Johnson Outdoors Inc.

Other

Dale Eugene Simonson

Darrel A Bernloehr

Steven J Knight

An apparatus for mounting a trolling motor to a watercraft includes a bracket, a coupling hinge, a lift arm, a cam mechanism, a collet, a resistance knob, a first bias spring and a second bias spring. The bracket is adapted to mount on a transom or a gunnel of the watercraft. The coupling hinge receives a shaft of the trolling motor therethrough and retains the trolling motor via the collet and resistance knob mounted thereon. The collet and knob can be selectively tightened or loosened about the shaft of the trolling motor. The bracket defines detents and an arcuate track in which a track follower portion of the coupling hinge can move. The movement of the coupling hinge along the bracket tilts the trolling motor between a stowed position and a deployed position. The lift arm is pivotally coupled to the coupling hinge and carries a locking pin. The lift arm is biased by the first bias spring such that the locking pin engages the detents. The cam mechanism is pivotally coupled to the bracket and is biased by the second bias spring to disengage the locking pin from a lower portion of the detents.

Trolling motor mount

A trolling motor for use with a watercraft is disclosed. The trolling motor comprises a head portion, a propulsion unit, a shaft coupling the propulsion unit to the head portion, and a mounting system configured to secure the trolling motor to the watercraft and to pivot the trolling motor between a deployed position and a stowed position. The mount system comprises a base having a first portion adapted to be mounted to the watercraft and a second portion adapted to receive the trolling motor, a pivot member coupled to the base and configured to pivot between the deployed position and the stowed position, and a damper mechanism coupled to the pivot member and configured to impede the movement of the member as the pivot member is being moved between the deployed position and the stowed position.

A bow mount for a trolling motor and a method for releasably mounting a trolling motor to a bow of a boat are disclosed. The bow mount includes a base, a chassis, an actuation mechanism between the chassis and the base and a retaining mechanism. The base is adapted to be mounted to a bow of a boat and includes a pair of longitudinally extending spaced side channels. The chassis is adapted to be coupled to the trolling motor and includes a pair of spaced longitudinally extending side projections. The actuation mechanism is positioned between the chassis and the base and is configured to move at least one of the side projections and the side channels in a transverse direction relative to one another such that the projections extend into the channels. The retaining mechanism is configured to removably retain the projections in the channels. The method includes providing a base on the bow of the boat and having a pair of spaced side channels, providing a trolling motor assembly having a pair of spaced projections, lowering the trolling motor assembly onto the base such that at least one of the side projections extends between the pair of spaced side channels, moving at least one of the side projections and the side channels in a sideways direction relative to one another such that the projections extend into the channels and releasably retaining the projections in the channels to releasably mount the trolling motor to the bow of the boat.

Trolling motor bow mount

A trolling motor assembly includes a trolling motor, a motor tube coupled to the trolling motor, an elongate tubular housing telescopically receiving the motor tube, a linear actuator for vertically raising and lowering the motor tube along its axis, a steering arm, and a coupling mechanism between the motor tube and the arm. The coupling mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position while remaining connected to the motor assembly. The coupling mechanism connects the steering arm to the motor tube in the first position, whereby the tube and the motor may be rotated by the arm. The coupling mechanism disconnects the arm from the motor tube in the second position, whereby the tube and the motor may be rotated independent of the arm.

Growing community of inventors

Cleveland, MN, United States of America

Dale Eugene Simonson