Crestliner Fishawk Wiring Project

[snaggletooth]

I want to install a 12V tiller-steer electric motor on the transom of my new 1650 Fishawk. The boat has dual batteries in a sub-floor compartment near the bow for the bow-mounted 24V motor. I wish to connect the transom electric motor to one of these 2 batteries.

Has anyone on this board run trolling motor wiring below the floor, or along some route that's out of sight, from the bow battery compartment to the transom area of this model boat ?

Even if you have done this on a Fishawk 1750, please reply because I don't believe that there is very much different between the two, other than length and width.

The Crestliner dealer has told me that I cannot get any diagrams of what is below the floorboards from the factory. So, I am left guessing and disassembling the boat floor trying to find a way to do this job. They also told me that my only choice is to run the wiring along the gunwales of the hull. I would rather not do it that way for cosmetic reasons. They did a poor job rigging the boat when I bought it, so I don't have much faith in their expertise or advice.

Thanks,
Chuck

[chadk66]

chuck,
I have a tournament series Crestliner and not the Fishhawk so can't give you any specifics regarding your boat. However I can tell you what is under the floor and how the boat is put together. First off all the carpeted panels and platforms are all screwed onto the structural componants below them with large stainless steel screws. If you dig around in the carpet along the edges of the front casting platform, you will find these screws every foot or so. Just take a cordless drill and unscrew them. Dig around alot to find all of them. If you have front storage compartments such as the battery box, there will be screws around the openings. Most of the time these around these openings they will have bolts and nuts so feel under the openings edges for the nuts. You probably won't even have to unscrew all the screws for the front platform. My advice would be to run the wire down one of the sides of the boat that has a continuous boxing of the wall. Pull all the panel fronts off along the side of the boat all the way up to the front platform. Then if you have all the screws loosened up in the vacinity of that front battery compartment, you should be able to lift the front deck and push wire into there and continue until your in the side wall. Then since you have the side walls off you can just lay the wire in there and put the sidewalls back together. Then just find a spot in the back of the boat where you want your trolling motor plug in located and just pull panels there also. It's really rather easy, just time consuming. One word of advice, use the cordless on a low speed setting and be carefull the heads strip pretty easy. Not trying to scare you just want to point it out. As far as whats under the floor, it's basically all floatation foam. There will be a channel for the fuel lines to run and any livewell lines. Usually up the bottom right in the middle. If you have any problems, email me at Chadk66@yahoo.com
chad

[Woody]

I have a 1750 Fish Hawk SC with a Yammie F100. I basically did the opposite of what you're trying to do. I have a 12 volt bow trolling motor. I moved my battery from the front to the back - placing it in spot where the oil tank isn't. The most difficult part of running the 6 gauge wire from front to the back was at the rear of the boat. I realize there's differences between a tiller Fish Hawk and the console model, but if you would like to discuss this further or ask me any questions, email at citizen_woodrow@hotmail.com

[FJH1]

Maybe someone can confirm this, but by running a 12v motor off of (1) of your (2) 12v batteries for your 24v motor don't you run the risk of shortening the life of the (2) batteries? Un-equal draw or something along those lines? I'm curious to know because I have a couple of 12v transom trolling motors that sit in my rafters. Occasionally I'd like to use one of these but I've been reluctant to tap into only one of my batteries that is wired for my 24v bow mount motor. Just wondering. Maybe REW is out there?

Best Regards,

FJH

[Curtis]

I have a Superhawk with walk thru windshield. I went from a Mercury to an OMC motor, and had no where to put my two 12 volt trolling batteries that were, where the oil tank was.

I wanted to put them in the floor like that of other boats. Dealer told me there was not enough floor height between the hull and the floor. I was going to put them in between the consoles.

Thought about putting them in the front storage, but batteries were to tall. I ended up putting one under each console and running a #2 welding cable between each battery and then back to the transom.

I lifted the floor around the front livewell to install hidden cable. Point is... all cable is hidden and floor lifted quite easily, attached welding cable to other cables running from front of boat to transom. You must have some wiring tucked up in the gunnel for your livewell and lights.

This may not help as you have a tiller, but you should have no problems running cable under the floor.


Regards,
Curtis