When you want to run your motor while sitting on the stern seat, you need the NRS U-Style Raft Motor Mount. It places the motor far enough from the raft's stern for easy operation of the control handle.
This mount is also a good choice when you have a heavy motor; the curved bars resting against the raft's tubes support the weight.
We use our heavy-duty 1-5/8" OD 6061-T6 aluminum pipe to make the framework for the Motor Mount.
The 1 1/2" x 7 1/2" x 18" wide transom plate is a piece of wood/plastic composite decking material that will not rot or deteriorate when exposed to water and sun.
We back the transom plate with two pieces of aluminum channel to increase the grip on the upright pipe sections. Four 4 1/4" motor mount U-bolts hold the transom plate firmly in place.
If you already have an NRS Stern Seat Mount, you can install your Motor Mount on either side of the seat plate.
If you're not using a stern seat, the Motor Mount comes with a 24" piece of frame pipe for attaching the Mount to the Stern Rails.
If you do not have a Stern Seat Mount you will need a pair of NRS Stern Side Rails to link the Motor Mount to the rear Cross Bar of your frame. There are three sizes: the two Small Stern Side Rails, in 32" and 39" lengths, work best for 54" and narrower frames. The 36" Large Rails work best for 60"or wider frames. Measure the distance from the center of the rear cross bar to the center of the raft's rear tube. If you need a length other than our stock sizes, we will custom bend the size you need.
The bars, where they attach to the transom plate, are 14" apart, center-to-center. If you have valves on the outside of the stern panel, and that spacing interferes with their operation, we can make you a custom transom plate.
The distance from the center of the attachment bar to the center of the upright bars is 25".
The transom plate can be mounted on either side of the uprights, and adjusted up and down as needed.
The Mount fits raft tubes 18"-24" in diameter.
In our experience, a 10-hp motor is generally as large a motor as most boaters use. Even a 3-hp motor will move a raft along at a pretty good clip.
Always attach a safety rope or strap from your motor to the frame.