Working midnights brings out the creativity/stupidity streak in me...guess kind of like doing your best thinking when you're on the crapper.

Was thinking about my optimal boat design and what I would want on the perfect boat and it got me thinking about trolling motor setups.

I hunt ducks and don't do a lot of fishing from my duck boat, doesn't mean I won't though. I have found myself in plenty of situations where a trolling motor is handy for putting out/picking up decoys. Water is deep enough to run a trolling motor but, the mud might be too deep and nasty to stand in; in a deep water cypress break or hole; in an area where the ducks are where the hole is deeper than you can wade, etc. I've also noticed that trolling motors take up a lot of deck space that you may need otherwise (deke storage, dog space, gear, etc.)

Somebody alot smarter than me has probably thought of this, tried it, and it didn't work, but...has anyone ever thought of making a deck compartment with a lid that you could somehow swivel the trolling motor bracket and trolling motor down in to get the trolling motor out of the way when you don't need it or need more deck space for getting to your spot? Would save the hassle of having to take it on and off too. Once you get there and can re-organize and get your stuff together, just open the hatch, pull it up, put it in the water and go to it. I have an idea of the design, but not sure of the mechanisms/rigging to make it happen.

Maybe PW, Uncle J, the G-Tail boys, or one of the other several talented builders has some input on the idea. May not be worth the time and effort either. Just some thoughts from the midnight shift...

What do ya'll think?

If you could recess the TM mount low enough in the front deck, I would see why it couldn't be done. You may have to come up a bit higher with the deck though.

The only issue I could see would be the foot. Most TMs, when folded up, the foot is not quite all the way on the bow. Leaving room for it would be nothing to worry about.

Just use a transom mount motor and put it in your gun box if you need to when not in use. You can also turn the head around and mount it up front if you rather it that way. I just put the PD in reverse and use it myself, hitting the momentary switch every now and then to move around. If I got help I drive and they work the dekes.

Oh, and I actually came up with the decoy retriever pole long before Avery did........ Should have patented that thing.