Removable Motor Mount for HC-18

There are a few locations that I’d like to sail that have boat ramps designed more for power boats then beach cats. There are long piers on both sides of the ramp that extend into the water 40+ feet. I’d have to paddle the boat off the trailer, around the piers and over to the beach before putting up my mail sail.

I acquired a 2 hp electric trolling motor (free) that would work great to move the boat from the ramp to the beach, but the mounting clamp on the motor does not open wide enough to fit over the HC-18 cross bars.

Does anyone know of motor mount suitable for the HC-18. I’d prefer a mount that was able to be quickly removed. The Cheata was (at one time) available for the HC-18 but this is permanently mounted to the rear cross bar. With the HC-18 out of production and parts hard to come by, I don’t want to drill holes in the center of my cross bar. The Hobie Electric Motor Mount & Battery Box I’ve seen in the catalog looks great. It allows for the motor to swing sideways for storage. However, It is for the HC-16, and I do not know how it mounts (if permanent holes drilled in the front crass bar).

Can the Motor Mount Wave SE work???? Has anyone made a good home-made removable motor mount for the HC-18????

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John Latimer
'79 Hobie18 - Magnum
Sail#4854

Look for a cheata mount. Hobie does not carry one to fit the H18.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I plan to build my own mount using luggage rack clamps, and sliding mount arms, with a retractable trolling motor mount. It looks to me as if the rubber coated luggage clamps would fit perfect on the outboard rims of each sponson. Has anyone tried this? With the 12lb cruise & carry, seems like it would work.

You could mount an electric trolling motor style off the front cross bar if you wanted to. Clearly it would have to be a little offset and mounting the motor in the center of the boat is not ideal to get to a plane... but that's not the issue. You could easily correct any minor deviation caused by being offset with the motor steer and just leave the rudders up.

Not perfect, but it might save a major pain in trying to mount around the rudders/cluttering the rear of the boat. Just a thought.

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Proud new owner of a 1991 Hobie 18.