Trolling Motor Strap or Troll Tamer

[Rousseau Fishing]

I have an 18.5 ft Ranger with Motorguide X3. I'm trying to figure out what the best option is to secure it while running as it almost deployed when running rough water at high speed. I like the idea of the TH-Marine Troll tamer but am worried that the support stick will be in the way of rods laid out on the deck since it's a shorter boat with less deck space. I guess the only other option is some sort of strap.

Wanted to see what you guys think is the best for me to secure.

Thanks!

[Jonestrollingmotor]

A strap across the shaft will keep it from trying to deploy. However, it's going to take the crutch to keep the head of the mount from bouncing against the hinge joints.

[ntslam]

I use the ram mount with claw

[catdude28]

Nothing works as well as the troll tamer in my experience. My last three Bass Cats have had one. But you are correct in that it may interfere because of its positioning on a MG. On a MK the support is farther from the head and doesn’t interfere with rod handles and reels.

[bill.s]

Strap will work for avg rough water, but when you get big waves, here are two things that work and don't cost a fortune. Get a weld ring from a hardware store, it's a solid ring about as big as a quarter. Cut an end piece off a SS hose clamp and make a U shaped clamp like a cable clamp and secure the weld ring to the front deck under the TM head with a large SS screw and just far enough from the fiberglass gunnel that bungie cord hooks won't scratch the fiberglass. Get two of those HD rubber bungies and keep them in a boat locker till you get some HD waves. With the second one, use that to secure the TM head while running by wrapping the bungie under the shaft, up over the TM head on each side of where the shaft goes in, and the under the plastic lower unit of the TM out by the bow. Next time you are out, watch the TM head bounce when it is strapped down and water get rough