Bracket manufacturers

[CT_V-20]

Does anybody out there know of bracket manufacturers other than Armstrong and Gil? Any idea of cost (I have a full transom already so no glassing required)? Thanks.

[bigshrimpin]

Stainless Marine => Their bracket (30inch set back) is around $1600 w/ the swim platform . . . last time I checked.

[CT_V-20]

Thx Bigshrimpin. Considering putting the Sea Drive out to pasture :'(, we'll see how she fires up in the spring. Lower unit fluid was milky when I changed it for winterizing. No big deal on its own, but I wouldn't mind a 150 or 200. This way at least I'll have my ducks in a row if I need to take action.

30 INCH SETBACK ??

Doesn't anyone make a bracket for a V20 with less of a setback than that?

I love the idea of a full transom and a bracket, but I would not want my motor set back 30 inches for 2 reasons.

1) You change the trim of the boat quite a lot when you move that much weight and torque back 2.5 feet on a 20 foot boat.

2) The motor can submerge much more easily when it is setback 2.5 feet on a 20 foot boat. This is basic see-saw physics, and I don't believe the flotation in a bracket will prevent this in heavy seas.

If I were doing the full transom/bracket deal - I would look for the least setback available, and then hang a 30 inch shaft on it.

My v21 has about a 10 - 12 inch setback and a 25 inch shaft, and IMHO that is pushing the envelope.

[CT_V-20]

I'm not sure of the physics, but the Sea Drive on my boat now is nowheres near a 30" set back. It's more like 6-12" max. I don't think my marina would let me keep my slip with a 30" set back as my boat would way blow through 22' :o!

[macojoe]

Well I have done the deal!! I have a stainless bracket with full swim platform.
It is a 28" set back, When I installed the bracket I measured 25" up from the bottom of the boat, and mounted it.
I have installed a 1989 Yamaha 175hop at a weight of 380# and a 25" shaft.

If you don't get the 28" or better you will never be able to lift a V6 outboard fully out of the water!! And if you are sliped or moored that means some of the motor will be in the water at all times!

Not only does the boat out perform the I/O
I also have no problems with the motor going under!!~ even in 6 foot seas!

As far as the trim is concerned, I can trim it just fine and I belive better then the I/O!!

The only problem and I don't see it as a problem is it does not turn in as tight of a circle as it did when it was a I/O

Don't take my word for it, Ask CB, he has been in the boat a few times.
BS, has also saw the boat going thur the water first hand.

As far as the leanth, you are going to add, in my case 28" + at least 12" for the motor + the boat is already 20' 6" so I am at 23' 10" at ths point, so they would charge you for a 24 footer

MJ, that is a good point about needing enough setback to be able to tilt the motor. My motor tilts past the transom into the well. It's been awhile since I looked at a sea-drive ... I wonder how CT's motor tilts if it only has a 6-12 inch setback, since he has no well. When the day comes that I have to rebuild my transom (hopefully a long time from now), I guess I'll keep the well. By then 150 - 175 hp oughta come in 30 inch shafts, if the bracket craze is not just a fad.

MJ, when you say 6 foot waves - do you mean 6 feet from the trough to the crest??

A 6 foot wave is actually 12 feet from the trough to the crest.

[macojoe]

when I say 6 footers, that is the wall I am hitting!

I kind of have my hands full at the time to get the tape measure out!! ;D But I have never seen any water swamping the motor. And I hope I never do!!~ :o

And that is a good question?? How does he tilt his motor all the way??

[CT_V-20]

The Sea Drive is pretty unique. My motor tilts completely out of the water and the set back is still less than 12" (maybe I need to go down and measure to be sure). For sure though, the boat overall w/the motor down is 23'2" (and they still let me use a 22' slip). So figure about two feet for the length of the motor itself and that gets you to an 8" set back. Even if the motor is only 18" long (and I doubt even a lowly V4 is that short), that's still just a 14" set back. The Sea Drive came before positive flotation brackets so I don't think manufacturers could hang motors back as far as they can today. And there were V6 Sea Drives up to 235 hp. which would be awfully heavy 30" back without some help from additional flotation. Plus there is no swim platform integrated with the Sea Drive - I have a teak add on to the port side of the unit - so no need to put the motor too far back for that purpose either. If I have to go that far back with a new platform, I'm SOL with my current slip and I'd have to get on a pretty long wait list for the 22-28' category. Looks like no repower on my horizon unless there is a modern bracket with less set back.

[macojoe]

As far as I no stainless marine has set backs from 18" and they do come with out swim platforms!!
the floation is something like 310 pounds. Just not sure how this would let you lift the motor all the way out?? I don't think I have ever saw a seadrive up close, at least if I did I didn't no it. So I am not sure how they got it so the motor goes all the way up??

But if you can get a 18" to allow you to lift your motor out of the water anough?? that would cut down on you leanth!! 20.5 + 18" + 14" motor= still going to get you real close to 23'
I am going to have to measure my motor to see what it adds?? it is a 175 Yammy