chuck-my little boat has a foot controlled trolling motor just like the big bass boats have. it causes white water off the bow when kicked into high. but back in the poor-boy days, i wired a foot activated on-off switch into the wiring going to the motor. i used an old floor mounted dimmer switch off an old truck in the junk yard. the seat was mounted close enough to the trolling motor that i could operate the handle with my foot. being 6-2 1/2 gave me a pretty long reach with the leg. just turned the motor around when needed to go into reverse. in those days, i came up with lots of ways to get by easier when fishing. had a fan rig once where i could fish a dozen 14 ft. crappie poles at at time going across the lake. varied depth and bait, jig color, etc. till found the ones working. hit a school and have 3 or 4 on at a time. made my first marker buoys using stp oil additive bottles glued together at the neck and line wrapped around them with egg sinker on end. flat sides let it lay on water and stay pretty stable. you should have seen some of the rigging on live wells and pumps!! would have given plumbers headaches, but they worked. as did my bilge pumps. my buddy and i once rigged a 14 ft., light weight boat with clamp on bicycle tires for the rear and a t-bar handle fitted across the front. would drag the boat all over the river lakes you couldn't access by truck. this was before the 3 wheelers came about. even used it to hunt across the river, then carried the deer out to the river in it. what Buddy and i couldn't rig up just hadn't been thought of at the time!
my little boat i use now has a live well, and i have rigged a bilge pump on a stick. i stick it in the water, run the hose into the live well, and turn it on to fill it with fresh water. when i need to change water, or empty the livewell,just put the pump inthe live well, pump water out, then replace it. and it works getting rain water out of the boat also-just hang the hose over the side and turn it on. i really should take pictures of some of my riggin', but just too busy at this time. had 21 pines cut in the front yard last week and all the limbs are being loaded onto trailer and carried off to the woods behind the house. until the yard is back to normal, and some sawtooth oaks planted, the wife says the boat stays under the shed!! and i've been married long enough to know she means it this time!
if i can help you out-let me know what you need, and i'll put what's left of my mind to work on it for you[8D]