Minn Kota Talon on aluminum boat

[Tin Man]

Here in Michigan, at Cabela's to pick up the Lowe. My wife was finally well enough to travel. SWEET ! The Talon Install turned out better than I imagined. I've seen these on Top of the line fiberglass units but not on a tin boat. I was pleasently surprized to say the least. Ecstatic is more like it. Now to replace the wiring with quick disconnects. I will elaborate more later. But in the meantime, check this out.

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[Njalumacraft165]

Hi guys, I'm new to the site I was wondering if i could ask a few questions, does anyone have any pics of their own install of a Talon on their aluminum boat directly mounted to transom? I have an alumacraft 165 side console, and I'm thinking about adding one direct mounted to the transom, I don't like the sandwich brackets how they look... thank you!

[slonezp]

[Njalumacraft165]

 

Sweet looks awesome thanks you! Do you still like having it on that side? That's where I wanted to put it, to offset weight but seems a lot of guys put it on the driver side for some reason... 

[slonezp]

If you have it on the port side it will not interfere with the co angler. 

[Way north bass guy]

I have the same one on my Smokercraft 18.5’, just don’t have the tilt bracket, don’t even notice it on there weight wise. I’ll never own another boat without one on it. 

[Njalumacraft165]

 

I have the same one on my Smokercraft 18.5’, just don’t have the tilt bracket, don’t even notice it on there weight wise. I’ll never own another boat without one on it. 

That looks so good!! I'm jealous I love your color combo on that smoker, is that a 12ft talon or the new 15ft? 

[Way north bass guy]

It’s a 12’. I’ve owned three different “nice” fishing boats over the years, a Triton bass boat, a Lund pro v and this one and they’ve all been pretty much the same colour combination . Something about a big, shiny, black rig that just turns heads!

[3dees]

I didn't want any holes in my transom so I went with the over priced sandwich bracket. no need for a tilt bracket. 

[Njalumacraft165]

Thanks guys! I finally got one, an 8ft new off Ebay the guy never used it, he just opened the box and checked it out but ended up getting a 12ft instead so I lucked out only paid $800! I mounted and wired myself I was so nervous drilling but it worked out here’s some pics for anyone wanting to see... 

[3dees]

good job. looks great.

[KansasBassin]

I know this thread is a little old but didn’t necessarily want to start a new one. I have a new Bass Tracker 175txw that I am looking to put a talon on. 

 

Those of you with just the one talon, is it working good? Holding you in place in the wind or does the front of the boat drift? 

[NHBull]

3 hours ago, KansasBassin said:

I know this thread is a little old but didn’t necessarily want to start a new one. I have a new Bass Tracker 175txw that I am looking to put a talon on. 

 

Those of you with just the one talon, is it working good? Holding you in place in the wind or does the front of the boat drift? 

It only takes a few times to figure out how to position your boat in the wind..it will change as the wind does, but is predictable 

[Krux5506]

On 8/6/2018 at 10:41 AM, KansasBassin said:

I know this thread is a little old but didn’t necessarily want to start a new one. I have a new Bass Tracker 175txw that I am looking to put a talon on. 

 

Those of you with just the one talon, is it working good? Holding you in place in the wind or does the front of the boat drift? 

I have one on the port side of my lund. I figured instead of buying two I would at least start with 1. I don't see myself getting a second because 1 has been just fine. If you're in choppy water, anchoring to gravel/rocky bottom with 20mph winds, you will not hold too well. The shallower, the easier it is to hold. But doing that in 10ft of water with a 12' anchor is where I have run into issue. I figure it's kind of expected in those conditions.

[KansasBassin]

On 8/6/2018 at 1:29 PM, NHBull said:

It only takes a few times to figure out how to position your boat in the wind..it will change as the wind does, but is predictable 

 

1 hour ago, Krux5506 said:

I have one on the port side of my lund. I figured instead of buying two I would at least start with 1. I don't see myself getting a second because 1 has been just fine. If you're in choppy water, anchoring to gravel/rocky bottom with 20mph winds, you will not hold too well. The shallower, the easier it is to hold. But doing that in 10ft of water with a 12' anchor is where I have run into issue. I figure it's kind of expected in those conditions.

Thanks for the input guys. I think regardless starting with 1 is the way to go. 

[Krux5506]

8 minutes ago, KansasBassin said:

 

Thanks for the input guys. I think regardless starting with 1 is the way to go. 

 

For the price point of 2k each, absolutely. 

[Senko'em]

On 3/16/2017 at 8:36 PM, slonezp said:

The stock brackets will not allow you to tilt the talon(s) out of the way when pulling in the garage or under a low bridge.

