How to Mount a Motor on a Personal Pontoon Boat

Personal pontoon boats use inflatable pontoons made from the same material -- hypalon -- as river rafts. A hard platform with a chair and oar locks span the gap between the two pontoons, providing a stable surface from which to row and fish. Personal pontoon boats are frequently used for river fishing and river expeditioning. While pontoon boats are capable of accepting a trolling motor off the back of the platform, heavy outboard motors are not recommended.

Things You'll Need

  • Electric trolling motor with C-clamp attachments
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Remove any dry bags, river cases and equipment from the back of the pontoon boat platform. Find the center of the platform and place the trolling motor with the C-clamps at this point.

    • 2

      Position the C-clamps so they are set on a structural solid point of the platform. Some platforms are made from reinforced ballistic plastic -- set the C-clamps at the seams for extra strength.

    • 3

      Hand tighten the C-clamps to secure the motor to the platform. Sit in the platform captain's chair and grab the trolling motor steering shaft. Turn it all the way left and right to make sure the prop does not come close to the raft pontoons. Adjust the motor position if there is contact or the shaft and prop is within 4 inches of the pontoons.

    • 4

      Tighten the C-clamps as tight as possible once the location has been tested for safety.