how to measure transom height for outboard motor

The lowest point will likely be directly under your drain plug if youve got one. #1: Height Take your time and understand your boat and your entire transom. For vessels with transom-mounted outboards, you can easily figure out which type of outboard you need to get. This email address is being protected from spambots. It also cuts into speed and fuel efficiency. What the relationship to the pontoons is, I couldn't say. There are also specialty motor shaft lengths. It doesnt matter if you have a fiberglass boat, bay boat, big or small boat. A1: Broadly speaking, the outboard motor shaft length for pontoon boat, bass boat, or other larger boats should be long shaft. Follow Westshore Marine & Leisure on Twitter! How to Raise Outboard Motor on Transom? - Raising the Outboard Motor But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. (616) 364-0666, On all contiguous US part orders over $100. The average transom angle is around 14 degrees. bassboat can be a bit confusing at times; hopefully this will help sort Step 4. (1) Multiply the overall length of your boat (in feet) by it's widest beam at the stern (excluding any Fins and or Shear) (2) Locate that value on the left hand vertical column of the chart below. How the outboard will sit on the back of the boat depends on how the transom is designed. To measure your outboard motor shaft length, measure from the bottom of the mounting bracket where it rests on the transom to the top of the cavitation plate, this is the horizontal surface of the lower unit immediately above the propeller. No one wants to have issues with a new transom or boat repairs. You dont have to be a mathematician to determine the correct boat transomangle. Which Navigation Lights Does Your Boat Need? s.setAttribute("href", "https://cdn.paytomorrow.com/css/pt-mpe.min.css"); Chances are the boat was designed with a specific size of outboard in mind. Step 2: After you get the transom height, add the radius of the propeller (check the user manual, and then technical drawing for the number) to calculate the minimum shaft length needed to make it work. When fighting waves from the stern, a 20-inch transom is considerably safer. This exhaust port should be about 1 inch above the water line when the boat is idling. While this is the case there is certain saltwater motors that are extra extra long at 30. If youre going the other way around and trying to figure out how long the shaft on your outboard is, measuring it is equally easy. Always weigh the risks of making adjustments. of the motor off the transom height (that I'm aware of); probably the most common is: Most of the standard engined boats it takes shafts that are 15-30inches long. ), and place it on the bottom of the pad in the center. Outboard Motor Shaft Length - LeeRoy's Ramblings Pad to bottom of Trimming in, trimming down, and trimming out are all terms that a beginning boater should learn. The cavitation plate is the horizontal surface of the lower unit immediately above the propeller. If you have a fast boat, getting the outboards cavitation plate at the same level of the hull will ensure quick hole shot and fast top-end speeds. The first order of business is to measure your boat for the ideal fit. would be more accurate.) Small motors built for sailboats might come in a unique configuration with an extremely long shaft since these are mounted higher off the water. Always weigh the risks of making adjustments. maxTerm: 36, The how to measure the shaft length of an outboard motor is a question that many people have asked. All rights reserved. Before we get started lets see what a boat transom is and what it does. help with shaft length for a kicker - iboats Boating Forums As summer approaches there will be more boaters taking to the water. How to Choose Between a Motor Tote and Transom Saver to Support an This illustration depicts four different outboard mounting height options (courtesy Mercury Marine). Triton. All things considered, sticking with the industry standard is best for the beginner. How To Mount An Outboard Motor Properly - Start to Finish! (function (d) { Boost Speed with Outboard Engine Height Adjustments At least if its too long you can raise the motor or "build up" your transom. This is handy if youre shopping for second-hand outboards or looking to sell the one that came with your boat. Actual shaft length is 21.5" on those. The anti-cavitation plate above the prop needs to be within an inch of the bottom of the transom, therefore, the prop should be well below the transom. The dealer just hit you with the long or short shaft question and you have no clue as to what you need or even what he's talking about. Motor height on pontoon? | Boating Forum - iboats Boating Forums center of the propshaft. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Boat transom angles play a pivotal role in the flexibility of the boats trimming abilities. If your boat is newer and the manufacturer is still in business, you might also want to try to give them a call. On this type of boat, if you are in doubt, default to the longer-shafted outboard. Your email address will not be published. displayPrimeOffers: true, Assistant Measuring tape Grease pencil Ask a friend to hold one end of a measuring tape at the extreme outer edge of the top of the transom while you pull the tape across its width to the opposite outer edge to measure the "length of the taffrail," which is the width of the boat across the top edge of the stern. This will be the parallel with the straight edge. Some fishing boats can handle the motor being underwater. Boats with extended transoms, brackets that extend the mounting bracket for the outboard motor behind the back of the boat, can use a higher outboard height. 