ifisherman
New member
Howdy everyone.
I purchased a new 20hp Merc motor to replace an old Honda. Of course the new motor does not line up with the holes of the old motor in the transom. The new holes would be placed right above the old, close enough that there would be a tiny amount of material between the two holes. Too close for my comfort. So I also looked at the ventilation plate location. If I mount it right onto the current transom it puts the ventilation plate about an inch below the bottom of the transom. The boat is a Carolina Skiff J14. Transom is 16inches and motor is a short shaft. If I lift the motor one inch off the transom it will spread the new bolt holes away from the old enough to be better. It will also put the ventilation plate dead even with bottom of the transom. Is this a good move?
The problem is to do this I need to build some type of bracket that can be added to keep the motor one inch above the transom till I bolt it all in. Motor is too heavy to hold up while bolting in. Any suggestions on how to make a bracket? I can easily make one out of plywood and seal it, and once motor is on and bolted the bracket nolonger would really be doing anything but I am still concerned that plywood is too weak. I don't have many metal skills or tools.
Does having the ventilation plate even with bottom of boat or one inch below make much of a difference?
I purchased a new 20hp Merc motor to replace an old Honda. Of course the new motor does not line up with the holes of the old motor in the transom. The new holes would be placed right above the old, close enough that there would be a tiny amount of material between the two holes. Too close for my comfort. So I also looked at the ventilation plate location. If I mount it right onto the current transom it puts the ventilation plate about an inch below the bottom of the transom. The boat is a Carolina Skiff J14. Transom is 16inches and motor is a short shaft. If I lift the motor one inch off the transom it will spread the new bolt holes away from the old enough to be better. It will also put the ventilation plate dead even with bottom of the transom. Is this a good move?
The problem is to do this I need to build some type of bracket that can be added to keep the motor one inch above the transom till I bolt it all in. Motor is too heavy to hold up while bolting in. Any suggestions on how to make a bracket? I can easily make one out of plywood and seal it, and once motor is on and bolted the bracket nolonger would really be doing anything but I am still concerned that plywood is too weak. I don't have many metal skills or tools.
Does having the ventilation plate even with bottom of boat or one inch below make much of a difference?