Hi, I know the Hobie PA12 wasn't made for trolling motor, but I made a motor mount for a Watersnake T24 utilizing the back built in rod holders that are behind the seat. I originally had the motor in the mirage drive hole, which worked well, but did not like not have use of Mirage 180.

 

However, with the trolling motor mounted on the side behind the seat the thing tracks horribly, so bad that yesterday I just used the Mirage drive. To get straight I almost had motor blades at 90* angle to kayak.  I have a power pole knock-off on rear so cannot place there. Yesterday was very very windy here and I couldn't use trolling motor but it tracked great with peddle and rudder.

 

Any ideas why this could be happening or what I am doing wrong? 

Let me make sure I understand your setup correctly, you connected the trolling motor to the side of the kayak, and not the rear in the vertical centerline of the kayak? 

I’ve never seen a side mount work properly. Too many inherent problems. Stern mount is the way to go. Bow mounts work too.

59 minutes ago, Tracker22 said:

I’ve never seen a side mount work properly. Too many inherent problems. Stern mount is the way to go. Bow mounts work too.

So I've learned..LOL.  I have power pole on stern so I will look at bow mount.

You need a rudder opposite the TM.

Tom

it is the same thing as if you paddle only on one side.  You have to offset that force somehow or get the mount more in line with the center of the boat. 

On 2/1/2018 at 8:23 PM, flyfisher said:

it is the same thing as if you paddle only on one side.  You have to offset that force somehow or get the mount more in line with the center of the boat. 

I was going to say what fly fisher said. Putting a motor on one side of the kayak is like paddling exclusively on one side. You need to have the motor pushing each side of the kayak equally. With a side mounted motor you're pushing the side of the kayak it is mounted on quicker than the other which makes you go in circles. 

3 hours ago, Jacob Phelps said:

I was going to say what fly fisher said. Putting a motor on one side of the kayak is like paddling exclusively on one side. You need to have the motor pushing each side of the kayak equally. With a side mounted motor you're pushing the side of the kayak it is mounted on quicker than the other which makes you go in circles. 

So I found out...whats funny is Youtube is full of people with side mounted on kayak but not one I've seen said..."hey, it doesn't work".  

I am pretty sure @Darren. runs a trolling motor set up off to the side so maybe he can give some pointers.  

6 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

I am pretty sure @Darren. runs a trolling motor set up off to the side so maybe he can give some pointers.  

I run mine off the back.

 

Used to run side mount on my canoe, never had any

tracking issues. Curious case, this.