1985 V20 center console full transom bracket
 

been roaming around this forum for a while. I have enjoyed reading and looking at everything this site has to offer that all you have made possible. The expertise on this site is outstanding. Long story short. recently got divorced and acquired a new project (1985 v20 step lift center console full transom) took me 2 years to find a good one but mission accomplished. I only got this boat because of this site and all the awesome things people have said about them. I'm in the process of mounting the bracket to the transom now after I have recently finished all the hard work. I have a 1989 150 mariner engine with great compression motor runs very strong. it has a 25 inch shaft and I was reading that mounting the bracket 25 inches to the top of the bracket from the bottom of the transom is the way to go but im not sure if that is the same with the center console model. Before I proceed doing this I just wanted to get a little feedback if anyone has mounted a single engine stainless marine bracket on this year center console and issues they have run into while mounting. Any and all input would be much appreciated. thanks a lot for any help and happy boating!

I would mount the bracket such that the anti vent plate when parallel with the keel is even with it in the lowest possible mounting position..... I'd guess that 3-4" above the keel will turn out to be your ideal position depending on how much set back your bracket has.

Thanks smoke. you have some great builds man! I will find out the set back of the bracket. Its nice having a new project. After I got divorced I was able to actually get back to doing things I love to do like spending my free time working on a project! I had a bass boat when I lived in Arizona. 1998 skeeter ss140. I completely fixed that thing up and got it dirt cheap. got it in 2004 from some auction for a thousand bucks. used it for 3 years and sold it for 4200. I think I had around 700 into it.

Now onto this v20 !! looking forward to getting out! Lakes were fun for a small bass boat so this will be a nice step up for me! Plus fishing in New York is way better then 8lb largemouth bass in Arizona! lol

Mj and Bigshrimpin have a lot of experience with brackets, SSIRedfish has a bracket on a center console, as well as WhatKnot.

Welcome to the Cult!

Thanks bradford, much appreciated. Looking forward to being part of the cult!

you're welcome and thank you too... looking forward to the PICS you will surely be posting........ hint hint..... :D

Im in the process of mounting a bracket on my boat now and I used the measurements from this site http://www.dadmarine.com/25sgl.html not going to say it's right since I havnt got mine finished yet but it's what I used.

I followed the instructions for the Stainless Marine bracket and it worked perfectly. I am sure we could rustle up those instructions online somewhere... Due to the sternheavy nature of hanging a motor off a bracket on a 20' boat, it is desireable to use a bracket that offers some floatation. MJ has a great story of taking on a big green one, swears the bracket (and the floatation that it provided) saved their bacon... Big Shrimpin makes brackets from scratch and is well versed... A company with their eyes on bracket building is Hermco. They specialize in Seacrafts fitted with floatation brackets. IMO.. the bracket is awesome. Gives me more space in the boat, better performance, and I have some measure of safety with a full transom... Cons-- Not a self-bailer, sternheavy with heavy outboard..

Thanks for all the info guys!! So here she is! for some reason I cant post anymore pictures. "AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!"Attachment 6062

Attachment 6063

That's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much!

Anyone know the best place to buy the stainless steel bolts to mount the bracket? do I need to use all the holes on the bracket?

No problem. I bought my bolts at rural king supply but other hardware stores have them just make sure they are stainless and measure the thickness of your transom to get the length you need. My local lowes had 1/2" bolts up to 4" but I needed 5" I lucked out with rural king having them.

so this is the bracket im using it has some flotation to it but its not to much like some of the other brackets out there. got the boat, bracket and trailer for 1100 bucks. I cant find a model # on it though.

What size motor are you going with on your bracket?

I can answer for Bret, a 250 EFI MERCURY. He just purchased it from me and we hung it on the boat a couple weekends ago.. Stainless Marine builds a nice bracket. IIRC the bracket offers 250 to 300 pounds of floatation when completely submerged. With any luck it won't be "submerged" most of the time...but it will offer floatation of some sort, all of the time...

That info I obtained from Stainless Marine directly: it is only relevant for the 30" setback bracket.

Yep like Ridgerunner said in running the 250 merc I got from him on my bracket. Mine is also a 30" bracket. Do you know what the setback is on your bracket? Either way the 150 that you have will probably push your boat pretty good. Any progress on your boat? Pics?

Sorry guys been tending to some big projects at work and looking for a new apartment. i found a soft spot in front of the center console. So i had to cut it out and install a hatch and firm it up. I'm done with that now and all is good. I mocked up the bracket on the transom. Just curious, from the bottom of the transom to the bottom of the bracket i have 5 inches. I measured 25 inches to the top of the bracket and found my center as well. Does 5 inches from the bottom of the transom to the bottom of the bracket seem right? I really want to make sure i get this right before drilling out the holes. I also bought quarter inch aluminum for the inside of the transom when i bolt it up for extra support. Does the 5 inches seem right?

Just went out and measured mine it's a little over 5" but you should be fine with whatever you have if your other measurements are good. The measurement your looking for really doesn't matter and has to many variables to make a decision based on it. But sounds like your pretty close to where mine is mounted.

Have you probed or checked your transom for rot before you spend alot of time laying out and bolting up your bracket? I would hate see you spend alot of time setting it up and the transom be shot. The bracket is the way to go! I will bracket mine at some point. Good luck on your build

Ok great thanks. I think i will stick with my measurements seems to be fine. This is the one step that i wanted to make sure was as close to perfect as possible. Once its on i can turnn back. Thanks for your help brett much appreciated!

Yup already did that. Only place i had issues on the boat was in front of the center console. I firmed all that up and put a nice hatch. I can't bealeve the amount of space under the deck that was not utilized for storage. It's mind boggling! Thanks for giving me the heads up to check the transom. When you going to do your bracket?

Got some improvments done to "The Rusty Fish Hook"
 

got a few more things I need to do to the boat but hoping to have her in the water in a couple weeks.

Any updates, i have a clean v-20 she's old but solid and worthy of a rebuild...am stepping down from a 27' cc and looking for insight for my build, want to close transom, install a bracket and run a 4 stroke,trim tabs, live well leaning post , fish box in the transom and an upper station...any thoughts or insight is appreciated....i'm new to the site but have been messing with boats for 20+ years....

Welcome to the site.

Yup, it is a sickness. I would do the same sans the upper station...and 4-stroke.. You may want to move some weight fore in the boat and consider moving the fish box, batteries and whatever else you can use as ballast toward the bow. Stern weight will be an issue if you don't. V:beer: