A control mechanism for a boat having a seat assembly to support a pilot provides an outboard motor which is directionally controlled by extension and retraction of a control cable with the control mechanism having a pedal which is generally planar on its upper surface receptive of the pilot's foot. A bracket mounts the pedal at a location below the seat assembly so that the user occupying the seat can position one of his feet on the pedal. A pair of switch surfaces are disposed on opposite sides of the pedal, each surface extending above the pedal surface so that lateral movement of the user's foot when positioned on the pedal can contact one of the switch surfaces. A switch associated with each switch surface can then be activated for directionally moving the outboard motor into different positions responsive to pressure applied to one or other of the switch surfaces applied by the edge of the user's foot. In one embodiment, the pedal and motor are remotely placed with respect to one another, and the pedal "communicates" with the trolling motor using radio waves. In that embodiment, a transmitter is carried by the foot pedal or similar pilot-operated control, and a receiver positioned near the motor activates a reversible motor to steer the trolling motor, preferably by cable extension/retraction.