Kayak Motor

[andygeekboy]

To do:
1. build motor bracket and fit
2. install anchor trolley
3. test drive!

I'm almost done ALTA!

I'm 10% into a similar project on my Quest

Is the bracket removable?

The bracket looks really sturdy, can you post more pics or maybe a brief 'how-to' guide?

Thanks!

[Chuy]

I'm 10% into a similar project on my Quest

Is the bracket removable?

The bracket looks really sturdy, can you post more pics or maybe a brief 'how-to' guide?

Thanks!

he bracket is not removeable, however, the motor is. Just pull the pin holding it in place and the whole assembly slides out. If Alta really wanted to, he could remove the bracket by unscrewing the two bolts holding it in place and the braces on top and dig the marine goop out and have a stock kayak.

If i had more pictures, i would post them. But Altabonita already picked it up.

For the bracket.
I basically just cut the bracket using a dremel and made it fit to the contour of the kayak. Then drilled the holes in the back and secured it to the bolts used for his rudder. Then filled the insides with silicon and added the top brackets.

The trolling motor
Took the motor totally apart and cut the shaft down, adding a rubber stopper and feeding the wires through. Silicone the poopoo out of it and tip it upside down so that the silicon doesnt go into the body of the motor.

Then I build the turning bracket out of aluminum and secured it to the shaft using U-bolts. Then i added a little clipping point so that Alta could raise and lower the motor using a short rope and cleet. This worked out really sweet.

Then, take the wiring and connect it to the plugs you see. Install into kayak and run the wires up through the front hatch. These wires are purchased at home depot as a 14ga 4 wire(strand) in a waterproof covering.

At this point you can go ahead and take the switch out from the trolling motor and place in into the electrical box and run the wires through sealing rubber fittings. SIlicon the poopoo out of it and cover in some liquid electrical tape, just for fun.

Connect all the wires together and drill a hole out of the top of the lid (screws in) and silicon where the switch comes out of the box.

On the switch, I took a dremel and cut some of the top layer down and rounded it off to extend the height of the switch ( to go to through the hull). I did leave a bit of the anchoring plastic on there so that it wouldnt spin the switch inside the housing. I had to cut a relief slot in the bracket box cover for this.

Once you get all this done. you have a choice.... you can either 1. Add 90degree brackets two both sides of the box and rivet through the hull into the brackets, suspending the box. OR 2. Widen the holes in the bracket box(existing) and rivet through to these (this is what i did with Alta's kayak)

Now. this is pretty much the entire process. But there is a lot of tinkering, fitting, cutting, shaving, etc to get it all to fit right.

If I can help in any way, let me know.

[andygeekboy]

Thanks for the detailed response!

I was thinking of adding a kill switch somewhere near the cockpit, it this something that you guys did?

[Chuy]

no we didnt add a kill switch. Wouldn't be a bad idea though. my concern would be adding too many electrical components (one of my buddies caught his on fire a while back), however, if you could find a switch like for a jetski or something that would be slick!

[andygeekboy]

How about something like this?

won't let me post the link properly so I took out the ww w.

duckworksbbs.com/hardware/electrical/sd420488/index.htm

[JK Valadez]

WOW, great idea!

[Bmfvet]

Need to do this myself!

[Chuy]

How about something like this?

won't let me post the link properly so I took out the ww w.

duckworksbbs.com/hardware/electrical/sd420488/index.htm

That's a great idea. I may be doing this on my next one.

[Buckrider]

Can you say water wheelies!!!!!Awesome...