Bow rail vs trolling motor

[GoneFission]

OK - the "Pencil Test" is my favorite way to demonstrate the best location for a trolling motor (and even a non-engineer can understand this!).  

Put a pencil down on a table with a little button or a penny a few inches away - crosswise to the pencil
Use take the sharp end with your fingers and pull it over the penny - easy, right?  
Now put the pencil back and try to push the pointed end over the penny from the eraser end - not so easy, right?  

The best maneuverability and always come from pulling a boat from the front.  Main running gear on boats is usually in the rear because of the shape of hulls works best with a pointy end in the front and weight in the rear.  Boats that plane have problems with front propulsion systems as the bow rises.  Also, putting the main running gear in the rear allows it to be protected with a skeg or lower unit so it will come up when an obstacle is hit and avoid damage.  Smaller boats can also nose-up or beach with an engine in the rear, which you could not do with a front-mounted engine.  Mercury recognized the importance of protecting props and underwater running gear in the 1950s:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWH1oJeiHPU  

As speed increases, the need for maneuverability decreases and the need for forward thrust increases - at a point, it's just about going fast, not turning - even in the 1950s:  http://vimeo.com/5420460  

So the best situation is having the trolling motor on the bow for pinpoint maneuverability and having the main engine on the stern for power and speed.  There's a reason professional bass boats are set up that way...  

[MarshMarlowe196]

Great post John!  

BTW - 1000 posts for me.  Almost 6 years in the making.

[seabob4]

WOO HOO JESSIE!!!  

Been waiting for that one Bud!  Congrats, and as a former Aquasport owner and current Key West owner/website administrator, your thoughts, opinions, an general bullchit are ALWAYS welcome!!

So let's see, going on 6 years, 1000 posts.  Me, going on 7 years...OMG, I'm a blithering idiot!!!  

[RickK]

Nice explanation John.
Congrats Jessie.
SB I think the word is "babbling"  

[seabob4]

But the idiot part is correct...      

[gran398]

We's twin idiots then!!

Jesse, congratulations!! Keep up the great work!

Jesse, BTW....we need some young 'uns around here son......

[seabob4]

Practice Scotty, practice...

[redemn93]

glad i decided to get back to school to finish my ME.  i actually understand everything said here.  went over PV=nRT in class today lol.  funny how it all comes full circle when your older and can be worked into something you enjoy doing, ie boats.

[seabob4]

glad i decided to get back to school to finish my ME.  i actually understand everything said here.  went over PV=nRT in class today lol.  funny how it all comes full circle when your older and can be worked into something you enjoy doing, ie boats.

Way cool, Jason.  First studied Avogadro's Law, jeez, must be 35 years ago, senior in HS.  The keys, not so much Avogadro's number (6.022 X 10 to the 23rd), but the relationship between Pressure, Volume, and Temperature.  Explains a lot of chit.

While I don't have much use for differential equations these days, one formula, simple, that I use quite often is the law of Sines.  Great for figuring out deadrise, given the boat being on a pretty level surface...

[Capt. Bob]

(6.022 X 10 to the 23rd)

Hell I always thought moles were little blind critters that dug up your yard.

[seabob4]

One thing you don't want to deal with is 12 molar Hydrochloric Acid...  


But it will do a number on those pesky yard varmints, CB...

[slvrlng]

Yall are making my brain hurt!!!          

Back to the bow rail....... I REALLY like having mine on the hull. Yes, I would like to have a trolling motor up there but, when the wind kicks up while anchored and within 10 minutes it goes from 1 footers to 5s, this is when you are very glad you did not remove it. Ask me how I know! Yes, it was a very, very wet ride that day!

[daniel123]

I installed a Riptide on the bow of my '99 Osprey and kept the bow rail. The project is detailed in an article coming out in the next issue of BoatUS magazine, but basically we just cut out a section of the rail to allow the shaft to pass as we deployed or stowed the motor and used a piece of ss tubing one size larger in diameter than the rail, and twice as long as the slot to slide over and fill it in when the motor is stowed or in use, and slide to the side when we need the slot open for the shaft to pass, using quick-release pins to secure it on both open and closed positions. Works great. (I tried to include a photo here but can't seem to jump through all the re-sizing hoops required to make that happen. I was able post the photo in my gallery)

FM

[MarshMarlowe196]

Neat install.  Great idea with the S/S tubing.  Does the troll motor come over the front deck at all when in the stowed position, or is it only over the gunwale?  Is the RTA-17 bracket supported under the portion that appears to be hanging off the bow?

[daniel123]

It angles over it a little bit, but the cockpit remains mostly open to offer my better half unobstructed sunbathing....I'll try to upload another photo to my gallery and allow the CAS tech pros to present it here! (thanks, guys)