7. Recommended Engine Oil 2-Stroke Outboard Motor Oil. If you are looking to repower, they may be able to offer some sage advice. s.setAttribute("rel", "stylesheet"); On most newer center consoles and offshoreboat transoms might include a rear door leading to a swim platform as well as a molded setback bracket. Re: Dinghy with a long shaft motor? What is a Transom Saver And Do I Need One? - Boat Safe The outboard shaft length is the vertical distance between the top of the mounting clamp bracket and the bottom of the cavitation plate (aka the ventilation plate). The faster your boat, the more critical it is to get the sizing just right. This alone can outweigh the negatives when deciding to adjust the mount upwards. Since the length of the shaft of your outboard is associated with the size boat, smaller engines will generally have shorter shafts. Bass boats, ski boats, or center cockpit vessels will want to double-check their measurements to get it just right. disregard the "hooks" at the front of the One of the great things about an outboard motor is how versatile it is. With some boats I have a pretty good idea as to what length motor should be hung on them. Industry standards dictate that for short shaft engines the transom height should be 15. Small portable outboards ranging from 2 to 20 horsepower are usually sold only in short or long shaft versions. Shaft lengths are available in increments of 5. To do so, measure from the stern (back) of the boat to the midpoint of the hull on both sides. Place the clubs bottom on the ground as though it were going to be used to strike a golf ball. So you should just measure the height of the boats transom from the center down to the lowest point of the hull, and compare transom height with the outboard shaft length numbers. Lubrication System Engine Oil Mixed Gasoline. In the photo above, we've measured from the motor bracket to the top of This restriction includes most fishing boats and longer sailboats. 1855 Alpine Avenue NWGrand Rapids, MI 49504This email address is being protected from spambots. What Is the Transom of a Boat? EXPLAINED - My Cruiser Life The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Check out the Westshore Marine & Leisure google plus page! Get the latest updates on new products and upcoming sales, 2023 Marine Parts Warehouse Incorporated However, you will need an understanding of how the degrees will alter the boats usability. Smaller boats may use adjustable jack plates that can be changed to fit any outboard. Buying a boat can be an exciting purchase. And thats usually the case since the electric outboards are designed with larger and more efficient propeller that needs longer shaft. If the propeller fails to ventilate, the motor is mounted to low. In the case of a larger offshore boat, it may be to the top of a cutout on the . storeDisplayName: "Marine Parts Warehouse", Ideally, you want the outboards cavitation plate, also called the anti-ventilation plate, to be at the same level as the bottom of your hull. #3. Among them will be first-timers or those who have recently purchased their boats. If you are running a slower boat, the exact location of the ventilation plate is less important. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. If possible for your peace of mind and not let down that magnificent purchase opportunity, place that 08 kicker at back transom and test for yourself. endobj My family and I used it to fish, ski (yes, you can ski behind a pontoon boat), and cruise the lakes near our home. Long shafts are 20-inches long. Boat hulls are designed in three basic types that range from slow displacement and semi-displacement hulls to the fastest planing hulls. document.getElementById('cloakd53b59933f6c3f2e8b59f1b4a6d41fa5').innerHTML = ''; For boats equipped with a bracket, calculate the same measurement but based on the bracket and not the transom. gtag('config', 'G-QX0Y76NH40'); Whether your on a pontoon boat, fishing boat, or speedboat boating is always one of the best times you can have. And the rule of thumb is that you should keep the cavitation plate level with the bottom or keel of the boat. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". s.setAttribute("src", script); Boaters who consider going with a higher mount can see increased speeds. The height is approximately six inches higher than with a propeller. since 1986. Happy boating! How Low Should a Motor Set on a Pontoon Boat? (Explained) Higher mounting decisions should be left to the professionals. }, 100); As summer approaches there will be more boaters taking to the water. As a result, the issue is whether my boat need a short shaft or long shaft motor. The outboard comes with mounting holes and brackets. Owners of bass boats, RIBs, or offshore fishing boats need to get this right. A long shaft engine requires a height of 20 and extra-long shaft engines will need a transom height of 25. Picking the right shaft length for your outboard is an essential step in getting the best performance from your boat. Two years ago, I bought a Boston Whaler to fish off the coast. Increased RPM and additional horsepower feed the need for speed. They keep water out of your prop and increase water pressure in the system. According to MarinePartsMan.com, the outboard can be raised 1 inch above the standard height for every 10 miles per hour of speed the boat can attain. 1 0 obj displayMicroOffers: false, steel ruler, etc. However, you will need an understanding of how the degrees will alter the boats usability. The height of the transom is calculated by measuring from the bottom of the hull to the top of the transom, using the center line. Well, raising the outboard motor can be an easy task for you.