Trolling motor assemblies

A trolling motor assembly for propelling a boat in a body of water, the assembly comprising:

• a base configured to be attached to the boat;
• a cradle attached to and stationary with respect to the base, the cradle having an upper end with an upwardly concave surface;
• a transmission housing coupled to the base by way of a pivot pin extending generally transverse to the base and defining a pivot axis about which the transmission housing is pivotable with respect to the base;
• a shaft supported by the transmission housing and moveable relative to the transmission housing in a direction which is generally parallel to a longitudinal central axis of the shaft and rotatable with respect to the transmission housing about the shaft central axis;
• and
• a thrust motor attached to a lower end of the shaft and moveable and rotatable with the shaft;
• wherein the assembly is movable from a deployed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned generally vertically, the transmission housing is locked in an upright position with respect to the base, and the thrust motor is configured to be below water, to a stowed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned generally horizontally, the transmission housing is pivoted onto a first side thereof within the base, and the thrust motor rests in the upwardly concave surface of the cradle;
• and
• further comprising a first hook on the first side of the transmission housing, a second hook on a second side of the transmission housing, and a latching rod coupled to the base and moveable in a first direction and a second direction;
• wherein the latching rod engages with the first hook to hold the transmission housing on its first side while the assembly is in the stowed position;
• and
• wherein the latching rod engages with the second hook to hold the transmission housing on its second side and to lock the transmission housing in its upright position while the assembly is in the deployed position.

A trolling motor assembly for propelling a boat in a body of water, the assembly comprising:

• a base configured to be attached to the boat;
• a cradle attached to the base, the cradle having an upper end with an upwardly concave surface;
• a transmission housing coupled to the base by way of a pivot pin extending generally transverse to the base and defining a pivot axis about which the transmission housing is pivotable with respect to the base;
• a shaft supported by the transmission housing and moveable relative to the transmission housing in a direction which is generally parallel to a longitudinal central axis of the shaft and rotatable with respect to the transmission housing about the shaft central axis;
• and
• a thrust motor attached to a lower end of the shaft and moveable and rotatable with the shaft;
• wherein the assembly is movable from a deployed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned generally vertically, the transmission housing is locked in an upright position with respect to the base, and the thrust motor is configured to be below water, to a stowed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned generally horizontally, the transmission housing is pivoted onto a first side thereof within the base, and the thrust motor rests in the upwardly concave surface of the cradle;
• and
• further comprising a steering motor cup within the transmission housing, the steering motor cup having a tab extending outwardly therefrom that interfaces with the transmission housing.