more fishing is called for?

Might try Kellies jetty next, see where the mullet are at!

Mmmm..smoked mullet dip!
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Re: Testing Bowmount Motor.

Post by Hvalross »

Ah! The joys of learning to drive the Watersnake.....more like an eel :lol: :lol: :lol:
Still after a while it does get easier and will become quite automatic.
I have a 4.1m Jabiru and opted for a second battery set up. They are connected so operate as one.
Feel a lot more confident about that set up. A full day (8hrs) on the water usually takes half the charge according to the meter on the minn kota..........not sure how the batteries themselves are charged or if that differs from the troll motor meter.

The transom mount Merc Thruster 55lb allowed me to troll all day, but the minn kota chews juice like all hell even at low speeds. Now I motor between areas and only use the bowmount for lure casting.
When all else fails........read the instructions!
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Digger
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Re: Testing Bowmount Motor.

Post by Digger »

Hvalross wrote:Ah! The joys of learning to drive the Watersnake.....more like an eel :lol: :lol: :lol:
Still after a while it does get easier and will become quite automatic.
I have a 4.1m Jabiru and opted for a second battery set up. They are connected so operate as one.
Feel a lot more confident about that set up. A full day (8hrs) on the water usually takes half the charge according to the meter on the minn kota..........not sure how the batteries themselves are charged or if that differs from the troll motor meter.

The transom mount Merc Thruster 55lb allowed me to troll all day, but the minn kota chews juice like all hell even at low speeds. Now I motor between areas and only use the bowmount for lure casting.
Interesting experiences thanks Andrew.

I realise today that I cant have more weight up the front as I cant lift the boat on the trailer as it is. I'm concerned that even now the extra weight up front is going to affect the performance adversely running at speed. I dont think I can hook a deep cycle battery with a normal marine one but If I have to pull the battery off the casting deck, I 'll get another deep cycle and , ditch the marine battery and do as you have done & run them together. I'll power the electronics off those as well as the trolling motor. The more I think about that the more sense it makes actually.

With all the other equipment here, a spare battery isn't any load to carry.

Then I'll have to run power to the front in conduit under the deck to power the motor.

Thats given me ideas thanks.
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Re: Testing Bowmount Motor.

Post by Hvalross »

I am running a deep cycle and a proper marine battery too....no probs, same brand.
When all else fails........read the instructions!
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Re: Testing Bowmount Motor.

Post by Hvalross »

Some other bits of naval fluff......

Replaced my rollers with extra hard blue poly rollers. Polished the brand new shafts to a shine...now the jaba will roll off the trailer on flat level ground.

Have a long bow rope and an even longer stern rope,
Bow rope attaches to the trailer post and just allows the bow to retain (firm) contact with the last roller. Stern rope much longer and also attaches to the post.

One person launch.

Back down the ramp till I can walk dry to the post.
Attach bow rope to the post
Run the stern rope to a safe point on land where its handy to get at.
Unhook winch.
Back the car the extra 1m and hit the brake.
Boat rolls off and bow rests snug on the first roller
Run the car forward a tad and unhook the bow rope
Walk to the stern rope and with the stern rope in one hand and the bow rope in the other haul the boat to an appropriate spot and tie it off. Park the car and go fishin.

Retrieve equally simple
Run the winch to the appropriate spot 2nd roller (just)
Back in
Walk the boat to the trailer using the two ropes again
Toss the bow rope onto the trailer and hold the boat against the roller with the stern rope
Walk dry to the trailer and walk down the trailer hook on the winch, boat is still snug on the stern rope
Walk up the trailer and wind her in. I'm still dry!!
Secure all and drive up the ramp stop and attach rear tie down and get out of the way for the next boat

Very fast and no fuss one up!!
When all else fails........read the instructions!
Studies have shown that people who have more Birthdays tend to live longer...
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Re: Testing Bowmount Motor.

Post by l2andom »

You get the hang of a trolling motor pretty quick. I've always had ones with footpedals back in the states, but my first boat I bought here in Australia doesn't have any real casting deck (just a tinny) so I'm just using the hand remote which was a bit different. Running a 24v 80lb motorguide xi5 on a little tinny and she flies if I'm running at high speeds :lol: . Never had any battery problems though my boat sits a bit lower now with 2x75ah batteries in it :lol: . Actually seems to have made it run a bit better, I have them spaced out towards the middle of the boat with a compartment made out of wood to hold them in place.
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