Redfish
01-27-2009, 08:52 PM
I've been meaning to post up these pics in case some other fellows are trying to install a new TM on their DLX. The boat presents some design elements that must be overcome to get a good clean mount. Here's how I solved some of them:
First thing to deal with is the little "lip" that runs all the way around the edge of the front deck. You either have to shim the back of the mounting bracket, or do what I did here, which was trim a notch in the plastic mount, to make everything sit down flat. Trimming was easy, once I got up the nerve to cut into the new bracket. First I put my motor up on the deck and got it where I wanted it. Then I marked the place on either side of the plastic base for the notch. Then I used a 4" high-speed grinder. It easily removed the plastic across the bottom of the base where it was coming into contact with the lip and being held off from fitting flat. I went very slow, taking a little at the time and taking time to re-position the base several times on the deck to check the progress. Here is what it looks like when finished:
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=155&pictureid=2047
I wanted to also keep the head of the motor from bouncing in rough water. The motor comes with a little "broomstick-like" rest, but I wanted something to hold everything fast. Here is my PVC rest. Note that I mounted the motor at an angle with the head coming to rest just over the back of my bow rails in order to save deck space. The rest fits between the motor and the rail to keep it from bouncing. The rest is made from two 3/4" PVC TEEs cut to form a saddle, a short piece of sch. 40 of just the right length, and it is held on to the rail with two SS hose clamps. Here's a pic:
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=155&pictureid=2048
I used the Velcro strap that came with the motor at the spot suggested by the manufacturer, but I made another one to go over the head-rest rig to assure there would be no bouncing. The Velcro is available in assorted widths at most cloth stores. It comes in "hook" and "loop" versions. I just had the "hook" and "loop" sides sewn back to back so that when you wrap it around, the hook sticks to the loops. Here is a picture of it all strapped down:
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=155&pictureid=2049
Finally, I kind of did something unique with my charging set up. Rather than mount the charger on the boat, I mounted it on the rafters above where my boat sits. I made up a plug for each battery bank so that I could charge both batteries by just plugging them in. When I get ready to go fishing, I just unplug the cables, hang the charger leads over the rafter, and stick the pigtails that go to each battery into the hatch. (Please note that if you use this set-up, you have to make sure to use a plug on your battery pigtail that does not expose the positive lead or you might risk a short.) One more picture. (Please excuse all the junk sitting around in the background. I'm sure no one on this site has any junk sitting around their sheds.)
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=155&pictureid=2050
That's it. It works well and I have no problems with the motor bouncing. Only thing I have to watch out for is the head of the motor sits out just beyond the rail when it is all strapped down. I just have to be careful loading and unloading so as to not catch the motor head on my trailer guides.
First thing to deal with is the little "lip" that runs all the way around the edge of the front deck. You either have to shim the back of the mounting bracket, or do what I did here, which was trim a notch in the plastic mount, to make everything sit down flat. Trimming was easy, once I got up the nerve to cut into the new bracket. First I put my motor up on the deck and got it where I wanted it. Then I marked the place on either side of the plastic base for the notch. Then I used a 4" high-speed grinder. It easily removed the plastic across the bottom of the base where it was coming into contact with the lip and being held off from fitting flat. I went very slow, taking a little at the time and taking time to re-position the base several times on the deck to check the progress. Here is what it looks like when finished:
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=155&pictureid=2047
I wanted to also keep the head of the motor from bouncing in rough water. The motor comes with a little "broomstick-like" rest, but I wanted something to hold everything fast. Here is my PVC rest. Note that I mounted the motor at an angle with the head coming to rest just over the back of my bow rails in order to save deck space. The rest fits between the motor and the rail to keep it from bouncing. The rest is made from two 3/4" PVC TEEs cut to form a saddle, a short piece of sch. 40 of just the right length, and it is held on to the rail with two SS hose clamps. Here's a pic:
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=155&pictureid=2048
I used the Velcro strap that came with the motor at the spot suggested by the manufacturer, but I made another one to go over the head-rest rig to assure there would be no bouncing. The Velcro is available in assorted widths at most cloth stores. It comes in "hook" and "loop" versions. I just had the "hook" and "loop" sides sewn back to back so that when you wrap it around, the hook sticks to the loops. Here is a picture of it all strapped down:
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=155&pictureid=2049
Finally, I kind of did something unique with my charging set up. Rather than mount the charger on the boat, I mounted it on the rafters above where my boat sits. I made up a plug for each battery bank so that I could charge both batteries by just plugging them in. When I get ready to go fishing, I just unplug the cables, hang the charger leads over the rafter, and stick the pigtails that go to each battery into the hatch. (Please note that if you use this set-up, you have to make sure to use a plug on your battery pigtail that does not expose the positive lead or you might risk a short.) One more picture. (Please excuse all the junk sitting around in the background. I'm sure no one on this site has any junk sitting around their sheds.)
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=155&pictureid=2050
That's it. It works well and I have no problems with the motor bouncing. Only thing I have to watch out for is the head of the motor sits out just beyond the rail when it is all strapped down. I just have to be careful loading and unloading so as to not catch the motor head on my trailer guides.