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small boat stabilizeing

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i have a 9ft pond prowler. while fishing with the trolling motor, mounted in front of the boat. the boat moves all over the place. any help or sujestions would be great. thank you

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Re: small boat stabilizeing - leonard/ thanks ken 06:50:12 03/27/03 (1)
thanks ken for the info.the problem is while floating/drifting along the bank.the boat will turn sideways and the one running the trolling motor is spending more time controlling than fishing.we are using a 2hp gas motor on the rear,trolling motor on front.
- Re: small boat stabilizeing - KenOhki 21:45:49 03/27/03 (0)
  getting the boat to stay pointed where you want it to be wile not under power is almost a imposibility on such a small craft without a anchor, and even then you might not get the angle you want. Perhaps a troling motor with a foot control might help on the too busy stearing to fish problem..
  A drag anchor might help you some,, Not a formal anchor, something like a 1 gal bleech bottle full of sand draged under you wile trying to maintain your angle to the shore. the wind is really the factor here, its eather for or against you,, and it always seems to be against you.
  there is also something called a sea anchore, it is underwater but not touching bottom, curent will grab it and apply force to your boat. By attaching the anchor to different parts of the boat, you can force it to sit at different angles, Some people actualy use them for momentum wile fishing, but I am not sure how well it would work on a lake or pond when not under power. and this is a use that the sea anchor is not entirely designed for. if the wind was blowing you, the anchor would definitly allow you to control attitude, but I really dont think that that is a good idea for you needs,, But it is something to concider.
  Personaly,, when I am fishing up against a shore, more often then not I will run my trolling motor at it lowest setting and just let it go slowely up the bank and around the lake. but then again, I do have the foot control with mine. It takes a little concentration to control, but does allow me both hands to fish at all times.
Re: small boat stabilizeing - KenOhki 12:58:51 03/26/03 (0)
Can you better decribe what you mean by "the boat moves all over the place" a little better?
the motor mounted in the front makes for unique handling characteristics in the first place. If I am not mistaken, the boat in question has no real keel its pretty much completly flat bottomed, so that will also make it feel a bit sloppy, or slidey if you will.
It took me awile to adjust to controling my boat with the trolling motor on the front ( even worse it was the first time I ever tried a foot controll ) I do not think you will improve the handling much. I would mount the motor in the back, that will probably give you a more normal feeling/responce.
You might also try a few other Ideas I have seen. You might try to make a formal keel and attach it to the underside of your boat. Fiberglass or maybe epoxy?? You might also try something else a little more unorthidox. make yourself a centerboard, like a small sailboat would have,, 1`x 2` should do..attach it to the side of your boat with clamps or some other removable/adjustable riggiing so that it etends down into the water a bit. this will act like a keel to some extent, and might make your boat track better. The boat will naturaly require more water to float in if the centerboard idea is used. If you make a keel,1 too 2 inches thick should be suficiant to get the desired affect on such a small boat.
the charm of that specific boat is that it floats in 4 inches of water,. Sloppy handling might just be the price you pay for the shalow draft of that modle. My 14 foot fiberglass boat also flats in 4 inches of water, but I can not drop the outboard til I hit about 9 inches.

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