i suggest you get one of the easy troller trolling plates. i use one on my boat and love it. i had one of the old happy troller plates but i took off without raising the plate and it bent way back and ended that trolling trip. then when i got home i had to use a 10 ton bottle jack and put it under my old motorhome and set the jack on the plate and jacked the mh up and it fixed the plate. but i have taken off with the easy troller down and it didnt hurt anything.

the easy troller is hinged in the middle and is spring loaded. so if you forget and try to take off the lower half will swing up and not bend. i have one i bought for another boat but didnt use it. now im selling the boat so i dont need the plate any more. it is a used plate but in great condition. if you want it you can have it for 80.00 shipped to you. but even if you get a new trolling plate the easy troller is the way to go.

i just take my boat out of gear then pull the release cord and hold it and put it in reverse then release the cord and it will go down and lock. then you are ready to go forward and start trolling. then when you get done just put the boat out of gear and pull the release cord then put the boat back in forward gear then release the cord and give the boat enough gas to bring the plate up untill it locks in the up position.
sherman
sherman