My Nitro lost Bow Trolling plate + trolling motor! Need help!

[markeee]

Hi there,

I had a freak accident happen yesterday. I lost my Minn Kota PowerDrive V2 + additional sonar transducer after hitting a wave... the built in plate's knob that holds in place appears to have ripped out the threads of the bolt and it just bounced into 40' of water. I now need to figure out a way to replace the plate that was there so I can install a new trolling motor ASAP (going on a fishing trip in 2 weeks).

Anybody know if I can still get this part "somehow" or an alternative to mount a new motor on it? I'm thinking of a Terrova or Ulterra. I see Minn Kota has a quick release place, but because of those 2 areas or "posts" it won't be flush and won't work. It needs to be flat.

See attached area which appears to have 1 bolt area and one pin area. So this area isn't flush. Boat is a 2002 188 Sport.

Thanks!

 

[Larry Williams]

If I were attempting to place a troll motor on that surface, I would have to fabricate a plate of some kind to securely attach making a level surface on top with a backing plate of some kind under the bow cone. It looks like you can access the underside of the deck area through that plastic electrical cover down on the face of the cone area. You could install a backing plate of some kind going through that access. I would not trust that two point attachment for anything. There is a lot of twist, torque and vibration exerted on heavy troll motors that must transfer to whatever attachment through the bow material there is. With over 2 grand invested- you have got to know that it can't get away from you again! I've actually never seen mount hardware like what you have. Perhaps you could use some of the recessed deck space behind the bow cone on one side to reach out, but again you will need some serious backing to hold it in place- you won't be able to simply screw it down with any sort of screw hardward with serious backing hardware...
Good luck with that

 

[markeee]

Thanks for the reply Larry.

Yeah, what a pain in the butt this job is now. I'm thinking of buying an aluminium plate, 8" wide by 24" long, and either 0.375" or 0.5" thick. Somehow screw this in to the entire deck via multiple bolts. Then attach a quick release plate on this somehow so I can have a removable solution. I would also get straps to hold down the motor from bouncing as much when not in use or going with the main motor.

Ever see such hardware anywhere? If I could change the one on the tip of the bow with a screw one, or something... it could help... perhaps make new ones with a custom made aluminum piece... to which I can bolt several on, again, where to get this. At least something similar to the below item?

 

[markeee]

Or what I can perhaps do is remove those flat head screws, and use them to attach longer screws and reattach a custom aluminium plate?

 

[Little Scrooge]

I have an 05 Nitro 189 F&S, Same set up with mounting plate and such and just started mounting new TM. I did remove the flathead screws as you suggested above but the hole under that metal puck is about 2 inches in diameter not the diameter of the threaded portion like it appears to be so i reattached that and decided to mount using the pucks and pin system. I had a much larger piece of aluminum bar fabricated 8x29x1/2 inch with the holes for the bolt and the pin pre-drilled for me Now I have the bolt and the pin- guessing maybe you don't since you lost everything, but MK makes a sliding mount for the Terrova that fits exactly over the pin system. I should be mounting the aluminum plate and sliding MK plate permanent this weekend let me know if you have an questions

 

[markeee]

Hey, this sounds promising.

I do have questions if you don't mind. You are my only hope (as Princess Leia would say) lol. I did lose everything unfortunately: That smaller beveled edge plate and the pin, etc. So not sure how I will attach anything right now.

1. You got a custom piece of aluminium made 8" wide by 29" and 1/2" thick. 8" because it will accommodate the MK sliding mount, which is just under 8" wide I believe?

2. The above plate you had drilled 2 holes to accommodate the bolt and the pin - which is attached to the original plate (that I don't have). You recall the thread size of the drill?

3. You then attached the custom plate with the old plate onto the boat, with one end bolted, the other just pinned?

4. You finally put the MK slider on the old plate. What's the dimension of the old plate? Which MK slider did you use? They have a few I notice.

I'm now awaiting a callback from a guy who installs Minn Kota units - he might be able to take care of it... I'm sadly a guy with 5 thumbs per hand hahaha.

 

[Larry Williams]

Good deal- It looks like there is a fix and parts to do it with.....

 

[Little Scrooge]

Glad to try to help:
1. You got a custom piece of aluminium made 8" wide by 29" and 1/2" thick. 8" because it will accommodate the MK sliding mount, which is just under 8" wide I believe? - yes the MK Slider is 8 inch wide but also my new Terrova has a longer shaft than my old TM thus putting the head of the Terrova outside the rub rails when stowed and I didn't want this for fear of it hitting a dock. The 8 inch wide plate allows me to cock the shaft slightly to allow the head to now be inside the rub rail

2. The above plate you had drilled 2 holes to accommodate the bolt and the pin - which is attached to the original plate (that I don't have). You recall the thread size of the drill? - the thread size is 9/16, the post/pin side is 3/4 at least that is what my fabricator marked on my old plate. the old plate and new plate are NOT mounted together Picture 4 above is just reference for how much bigger the new plate is to the old plate. the old plate will not be used, at least not on the boat

