There’s nothing more relaxing than a day out on the water, whether you’re fishing or just enjoying the scenery, but that can be quickly interrupted by boats making too much noise and commotion.
A trolling motor is an ideal fix for this, as it offers a way to seamlessly glide your boat through the water without a fuss so that you can keep the water calm and still.
With hundreds of different trolling motors to choose from, it can be hard enough finding the right one, but to add to the confusion you’ll need a trolling motor mount that suits as well.
Thankfully, we’ve compiled some of the top trolling motor mounts for a variety of uses so that you can easily pick one for your next day on the water.
Product Name | Our Rating |
---|---|
The Dangers of Motor Mounts
So, why is it so important to have a quality motor mount? Too many people skimp on this important accessory without giving it much thought, but purchasing cheap and inferior products can be dangerous to do.
If you mount your trolling motor onto a vessel with a poorly made mount, the entire motor can easily slip into the water, costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars to replace.
Another problem with these motor mounts is that too many people try their hands at a DIY project when attaching them to the boat.
There’s a reason why these accessories have been made, and that’s to ensure that the motor stays firmly attached to your boat and doesn’t cause an accident, so it’s never a good idea to attempt to make your own.
Thankfully, quality motor mounts are extremely affordable to purchase and will last for many years, so there’s no need to attempt to do one for yourself.
How To Rig Your Trolling Motor On Trolling Motor Mount
If you’re new to the world of boats and want to know the best way to attach your trolling motor on the bracket, we’ve outlined the easy steps to do so. This guideline refers to a bow mount trolling motor bracket, so if you’re using one somewhere else then you should refer to the instructions that came with your product.
Firstly, you’ll need to remove the trolling motor assembly from the mount base. Because bow mounted trolling motors are best for vessels with flat, raised decks they require absolute precision.
Find somewhere on the deck where you’ll want to mount the base. Preferably, this spot should be able to accommodate the motor when it’s both stowed on deck and when it’s pulling the vessel.
If using a breakaway mount, you’ll need to make sure there’s enough space for the motor to break away. Also be sure to choose somewhere you can screw the mount into the deck and not the hull itself.
Use the mount’s template to mark holes where it will go and then drill these holes to a depth of about ¼ inch.
Put a bolt through each hole and then attach a washer at the end. Place the base over the holes and be sure to slip the bolts into each of them.
Make sure the base rests evenly against the surface of the deck otherwise it won’t be able to raise correctly.
Finally, thread a retaining nut and steel washer onto the bolts and then tighten them. Secure the motor assembly to the base as well, and then you’re ready to go.
Difference Between Inflatable And Regular Motor Mounts
The market of motor mounts can be divided into two main areas: those made for inflatable boats and those made for regular boats. If you’ve been wondering what the difference is, you only need to think about the strength of each of these types of boats and how much thrust they can handle in the water.
Trolling motors made for inflatable boats usually offer much less in horsepower due to the fact that they can’t handle high speeds and pressure like a regular boat can.
Their mount needs to account for this. In addition for being suited to gentler motors, an inflatable boat’s motor mount has to be able to attach to a unique part of the boat so that it doesn’t puncture the body of the boat itself and cause it to sink.
Regular motor mounts can be attached to a number of places, but the most popular place is on the bow. These are generally preferred by fishermen with medium to large sized boats because they give significantly more control than those placed on the transom.
However, if you have a smaller boat and limited knowledge on how to install a motor mount, it may be best to go with a transom mount as they’re far easier to set up.
Finally, but usually not as popular, there are engine motor mounts available. As the name suggests, these attach directly to the captivation plate of your boat’s outboard motor and the trolling motor is connected to it.
When you don’t have room to install a trolling motor or have more of a multipurpose boat, this is your best option for where and how to mount it.
Top Picks For Best Trolling Motor Mount
When it comes to choosing the best trolling motor mount, there are quite a few options out there making it difficult to settle on the right one. We’ve done the hard work for you and found a few of the top rate trolling motor mounts for your boat so that you can enjoy a day on the water without a fuss.
Intex Composite Boat Motor Mount Kit For Inflatable Boats
Intex is a brand that knows how to create products for the water, and that’s definitely the case with their Composite Boat Motor Mount Kit. This kit has been specifically designed to mount a motor to an inflatable boat, and it suits a variety of styles and designs.
By far the best thing about this motor mount is how easy it is to install, even by those reviewers who had never attempted such a job before.
