Shaft lenght?

[steplift20]

When they say what shaft lenght you need, how do you tell? How do you measure it and are they talking about the length from the bottom of the engine to the bottom ?
Forget that post, I just looked it up.

[spareparts]

its in reference to the length of the midsection to accommodate the transom height. Normally its the measurement from the top of the clamp bracket to the mounting surface of the lower unit. That's kind of a hard place to measure, so most people just measure the transom from the top of the mounting surface to the keel, although its rarely exactly 20 or 25 inches. An easy way for me to identify length is looking at teh distance from teh lower motor mounts to the anti-ventilation plate. if its about a hands width, its a 25, if its only a couple inches, its a a 20. But that's not absolute. Originally, 15 inch was short, 20 was long, 25 was XL, 30 was XXL. Now we have 35 at XXXL, and I've heard of some boat manufactures making a 40( I haven't seen one) by taking a 35 and adding a 5 inch extension

[steplift20]

Thanks spare, you always come thru .
I just read your answer and I kind of know what you mean
The transom top to the cavitation plates that should be the answer
I was just wondering how many of us boaters know how to measure the lower unit.
I have a boat and been boating for many many years and never even thought about about that
Thanks again spare.

[phatdaddy]

I had an early70 s Mako that had a 20 inch transom on it. Was a horrible design, no splashwell, just flat deck back to the transom. Was great for fishing and diving, but stop short in a following sea and a tsunami would come over the stern.

Lot of them turtled back then

[steplift20]

Phatdaddy, to measure the lenght of the transom or what I mean is how deep- long it is. Do you measure from the top to the bottom of the hull? Or the top to the water line?
I am thinking of all the stuff I have to do to my baby(steplift) next year to get her ready for spring. Here it is
Check for a fuel leak, cause I do smell gas when I fill her up. So I'm going to open the two small hatches that's where all the fittings are and make sure there are no leaks
Change the fuel line
Cut a hole in the console and put in a panel with three switches so this way when one goes bad I won't have to remove the console. Plus a bunch of other things
I'm keeping my boat at the marine yard this year but I'm kinda thinking I would have love to have her in my driveway this year.

[Destroyer]

Phatdaddy, to measure the lenght of the transom or what I mean is how deep- long it is. Do you measure from the top to the bottom of the hull? Or the top to the water line?
I am thinking of all the stuff I have to do to my baby(steplift) next year to get her ready for spring. Here it is
Check for a fuel leak, cause I do smell gas when I fill her up. So I'm going to open the two small hatches that's where all the fittings are and make sure there are no leaks
Change the fuel line
Cut a hole in the console and put in a panel with three switches so this way when one goes bad I won't have to remove the console. Plus a bunch of other things
I'm keeping my boat at the marine yard this year but I'm kinda thinking I would have love to have her in my driveway this year.

My trailer queens are always in my driveway. Makes working on them sooooo much easier. I don't mind towing them. In fact, it makes it easier if I want to go to different places. (Sandy Hook, Barnegat Bay, Greenwood lake, Lake Hopatcong, Lake Ontario, etc.) You get the idea...
I think the cost of the extra gas used in towing is balanced by not paying the storage fees that marinas charge.

.

[steplift20]

Destroyer, I have a spot in Atlantic highlands and just about everytime I go out ,useally on a Sunday ,I see a wellcraft steplift there, is that you? I want to keep my boat in my driveway but the towing, gas and the possible break down plus the wear and tear on my vehicle so I was very lucky to get a spot there. The funny thing is I live next to lake hopatcong and maybe only two times I put my boat in the lake. I love the shore for fishing. I do have a smaller boat that I will be fixing so that I will use the lake.

[phatdaddy]

Measure from the transom lip to the bottom of the hull below the drain hole. Might not be exactly 20 or 25, you have some play with the mounting holes on the engine mounting brackets.