How can I keep water out of my boat?

[bullfroginc]

Not trying to get defensive, but 4 of my usual 6 passengers are 6 years old or less. My kids love to go boating and we always wear our pfds. The other person is my wife- all together we weigh about 300# or so. Sherrif(?)s boat has stopped us to look at fishing liscences and never said anything. I wouldn't try to get 6 adults in my boat as it would probably sink. Water doesnt swell over the sides, splashes in, even when I am alone in the boat. I have the gas tank in the middle of the boat and no batteries or anything else in the boat at this time other than fishing gear and oars.

[bullfroginc]

I am going out on the boat tomorrow and I will try to get a picture of the water coming into my boat at cruising speeds. Thank you all so much for the help I hope to get this figured out soon. I am going to cut down a 2x4 tonight and I will get a picture of running with that in as well.

[marine_man]

Can you post a picture bigger than a thumbnail? It would help...

marine_man

[Surface Tension]

Can you post a bigger picture and one of a closeup of the transom and lower unit area.

I see a traducer mounted. Is the water coming from that area? If its mounted to low its going to spray water.

[bullfroginc]

Here are some better photos

[VMS]

hiya,

That explains the splashing...

When you look about 4 inches or so above the anti-ventilation plate, there are two smaller "wings" so to speak. Water will get trapped in there and it has only one way to go...back forward, and up.

Here is what I would suggest...get a solid mount set-back plate that would allow you to raise the motor height up another 3 - 4 inches. That will take the spray away. Check Cabelas...they have carried a solid mount bracket like that and it is not all that heavy either. That motor only weighs 85 pounds so moving it back a couple of inches and up will not be too much to worry about.

Steve

[Valv]

Your motor is a long shaft, and your boat has a short shaft transom. You need to find a way raise motor. The cavitation plate (the first fins above prop) needs to be just slightly below the bottom of the boat. As VMS said water gets channeled upward by the drag of motor in the water.

[Surface Tension]

The new picture confirms what I suspected, your too low.

Your motor bracket doesn't have the set of holes either, maybe I just can't see them. If it does have the holes lift as I mentioned earlier and bolt the outboard on. Whats going on is the boat and outboard are a miss match.

If your tiller handle is long enough(because of the 3" setback) which I doubt it is you could go with the mini lift for outboards.

If it were my boat and motor I'd make my own lift without a setback. That would include reinforcement of the transom because of the added leverage put on the transom from the lift.

[bullfroginc]

Ok, can I do this with a 2x4 frame, or will this require welding? I know a few welders, so not a problem just want to do it right. Maybe I can use this as an excuse to get a bigger boat:). Thanks again everyone.

[VMS]

I would bet you could get by with something like a piece of Micro Laminate Header....ones used as supporting frames for building houses. It's thicker than a normal 2 x 12, and built like a piece of plywood. Stuff is really strong. I'd bet you could just find a piece of that, bolt that to the transom of the boat, then mount the motor directly to that. You only need about 4 -5 inches above the transom. And...being the motor is only around 90 pounds, it will not be an issue for the transom to handle...it's 2 inches further back, and up 5 inches...that is not much extra stress physically. You may want to find some flat aluminum to put on the faces of the wood, just so it doesn't dig when you mount the motor.

Steve

[VMS]

Cabelas makes a kicker bracket that is all aluminum, panther makes one as well. The panther model is good up to 40hp, the cabelas model is up to 15. Your motor is probably only running around 17 - 18 hp at the prop, so you could probably get away with the cabelas mount if you chose... issue there is $140 to $150 for those...

Steve

[Northlander]

Or try to trade your motor for a short shaft.

[Surface Tension]

No 5" spacer so it is a short shaft. The long and short shafts on those older outboards weren't always 15 and 20" neither were the transoms for that matter. Anyways I would just get it high enough to where is stops spraying water. That will noticeable increase your speed and hole shot too.

You don't want to use a solid piece of wood because it will split. VMS's suggestion of the laminate is probably going to be the easiest. I would go just high enough to were the motor can hang on it and have the clearance for the clamps. Get the lam on as much of the old transom as you can and bolt it on.

I'd wrap it in aluminum channel for more strength and as a cap to keep the water off the end grain. The top corners of the channel will have two relief cuts. When bent to at 90 those cuts will come together. Weld at those points.

[polarsusd81]

Go to the bass pro shops HSOforum, and click on the Marine and Electronics section. Then go to the list on the left looking for motors and accessories and find the misc. motor accessories section. You will be looking for the Mini-Jacker for Clamp-on Outboards. It is exactly what you need, only runs 80 bucks, and it is engineered with a safety factor to be sure it works for the intended purpose.

It will give you up to 3" of lift, which should suit you perfectly. It will set your motor back 4" but it will be worth it. I want to get one for my boat, but I don't have any splashback issues. I run a 14' Lund with a 15 horse longshaft. The reason I want one is to be able to run shallower water.

Here is what it looks like.

[VMS]

that is the one cabelas used to carry....the one I was looking for to begin with...Good spot on that one!!

Steve

[bullfroginc]

Thank you again everyone. I am excited to keep my feet dry and will soon be able to do just that.

[davesfriend]

Or as you had mentioned, you need to get a bigger boat . Lifting the outboard will stop your splashing from the cav plates. Wouldn't it be more fun to get a bigger boat though?