Trolling motor stabilizer bracket

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Trolling motor stabilizer bracket

I needed a trolling motor stabilizer bracket. But I didn’t want to spend $40-$50 for one when I knew I could make one myself. That money saved will by a few lures!

So I set off looking for something that was easy to use, easy to make and easy on the wallet. That’s how my bracket was born.

It’s actually very simple. All the parts are available at any hardware store, and it can be adapted several ways to accommodate different mounting requirements.

Here is a picture of the finished unit.

As you can see, at the heart is common air hose coupler quick disconnect fittings. The base is made from a brass “T” that has been cut on a band saw, and 2 mounting holes have been drilled into the flanges created by the sawing.. The part that mounts to the trolling motor shaft is from a do it yourself underground lawn sprinkler system. Home Depot sells it, it’s used for tapping into the plastic hose and adding a sprinkler head. Just so happens it’s the exact diameter needed for the trolling motor shaft. And its lined with rubber so it grips very firmly.

The only other parts you will need are 2 brass pipe bushings that will fit into the sprinkler fitting, the other end of the bushing the male hose coupler screws into.

And you will also need a ¼ ”npt brass pipe nipple that will connect the 2 quick connect fittings together. I used the shortest one I could find, you could use a longer one depending on how long you need it to be.

One thing that is very important to keep in mind. You must mount this unit so everything is straight, if its crooked it will be hard to connect the fittings together. I used some thin rubber to shim the sprinkler part to make mine straight.

If you require a vertical mount, you could add a 90° elbow to the bushing in the base. You could also make a rail mount by using another sprinkler fitting on the rail instead of the brass “t”.

I have found after adjusting it a bit, it’s very easy to use. 2 fingers are all it takes to pop it off and on. And if I happen to drop it in the lake, its no big deal to replace the part I lost.