D-I-Y Trolling Motor Hack!

[Zen Archery]

Has anyone ever stripped a trolling motor apart?
What is in the shaft besides the wire?
Is the motor down at the base or up top where the hand control is?

Basically I am wanting to hack the shaft open, extend the internal cables (assuming that is all that is in the shaft) by sodering in more wire and have the hand control next to me instead of behind me.

(I am ghetto rigging some cables to control the trolling motor by foot)

Thanks

[wbhinton]

You should be able to do that. I took one apart one time and the motor is down below. With wires in the shaft as you described.

[furtrapper]

There is only wires in the shaft, Make sure the wire is the right guage.

[rocky47]

Wire is all that is in the shaft. When making tie-in make sure you use wire at least as large as that already there. Has to be able to carry the current.

[huntinfool]

I've done it to shorten the shaft. I'd suggest using the correct gauge wire and also solder all connections.

[Roger493]

Take pictures, lets see your work!

[BOHTR]

Won't be a problem. Before I moved to TX, we did it all the time back in SC. We fished in the rivers with small, one man boats. We had the trolling motor on the back of the boat with a bracket on the shaft so we could connect the cable from the foot pedals.....that was our steering mechinism. The rheastat...head unit....would be mounted beside the seat so you could control the speed and the forward/reverse. We would just take it off the shaft, cut and extend all the wires, and thats all there is to it.....that is, if the newer trolling motors are basically the same as 15-20 year old models.

[Zen Archery]

Update....

The project is underway. What is the best means of cutting 1/3" thick steel/graphite? I don't want to use anything mechanical hence the nature of the wires. So what type of saw do I need to chop through some serious metal???

Thanks...

[Zen Archery]

Projects 98% Complete...
I still want to spray paint the PVC Black
Gotta get the right marine battery and cover
Register yak with the state and I'm good to go.
I tried this out in the swimming pool and 36# is a heck of alot of thrust for a 12 foot kayak. It has 5 forwards speeds never got it out of 3.

[woodsman1031]

That is AWSOME!!!!!!!

[fisHRman]

sweet setup for a yak

[cantexduck]

sweet!!

[holdin4horns]

Impressive craftsmanship!!! You've got too much time on your hands, lol. looks good

[Carpe_diem]

Heckuva motorboat!

[charger92]

Hope you don't get any speeding tickets...