Should I mount my engine higher? (jack plate content)

[metal-chicken]

Thread Starter

Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 137

Should I mount my engine higher? (jack plate content)

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So my Honda 225 sit on a Bobs hydraulic jack plate that offers 6" of lift - the engine is currently as low as it can go on the plate (i.e. top holes on the engine). When the jack plate is at number 4 on the indicator (so it can go 4" further down and 2" up) the anti-cav plate is level with the lowest part of the hull - theoretically in the right place.

I do not have any performance issues due to engine height but it would be good to be able to lift the engine more than the currently available extra 2" to give the lower unit more clearance from the water when the boat is on its mooring as the very end of the LU does touch the water a little even when fully tilted.

I have an engine hoist that could lift the engine while I moved it higher on the jack plate so that's not a problem.

Does this make sense or am I missing something?

Thread Starter

Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 137

Should I mount my engine higher? (jack plate content)

---

So my Honda 225 sit on a Bobs hydraulic jack plate that offers 6" of lift - the engine is currently as low as it can go on the plate (i.e. top holes on the engine). When the jack plate is at number 4 on the indicator (so it can go 4" further down and 2" up) the anti-cav plate is level with the lowest part of the hull - theoretically in the right place.

I do not have any performance issues due to engine height but it would be good to be able to lift the engine more than the currently available extra 2" to give the lower unit more clearance from the water when the boat is on its mooring as the very end of the LU does touch the water a little even when fully tilted.

I have an engine hoist that could lift the engine while I moved it higher on the jack plate so that's not a problem.

Does this make sense or am I missing something?
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[FONT=Verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Thread Starter[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Join Date: May 2016[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Posts: 137[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Default Should I mount my engine higher? (jack plate content)[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]So my Honda 225 sit on a Bobs hydraulic jack plate that offers 6" of lift - the engine is currently as low as it can go on the plate (i.e. top holes on the engine). When the jack plate is at number 4 on the indicator (so it can go 4" further down and 2" up) the anti-cav plate is level with the lowest part of the hull - theoretically in the right place.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]I do not have any performance issues due to engine height but it would be good to be able to lift the engine more than the currently available extra 2" to give the lower unit more clearance from the water when the boat is on its mooring as the very end of the LU does touch the water a little even when fully tilted.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]I have an engine hoist that could lift the engine while I moved it higher on the jack plate so that's not a problem.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Does this make sense or am I missing something?[/FONT]

So my Honda 225 sit on a Bobs hydraulic jack plate that offers 6" of lift - the engine is currently as low as it can go on the plate (i.e. top holes on the engine). When the jack plate is at number 4 on the indicator (so it can go 4" further down and 2" up) the anti-cav plate is level with the lowest part of the hull - theoretically in the right place.

I do not have any performance issues due to engine height but it would be good to be able to lift the engine more than the currently available extra 2" to give the lower unit more clearance from the water when the boat is on its mooring as the very end of the LU does touch the water a little even when it's fully tilted up.

I have an engine hoist that could lift the engine while I moved it higher on the jack plate so that's not a problem.

Does this make sense or am I missing something?

Sorry for the messy jack plate..... boat's being painted again in 3 weeks

 

[beantown]

I just wrote a book and it all went *poof when I clicked post.
I’ll at least post the picture for reference. Too annoyed to retype all that again right now.

 

[beantown]

Hey MC,

Since the height of the engine is primarily defined by being at the optimum position as it relates to your boat's performance why not take
take a video of it while on the water? I just did that the other day to validate mine was right. I am at max height already, so you are in a better position.

Maybe you'll find the plate is buried a bit. Then you get a double win when you raise it.
If keeping it out of the water when not in use is your main concern, I bet cavitation will annoy you more (if raised too high with regards to performance).
I can tell you that raising mine had huge benefits in my case. Performance is so much better. Turning. Not swamping the outboards when coming of plane.

Wish I was near ya, I'd volunteer to hold the camera.

 

[hondadude]

You said that the cavitation plates are approximately even with the bottom of the boat. That is generally the rule of thumb if bthe motors are mounted directly on the transom. It looks like you have some sort of pod in addition to the brackets. The additional rule of thumb is to raise the motors 1 inch for every 1 ft of offset. So.....if your motors sit back 2 ft, then raise the motors another 2 inches.

Again, these are just rules of thumb that vary by boat, engines and props. It may take some playing around to find that sweet spot.

Mike

 

[beantown]

Yep, what Mike just said....

That was in chapter 3 of my book. (Still cursing to myself)