 

I used a plastic cutting board as a spacer between the tilt bracket and the transom and just used fender washers on the inside of the splashwell.

More pics

Can you please send pictures of the Talon install above? I’m thinking of adding a 10’ Talon on the starboard side of my 2018 Lund 1975 ProV Sport. Have kicker motor on port side for trolling. Think this will be enough for shallow water (< 8’) crappie fishing? 

[Way north bass guy]

1 hour ago, Senko'em said:

Can you please send pictures of the Talon install above? I’m thinking of adding a 10’ Talon on the starboard side of my 2018 Lund 1975 ProV Sport. Have kicker motor on port side for trolling. Think this will be enough for shallow water (< 8’) crappie fishing? 

Here’s mine on my Smokercraft. I did the same as @slonezp, but I didn’t need to use the spacer on mine, I think I basically just flipped it around. Works perfectly for me. Sorry for the sideways pics, guess I had my phone the wrong way for those ones. 

[A-Jay]

Tilt brackets & spacers for me

A-Jay

[slonezp]

On 1/26/2022 at 2:39 PM, Senko'em said:

Can you please send pictures of the Talon install above? I’m thinking of adding a 10’ Talon on the starboard side of my 2018 Lund 1975 ProV Sport. Have kicker motor on port side for trolling. Think this will be enough for shallow water (< 8’) crappie fishing? 

Sorry, boat was sold last year. If the pics in my original post didn't show up, they're gone. 

 

[Senko'em]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Tilt brackets & spacers for me

A-Jay

Thanks A-Jay. Do you find this holds you well enough for shallow water crappie fishing? I have an MK Ulterra up front for water over 10’. 

1 hour ago, Way north bass guy said:

Here’s mine on my Smokercraft. I did the same as @slonezp, but I didn’t need to use the spacer on mine, I think I basically just flipped it around. Works perfectly for me. Sorry for the sideways pics, guess I had my phone the wrong way for those ones. 

Thanks Way North. Do you have a 12’ Talon & does one hold you well enough for shallow water fishing?  

[A-Jay]

8 minutes ago, Senko'em said:

Thanks A-Jay. Do you find this holds you well enough for shallow water crappie fishing? I have an MK Ulterra up front for water over 10’. 

Depending on depth & bottom composition, one Talon will 'hold' the boat in that spot.

But wind, waves and any current will have the boat 'spinning' on that single shaft.

Two unit's reduces this quite a bit.

A-Jay

[gim]

48 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

But wind, waves and any current will have the boat 'spinning' on that single shaft.

Two unit's reduces this quite a bit.

He’s right. One talon does not hold the boat in a true position. It often acts as more of a pivot point that can be used in conjunction with the bow mount. I have a 12 foot talon on my aluminum bass boat with a specialized bracket. It works in water that is up to about 11 feet deep. Beyond that it may not grab enough to hold. I think they make a 15 foot model now.

[Senko'em]

11 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Depending on depth & bottom composition, one Talon will 'hold' the boat in that spot.

But wind, waves and any current will have the boat 'spinning' on that single shaft.

Two unit's reduces this quite a bit.

A-Jay

I figured about wind & waves. Don’t think I’d have room for one on the side with kicker motor. Just not sure if 12’ would be too tall in back with fishing partner? 

10 hours ago, gimruis said:

He’s right. One talon does not hold the boat in a true position. It often acts as more of a pivot point that can be used in conjunction with the bow mount. I have a 12 foot talon on my aluminum bass boat with a specialized bracket. It works in water that is up to about 11 feet deep. Beyond that it may not grab enough to hold. I think they make a 15 foot model now.

With kicker motor on port side i would only have room for 1 Talon on starboard side. I get the “pivot point” - I’ll probably use MK Ulterra to keep bow from swinging. How does 1 Talon work for you & does the 12’ get in way of your partner fishing out of the back?

[gim]

26 minutes ago, Senko&#x27;em said:

With kicker motor on port side i would only have room for 1 Talon on starboard side. I get the “pivot point” - I’ll probably use MK Ulterra to keep bow from swinging. How does 1 Talon work for you & does the 12’ get in way of your partner fishing out of the back?

 

One is still better than none.  But two is better than one.

 

With one, and some waves, current, etc, the boat actually holds on one spot better than it would if it was flat.  The problem in my boat is that I have a mod V bass boat and the transom sits very low on the water, so if there's a decent chop, I start taking waves over the stern.  With two talons, you can anchor and face your boat into the wind/chop whereas with one your boat will sit with the stern into the wind/waves.

 

I use mine quite a bit at the access when I unload/load by myself too.