04-28-2009, 04:53 AM
Hi. This is sort of a blind shot with general info since I don't know the ODC Sport- but length and rocker of pontoons will be big factors. Generally putting a riser raises the center of gravity, which makes it more likely for a capsize. You can compensate by widening the frame. May not be a concern if you fish very protected water where you never have waves to deal with.
Buying a troll motor and battery is much cheaper than building your own. To save money, go small used motor with NON-Electronic speed control which will last forever so long as its never been submerged. You can use a sealed battery from a large capacity UPS computer backup and put it back for recharge over a week or so. This works IF you keep your speed down and don't have to go very far. Even a $20 garden tractor battery from Sams Club with a trickle charger will work. Works OK if you only go out a few times per year. Working out a mount may be more of an issue than the motor/battery if you don't already have a mount on the pontoon due to balance and weight capacity issues.
That said, I have built several troll motors of my own design because I spend a lot of time with a pontoon on the water. Many thousands of hours and dollars over 15 years have given me something that works exceptionally well for my arrangement and the kind of fishing I do. But, at least this has been the merging of 2 hobbies that I really enjoy. Many of the parts are no longer available and others have to be laboriously handmade with a careful eye for fitting to close tolerances and a sense for how the whole thing will work with a particular mount. Even with specific directions on how one was built, it might take a year to bring the whole thing together and adjust for a particular pontoon or different type of fishing. Thus the cost for a homemade motor would be much higher than adapting what is already out there....
Hope this helps.
Pon
[quote Knotthead]So I took my new ODC Sport 'toon out a couple weeks ago (the first time I have ever been out on the water), and found out that 'toon did not like how much I weigh. The stock seat (the cloth one that is pinned to the frame) was dragging in the water and my rear end got quite cold. [frown] Thank goodness I was wearing my fly fishing waiters.
Because of that, I went and bought a 7" riser and a nice comfy plastic seat last week. Took this set up out this last weekend and realized I now do not have sufficient clearance to use the ores. It was very hard to row effectively. [mad]
So, now that I have dropped so much $ this winter on this 'toon and the accessories, I would like to try and build my own electric trolling motor.
Does anyone here have any good specs for building your own electric motor, or could you point me to do-it-yourself sites that can facilitate me? I wouldn't think it would be too difficult, but any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Knotthead[/quote]
[signature]
Buying a troll motor and battery is much cheaper than building your own. To save money, go small used motor with NON-Electronic speed control which will last forever so long as its never been submerged. You can use a sealed battery from a large capacity UPS computer backup and put it back for recharge over a week or so. This works IF you keep your speed down and don't have to go very far. Even a $20 garden tractor battery from Sams Club with a trickle charger will work. Works OK if you only go out a few times per year. Working out a mount may be more of an issue than the motor/battery if you don't already have a mount on the pontoon due to balance and weight capacity issues.
That said, I have built several troll motors of my own design because I spend a lot of time with a pontoon on the water. Many thousands of hours and dollars over 15 years have given me something that works exceptionally well for my arrangement and the kind of fishing I do. But, at least this has been the merging of 2 hobbies that I really enjoy. Many of the parts are no longer available and others have to be laboriously handmade with a careful eye for fitting to close tolerances and a sense for how the whole thing will work with a particular mount. Even with specific directions on how one was built, it might take a year to bring the whole thing together and adjust for a particular pontoon or different type of fishing. Thus the cost for a homemade motor would be much higher than adapting what is already out there....
Hope this helps.
Pon
[quote Knotthead]So I took my new ODC Sport 'toon out a couple weeks ago (the first time I have ever been out on the water), and found out that 'toon did not like how much I weigh. The stock seat (the cloth one that is pinned to the frame) was dragging in the water and my rear end got quite cold. [frown] Thank goodness I was wearing my fly fishing waiters.
Because of that, I went and bought a 7" riser and a nice comfy plastic seat last week. Took this set up out this last weekend and realized I now do not have sufficient clearance to use the ores. It was very hard to row effectively. [mad]
So, now that I have dropped so much $ this winter on this 'toon and the accessories, I would like to try and build my own electric trolling motor.
Does anyone here have any good specs for building your own electric motor, or could you point me to do-it-yourself sites that can facilitate me? I wouldn't think it would be too difficult, but any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Knotthead[/quote]
[signature]