I am new here and new to the pontoon boating world. I striper fish in Georgia and I am excited about fishing off this platform. I just recently purchased a Bass tracker 18 that I could not pass up. There was no motor so I am putting a 50 HP Johnson on the back of it. My first question is the sterring cable is there but what do I need to connect it to the motor. All the motor has is a little arm the sticks out the front? The screw on the cable fits the hole on the motor mount but how do I mount the steering cable so it does not move. Any idea how fast a 50 HP will move a 18 foot pontoon? Thanks in advance for any help!  Mike

Hello Mike (aka Mikeh71), welcome to the forums. Got a great bunch of people here. Glad to see you come join us. Be sure to post some pics of your boat(s) in the 'Show Off Your Pontoon' section (or rebuild depending if you have before/after pics), as we'd love to see them. Also tell us your story in How did you come to join the forums? (just click on the red link and tell us all about it ).  You probably did like a lot of us have. Looking for pontoon accessories and either found it through www.PontoonStuff.com ebay site or web store. Jim (administrator) and Andrea (pontoongirl) Myers (our hosts) have excellent staff members to help them help you find whatever it is you're looking for your boat and has excellent shipping and customer service. Have fun and happy boating. Be sure to edit your signature line to include details of your boat and motor so folks won't have to ask for it if questions arise later. Also visit our other sections like Where are you? so others will know what part of the country you're from. If you need any help editing your uploading your photo's, check out our primer here How To Upload Your Pontoon Boats Image, if you need help resizing them check out Software that helps you with pics & such. Be sure to review the posting rules and policies of the forum. If you have any issues with seeing photo's this link will explain it Issue regarding seeing photo’s on site. Please read all the posting rules. Some forums have additional specific rules for that category. 

Mike Welcome to the forum.

Many outboard motors use the 'tilt tube' method for attaching the motor to the steering cable.  If you look at the motor's tilt hinge (just above the transom) there should be a hole going straight through.  The steering cable is inserted through this hole and screwed to the starboard side.  A steering linkage then mounts between the hole in the steering cable (now left of the engine) and the steering bar on the engine.  This is likely the method that you will use.

Depending on your configuration, there maybe a bracket attached to the transom or the side of the splashwell to anchor the steering cable, which would then attach directly to the steering bar on the engine.  If this was the method used for your boat, there should be some brackets already there.

Let us know how you make out.  Post pictures of you set up if you need to.

Good Luck