homemade trolling motor bracket

[wglanville]

I just got an old deer crossing sign from my grandparents farm. My research has shown that signs are .080 thick. Can I use this aluminum to create a bracket for my trolling motor to bolt onto? I would rivet this to the front and along the rails on my old Jon boat. What does everything think? Strong enough? Should I double it up?

 

[wglanville]

I just got an old horse crossing street sign from my uncle's farm. From my research, street signs are .080 thick. Can I make a bracket out of this to bolt my trolling motor too? Will it be strong enough? I'm thinking about riveting it to the rails and my front deck on my old Jon boat. Do I need to double it up, would that be better?

 

[Bondo]

I just got an old horse crossing street sign from my uncle's farm. From my research, street signs are .080 thick. Can I make a bracket out of this to bolt my trolling motor too? Will it be strong enough? I'm thinking about riveting it to the rails and my front deck on my old Jon boat. Do I need to double it up, would that be better?

Ayuh,..... Without some sorta idea of How yer gonna use it, it's hard to say,.....

How ya gonna clamp yer motor to it,..??

 

[gm280]

Okay, I have to ask. Was it a "deer crossing sign", or a "horse crossing sign"... :facepalm:

Just kidding with you... If you could draw up a little schematic of your design and post some pictures of your trolling motor we could get a better understanding of what you're trying to do... It really all depends on what structural force you are using and where you are using it as to the size and thickness of the aluminum you need.

 

[wglanville]

Funny, I happened to be looking at a deer crossing sign when I wrote the first post. I didn't think it loaded, so I wrote another post and want looking at a deer crossing sign anymore.

Hopefully this picture loads.

I plan on making a bracket for my bow mounted trolling motor to attach to and am wondering if aluminum that is .080 thick will be strong enough.

I would rivet it to the front deck and to the rails along the front and side.

 

[wglanville]

No Title

Basically it would take the place of this wood that I have the trolling motor bolted to right now.

 

[wglanville]

No Title

Something very similar to these, just wondering if the aluminum is thick enough, or if doubling it up would be enough?

 

[gm280]

If you are talking about bending and forming a raised aluminum plate then I would most certainly double up, because .080" is not quite 3/32" in thickness and I'm not sure that thin aluminum would hold the little bumps and hits you will get occasionally when trolling down a bank fishing... If you can double it up and make it, that would certainly help. I don't know the type aluminum or its temper range either. So bending it could be interesting. If it takes a bend without cracking, it may work. JMHO!

 

[pikefisherman]

Just a thought last summer I used some u strut channel and maid a sliding bracket for mine, how ever I found the motor too heavy when transporting , and started cracking bow from the heavy motor 55lb thrust, terrova.I can send photo if you need more info.