There are plenty of great directions that come inside the box so if you get lost you know exactly where to go, and it should only take a matter of minutes to get the job completed perfectly.
The mount from Intex has been made from heavy duty composite and has supportive and flexible aluminum arms which attach and detach with ease.
OUR RATING
Using a setup like this means it’s far less time-consuming than other mounts and there’s no need to fuss around with all of the different components anytime you want to put the motor on.
Some reviewers have complained that they would have preferred a wood mount rather than the composite that this was made from, however, Intext guarantees that this hard plastic will last for years to come.
Provided you take care of it and only use it on the vessels that it’s been made for, you’ll find it helps your boat to cruise gently and quietly in any condition.
The Intex Composite Boat Motor Mount Kit attaches to most styles of Intex inflatable boats including the Seahawk and Challenger models, so if you have this brand then you’ll want to rely on the quality that you can trust from Intex.
The only real issue is that you need to keep a check on the smaller parts when you take it off and ensure you haven’t lost anything, otherwise the mount as a whole will be of no use to you.
Minn Kota Bracket & Hinge Assembly
Known as one of the best companies around when it comes to trolling motors, it’s no surprise that Minn Kota has delivered the goods with this quality motor mount.
The Minn Kota Bracket and Hinge Assembly Kit can help you attach your trolling motor to the vessel with ease, and there’s no need to ever second guess the quality of this product.
The Minn Kota Bracket and Hinge Assembly Kit fits most in the range, including the Camo, Classic, and Endura, so if you have a Minn Kota motor you can be sure that this will do the trick.
OUR RATING
Some reviews have even stated that they used this accessory with a motor that wasn’t Minn Kota and had great success with it, so as long as you do the measurements yourself you might find that it’s more versatile than you hoped.
This bracket and hinge set couldn’t be easier to adjust on the go, and judging by some of the reviews that state it will need an adjustment from time to time, it’s great to know that you can do it simply enough.
However, be careful as you tighten the shafts as some have found that if you do this too tight you won’t be able to turn the head, so always use your judgment.
You will need to disassemble your trolling motor in order to attach it to the boat when using the Minn Kota Trolling Motor Mount, but it won’t take long at all.
For a little bit of extra work, you’ll be repaid with years of quality and support as you let this stellar product keep your trusty motor attached to your favorite vessel, and glide your way calmly around the water.
Garelick/Eez-In Stationary Outboard Motor Bracket - Vertical Transom Mount
The Garelick Stationary Outboard Motor Bracket is a simple solution for anyone with a boat looking for the best way to attach their trolling motor.
If you’re a fisherman who likes to get out into lakes and calm oceans without making a fuss but haven’t found the right motor mount bracket to help you do so, the Garelick is ideal for most vessels.
This motor mount bracket is best for those who don’t need an entire kit just to attach their motor, and it’s been made with the quality that you’d expect from the Garelick name. This is a vertical transom mount that would suit auxiliary or trolling motors, so there’s no limit to the type of boat it will work with.
OUR RATING
The Garelick Motor Bracket has been designed to attach to your swim mount, so if it’s made from something of higher quality then you might want to look elsewhere.
This device requires that you drill some holes to attach the bracket, so if you’re not prepared to do this on materials such as mahogany or teak then you can find another type of bracket that will work.
This motor bracket holds all sizes of motor, so it’s definitely one of the more versatile accessories out there.
If you have no experience with attaching trolling motor mounts to your boat, there are handy instructions that come with the Garelick Motor Bracket so you’ll be able to get the entire job done in under 20 minutes. Just be sure you have the required tools ready so that there’s no delay in getting set up.
Some users have found that they need to put a wood backing as a back plate, so something like thick plywood would do. Overall, though, for a no-fuss way to attach a vertical trolling motor to your sailing vessel or favorite boat, the Garelick Stationary Outboard Motor Bracket is it.
The Verdict
For the serious fisherman who likes to keep himself as quiet in the water as possible, there’s no way you should head out without a trolling motor. Just as important as the motor itself is the motor mount, though, as shopping for a cheap or inferior product will only lead to problems in the future.
After weighing up all of the options, it seems clear to us that the standout trolling motor mount is the Intex Composite Boat Motor Mount Kit.
This kit has everything you need to get the job done, and it’s made with quality materials that will last for many years to ensure your inflatable boat has nothing but smooth sailing in the future.