3. You then attached the custom plate with the old plate onto the boat, with one end bolted, the other just pinned? - again just using the new plate but it will be bolted and pinned. Pic 6 shows how the old pin system works, the pin under the bow of the boat held in place by the green tension springs, I removed the springs so the square piece in #6 now sits right on the new aluminum plate. To keep it tight I had my post drilled with a new hole that is pic 7. I am going to add a thin neoprene gasket to keep extra tension on the pin

4. You finally put the MK slider on the old plate. What's the dimension of the old plate? Which MK slider did you use? They have a few I notice. - I understand why you are asking about old plate size, the old plate is 5x 23 3/4 x 1/2. The Terrova needs to sit much farther out than my old TM to deploy properly so I needed the new plate to be 29 inches vs the old 23 3/4. I used MKA-16-03. Picture 5 shows the MKA-16-03 and how it fits right over the pin and peg system.

I probably should have done better at explaining that pic 4 is just a reference photo for size difference while pic 5 is the new plate, the square pin/post and the MK slider mounted on top

Luckily it is the dead of summer and I don't do much fishing on my boat right now it has taken me a month to get to this stage in between other honey-do projects.

I'm now awaiting a callback from a guy who installs Minn Kota units - he might be able to take care of it... I'm sadly a guy with 5 thumbs per hand hahaha.

 

[NEBRVET]

Here is what I did to mount a newer trolling motor on mine. I drilled into the new plate so the holes aligned with the plates on the hull. I had to purchase longer bolts but it works great.

 

[NEBRVET]

I mounted a 24 volt Riptide so needed to extend out over the edge of the bow.

 

[markeee]

Wow, you got a really nice piece made for you custom there. I have < 2 weeks to get a solution before I go on my fishing trip. Err. I'm going to bring it to a Minn Kota rep & installer here, see what he says and can do. He says he thinks he should be able to get a installation done before I leave.

What trolling motor did you get? How strong? 80? 112?

Glad to try to help:
1. You got a custom piece of aluminium made 8" wide by 29" and 1/2" thick. 8" because it will accommodate the MK sliding mount, which is just under 8" wide I believe? - yes the MK Slider is 8 inch wide but also my new Terrova has a longer shaft than my old TM thus putting the head of the Terrova outside the rub rails when stowed and I didn't want this for fear of it hitting a dock. The 8 inch wide plate allows me to cock the shaft slightly to allow the head to now be inside the rub rail

2. The above plate you had drilled 2 holes to accommodate the bolt and the pin - which is attached to the original plate (that I don't have). You recall the thread size of the drill? - the thread size is 9/16, the post/pin side is 3/4 at least that is what my fabricator marked on my old plate. the old plate and new plate are NOT mounted together Picture 4 above is just reference for how much bigger the new plate is to the old plate. the old plate will not be used, at least not on the boat

3. You then attached the custom plate with the old plate onto the boat, with one end bolted, the other just pinned? - again just using the new plate but it will be bolted and pinned. Pic 6 shows how the old pin system works, the pin under the bow of the boat held in place by the green tension springs, I removed the springs so the square piece in #6 now sits right on the new aluminum plate. To keep it tight I had my post drilled with a new hole that is pic 7. I am going to add a thin neoprene gasket to keep extra tension on the pin

4. You finally put the MK slider on the old plate. What's the dimension of the old plate? Which MK slider did you use? They have a few I notice. - I understand why you are asking about old plate size, the old plate is 5x 23 3/4 x 1/2. The Terrova needs to sit much farther out than my old TM to deploy properly so I needed the new plate to be 29 inches vs the old 23 3/4. I used MKA-16-03. Picture 5 shows the MKA-16-03 and how it fits right over the pin and peg system.

I probably should have done better at explaining that pic 4 is just a reference photo for size difference while pic 5 is the new plate, the square pin/post and the MK slider mounted on top

Luckily it is the dead of summer and I don't do much fishing on my boat right now it has taken me a month to get to this stage in between other honey-do projects.

I'm now awaiting a callback from a guy who installs Minn Kota units - he might be able to take care of it... I'm sadly a guy with 5 thumbs per hand hahaha.

 

[Erik]

I had a custom piece made at a CNC shop out of 1/2 inch steel. It's pretty heavy but it's nice. I put a piece of plywood on there, cut out the design I wanted, drilled the holes in it that I needed and took it in. Didn't cost me much (it was a friend mind you), I just bolted it into the two holes that's on the boat so it doesn't come off so easy.
When I bought my boat it came without the plate and looked high and low for one. Called Bass pro and they couldn't even find the part number anymore.
Good luck.

 

[NEBRVET]

I picked up an 80. More than enough for what I do. Hardest part was marking the holes from the underside of the bow into the new plate. 14 year old neighbor was the perfect solution.