Your help/suggestions are needed

[DTro]

I have a 14' aluminum v-hull with a 25 merc on it.

The transom was rebuilt recently before I bought it (you can tell it's fairly new). The problem is that is was built to neither a short or long shaft length. It

is approx 17-18". When I first bought it I couldn't figure out why it pulled so bad and splashed water into the back. I finally realized that the anti-cavitation plate was a few inches below the hull. I raised it up and noticed a world of difference and currectly have a piece of 2x2 (deck spindle) between the bracket and the transom. It works alright, but I noticed that there is still some slop. I really don't want the motor to move at all. Any suggestions on making a nice tight fit, while giving me the "lift" I need. I could easily design something (piece of steel or aluminum with "ears" that would fit right over the transom, but who could make something like that for me?

Thoughts...

[DTro]

well....I found a bigger piece of wood and screwed that down into the transom. I think I'm good to go now.

I did see a mini jack plate that would've worked also but that was a 100 bill.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I was going to suggest a jack plate of some sort... glad you got it figgured out.

[BobT]

I'm a little curious (concerned?). With the motor lifted so much higher are you clamped (assuming your motor is not bolted) to the boat transom or the material you added? If only to the added material, be sure it is secure enough not to break loose. You could end up with the motor at the bottom of a lake.

Bob

[DTro]

LOL, yeah the motor is still clamped on the transom. The wood is just acting as a spacer.

Thanks for your concern Bob

[Gus]

I'm seeing the sceen in Grumpier old men where the outboard takes off on it's own.. hehe.

[Swimmer]

dtro: glad you got it figured out. My 25 horse Merc also shoots water straight up the back of the transom between the two mounting clamps and into the boat (at "high" speed). There was some recent damage done to one of the smaller fins located about half way up the lower unit (damage is a chunk missing about the size of a quarter). I wonder if this would cause the updraft of water, or maybe something to do with what you were experiencing with the anti-cavitation plate being too low? What exactly is the anti-cavitation plate? I have small stingray lifting fins attached...is that it? Or is it the moveable unpainted aluminum "fin" deal? Wow, reading my own post, I sound pretty knowledgeable.

[Surface Tension]

The plate is the same one your Sting Ray is mounted to, it should be flush with the bottom on the hull.

Old Starcrafts with the slight V-hull at the transom are notorious for being too short for a sort for a sort shaft and not long enough for a long shaft. The block is OK but you should bolt the motor down.