Boat Doesn't Drive Straight...

[Quarry Man]

I have a 1968 Sea King Semi-V that with two trolling motors. The one on the transom is a Minn Kota Endura Max 55lb 42". The bow mount is a Minn Kota Powerdrive V2 55lb 54". The transom motor will drive the boat straight, but the bow mount will not. When i mounted the motor, i dod not mount it perfectly in the center of the bow. I originally figured that the prop was pushing more water to one side than the other, but even when the motor is all they way down, it still does this.

 

Why is my boat not driving straight?

[CroakHunter]

2 minutes ago, Quarry Man said:

 When i mounted the motor, i did not mount it perfectly in the center of the bow. 

 

Why is my boat not driving straight?

There's your answer

[Scott F]

Do you have the rear trolling motor in the water while operating the front one? That back one will act like a rudder to turn the boat even if it’s not running. Raise it out of the water and see if that straightens things out. 

[Vilas15]

1 hour ago, Scott F said:

Do you have the rear trolling motor in the water while operating the front one? That back one will act like a rudder to turn the boat even if it’s not running. Raise it out of the water and see if that straightens things out. 

This was my first thought.

 

I don't know if I've ever seen a boat with the front trolling motor directly in the center when deployed. Most are within a foot and do fine. Just turn it until you go straight. Is the trolling motor shaft long enough that it isn't pushing water into one side of the hull instead of under it? 

[WRB]

If you don't have a straight rudder in the back it will swing to one side when operating the bow motor. The front trolling motor doesn't need to be centered. Your problem is the rear trolling motor needs to be straight and running or out of the water with a added straight rudder. Your V bow should keep the front running straight if the weight inside the boat is balanced.

I made a rear rudder for a freind who had his boat on a electric power only lake with this same problem and it cured it.

Tom

 

[Vilas15]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Your V bow should keep the front running straight if the weight inside the bait is balanced.

 

I think this could be the issue if it's a bare bones boat with no motor on the back, casting deck, fuel tank, etc. If there's too much weight in the front when you're up there running the motor it could get squirrely. I'd locate your batteries in the back if they aren't already and add weight or add a rotor if you need to. Or leave the rear motor in the water and pointed straight.

[WRB]

12 minutes ago, Vilas15 said:

I think this could be the issue if it's a bare bones boat with no motor on the back, casting deck, fuel tank, etc. If there's too much weight in the front when you're up there running the motor it could get squirrely. I'd locate your batteries in the back if they aren't already and add weight or add a rotor if you need to. Or leave the rear motor in the water and pointed straight.

Good point, nose heavy boat would be a problem.

Tom

[Arcs&sparks]

On 6/17/2018 at 6:19 PM, Vilas15 said:

I think this could be the issue if it's a bare bones boat with no motor on the back, casting deck, fuel tank, etc. If there's too much weight in the front when you're up there running the motor it could get squirrely. I'd locate your batteries in the back if they aren't already and add weight or add a rotor if you need to. Or leave the rear motor in the water and pointed straight.

Exactly. My electric shallow v wouldn’t run strait at all (by myself) given my offset seat position in the front, before I added a third battery in the far rear-opposite my seat. In the mean time,  a 5 gallon bucket full of water helped. (And playing with the rear trolling motor position) Even now it’s not perfect,  if I’m fishing alone up front on the bow mount,  it will still track a bit crooked because of the weight distribution and heavy nose.