Bracket update
 

It's been awhile since I posted some pics so here's a couple of Quahog pulling some R&R at Cockenoe Island in Long Island Sound on a hot August afternoon. We were swimming and digging clams with the kids on the island:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90...mer2005006.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90...mer2005007.jpg

I like the new motor a ton. I haven't used the GPS to get the top speed, but let's just say the boat goes A LOT faster than it did with the old Sea Drive 8). We've been using the boat pretty much every weekend that we're here and I know she's happy about that. While we've already caught more fish this year than last, Quahog has been doing a lot of cruising as well thanks to more reliable power.

The only surprise has been how easily the motor heads underwater when drifting in a following sea and when coming off a plane. Those seals on the cowl better stay watertight :o! In my biased opinion, I think the boat looks great, especially for a 20 year young hull.

Re: Bracket update
 

CT LOOKS LIKE HEAVEN ON EARTH. I WAS WONDERING ABOUT YOUR COMMENT ON THE DEEP DIVING ENGINE. IS IT BECAUSE OF THE LEVERAGE AND WEIGHT OF A 150. I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A I/O V20 AND PUT A BRACKET ON IT. DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST AND AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT MUCH WEIGHT OUT BACK. I'M WONDERING IF THAT IS WHY FILLET 1 WENT WITH A 115.

Re: Bracket update
 

I ACTUALLY WENT TO LAKE GEORGE NY TO CHECK OUT V20 WITH ARMSTRONG BRACKET AND EVINRUDE 225 ON IT. BOAT RODE BEAUTIFUL BUT I NOTICED TWO THINGS WHILE MANUEVRING 1 WHEN I CAME OFF OF PLANE I HAD TO DO IT REAL GRADUAL AS THE MOTOR LOOKED LIKE THE CAPT ORDERED DIVE AND THE FIRST TIME I DID IT THE OWNER HAD A REAL WORRIED LOOK ON HIS FACE. 2. WHEN I WAS MOVING AROUND BY DOCK IT WAS TRICKY TO BACK AND TURN.

Re: Bracket update
 

That looks Sweeet!!!!

Re: Bracket update
 

Maybe one could mount the bracket a couple or 3 inches higher in order to mitigate the "diving johnnyrude" problem ???

Re: Bracket update
 

P.S. My bud's 24ft Grady has a 250 yamaha on a bracket and it does the same. Good tight seal on that cowl!

Re: Bracket update
 

The motor dive is not due to weight but to the 30" extension off the stern I believe. And the boat is definately tougher to dock. But still a good trade off for the increased speed and nice big cockpit. Thanks.

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Chicks dig a big cockpit 8)

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I THOUGHT IT WAS THE 30" EXTENSION ;D

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Looks great!

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CT, those pics look GREAT!!!... 8) 8) 8)...talk about your V20 gratification...job well done...we need MJ to chime in on the extra diggin' the motor seems to do w/a bracket...is that w/the motor trimmed ALL the way down?...does it level out good at speed ?...

Re: Bracket update
 

The setup is great running. It's when you either come off plane or when you're drifting in a stern sea with the motor down, or even sitting at anchor with the motor down and a wake comes from the stern. If the motor's trimmed up like in the pictures it stays plenty high and dry. There's nothing to do about it because the hull is going to rock the way it wants to rock regardless of any floatation in the bracket. And the motor is sitting out there on the end of a lever with no say on where it is going since it represents less than 15% of the weight of the rig. I'm not too worried since brackets have been around for a while, so outboards have been getting dunked for a while too I imagine. And it's not like the whole thing goes underwater, it's just the bottom of the cowl. Plus, it's a carbed Johnson... it'll start.

Re: Bracket update
 

Last 3 sentences were my thoughts exactly.

Re: Bracket update
 

I asked my neighbor about this who is a design engineer for Parker Boats. He said they have had that on some of there twin bracketed boats. He said easy fix 2 ways. One put sand bags in the front of the boat to help even out the weight and helps get on plane faster and to put hydraulic trim tabs and have them down when you slow it will lift the back. Both are good to do actually. He said do the sand bags first in the very front.

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If you've got a heavy buddy, make him sit up there before you go through the trouble of putting sand bags in.

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I was wondering about that for my brackett install. Do measure the difference inheight from the top of the mounting location and subtract that from how much higher the outboard portion sits or what?....then go 20 or 25 depending upon motor?

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Stinky, there's a formula for figgerin' the bracket position on your transom...I don't know it, but I'd sure find it out b4 drillin' holes in the boat... ;)...whoever did CT's could probably tell ya...

Re: Bracket update
 

I didn't do mine by myself, but if you go to Armstrong's webpage there are instructions and diagrams there for measuring.