Bow Mount Trolling Motor Stabilizer Bracket
                                        by Brian Agee ( www.perchjerker0.tripod.com )

I needed a trolling motor stabilizer bracket. But I didn’t want to spend $40-$50 for one when I knew I could make one myself. That money saved will by a few lures!

So I set off looking for something that was easy to use, easy to make and easy on the wallet. That’s how my bracket was born.

It’s actually very simple. All the parts are available at any hardware store, and it can be adapted several ways to accommodate different mounting requirements.

Here is a picture of the finished unit.

As you can see, at the heart are common air hose coupler quick disconnect fittings. The base is made from a brass "T" that has been cut on a band saw and 2 mounting holes have been drilled into the flanges created by the sawing. The part that mounts to the trolling motor shaft is from a do it yourself underground lawn sprinkler system. Home Depot sells it, it’s used for tapping into the plastic hose and adding a sprinkler head. Just so happens it’s the exact diameter needed for the trolling motor shaft. And its lined with rubber so it grips very firmly.

The only other parts you will need are 2 brass pipe bushings that will fit into the sprinkler fitting, the other end of the bushing the male hose coupler screws into.

And you will also need a ¼ "npt brass pipe nipple that will connect the 2 quick connect fittings together. I used the shortest one I could find, you could use a longer one depending on how long you need it to be.

One thing that is very important to keep in mind. You must mount this unit so everything is straight, if its crooked it will be hard to connect the fittings together. If needed, you can also get a swivel that fits on the male air hose fitting and attach that to the base in case you can’t line up the coupler so that it goes together easily. I used some thin rubber from a bicycle inner tube to shim the sprinkler part to make mine straight.

If you require a vertical mount, you could add a 90° elbow to the bushing in the base. You could also make a rail mount by using another sprinkler fitting on the rail instead of the brass "t". Also, there may be easier ways to make the base piece instead of sawing the brass "t". It’s up to you. Actually, my first bracket had the same "t" on the motor shaft with hose clamps. I was cleaning out the garage and came across the sprinkler fitting and it just so happened to fit perfectly!

I have found after adjusting it a bit, it’s very easy to use. 2 fingers are all it takes to pop it off and on. And if I happen to drop it in the lake, it’s no big deal to replace the lost part.

As you can see in the first picture, I didn’t mount the sprinkler snug against the top of the trolling motor shaft. I would suggest that you try to do that to take advantage of the entire shaft length.

If you have any questions or need more details, E-mail me at  bigbrian1494@yahoo.com