Bracket modification
 

I am going to really eat my word now, This is an old Dusky bracket that I am going to "chop up" and modify to fit my 20 sceptre. It is way to tall and has a splash well built in. I plan on cutting it down to 24" high or so and getting rid of the splash well and building a swim platform to go all the way across the back of the boat. I originally has two small bolt on swim platforms (20"x20") on each side of the bracket, but I don't think I will use them. It weighs a ton but once I cut it down it should not be as bad. It is well built with almost 4" thick of glass/wood on the flotation tub. I got it for really cheep so I figured it was worth a try, I cant afford a new Hemco but would like one. I will see how it turns out, maybe it will be usable and not look so bad once completed. It will defiantly have a ton of flotation to help with the weight of it and the new motor.

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...psf7a7f162.jpg

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...ps83392790.jpg

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...psacb2bc34.jpg

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...ps86410581.jpg

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...ps802bb5b5.jpg

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2e21a028.jpg

Wow that is one boss of a bracket there...used to own one of their 21 ft inboards...built like a tank for sure. I don't know if you could ever cut enough off to lighten up a bracket built that solid :-). I know things are tight man, but there are 5 boats in your sig...maybe sacrifice one for some $ to build out another....

Might want to also check and see if the transom angle is the same for some reason I seem to remember they are not the same.was looking at getting one from dusky before finding a stainless marine one for mine.have to say the guys at dusky were great to work with a family run business that cares for there customers

I have removed about a 1/3 of the weight off her but it is still weighing in a little heavy at 130-140lbs. I wouldn't put on a cc but with the weight forward on the sceptre and I think the weight will be less than the old I/o unit so im not to worried.
Far as selling the other projects there is not much value there, all were like orphan children and were about given to me at very low $ amounts. I am trying to do what you were saying thoe. Out of my 15 or so boats I actually got 5-6 boats up for sale right now (none of them SeaCrafts of course).
I wont be as cheep on the others SC projects. The sceptre was to be a low budget build used just solely for the purpose of pulling the kids on tubes and hydro-slides. I was trying to get it going and have less than $3000 in it total including motor.:eek:
The race boat will be started soon and I don't want to spare a dime on it. Just wanted some cheep fun for the kids with this one.
If the bracket don't work out I will loosen my cheeks, buy a sheet of 6061 aluminum and build one myself, (Have welding equipment and my father builds tops and towers for a living and can professionally do it) I just hate to spend the $1000 for a 4x8 sheet!

The angle will work just fine, checked that out before I got it. The sceptre has a angle of 13 degrees (some say 14 some say 13 mine measures 13). The dusky bracket has an angle of 12 degrees, more like 12.25 degrees so it will be close enough to use. The less than one degree will just let the swim platform have a slight angle down towards the motor. So small you wont notice and it will help the water run off the transom. I have read you can use a bracket at + or - a degree with no worries.

Good to hear that ! Glad it worked out

It hasent worked out yet, angle looks good and it seems to look like it will fit fine but it is mighty heavy. The tub is two inches thick with two 5/8 layers of glass with a 3/4 wood core between them. Took a lot of weight off by getting rid of the splash well and cutting it down but hopeing that the large flotation space will make up for the extra weight.

After seeing Bigshrimpins bracket lift (floor jack adapter) I had to make me one. It will help a lot to have something adjustable under the bracket while test fitting it ect. I could not find a pipe or rod to fit the jack so I had to turn one down on the lathe. Once I got that done with that I welded it to a plate, drilled it so that I could screw it to the bottom of the jig I made yesterday. The jig is a small pallet with two bunk boards on the top for the bracket to rest on and the whole thing sits on the jacks arm in the same hole the cup uses.

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...psba4620d2.jpg

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...psa7246de4.jpg

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...ps60cc1783.jpg

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...ps898cc32e.jpg

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9e9f5e91.jpg

If you want a bracket, I wouldn't suggest 6061. You won't be re heat treating it after welding, so the welds will be quite weak compared to the rest of the sheet. Use 5086 instead with much higher "as welded" yield and ultimate strength, and it will have better corrosion resistance, too. Make sure you use the right filler rod. I think it is 5183.

If you were closer, I would say buy my bracket made of 5086. I think it is 125 lb with platform.

That's a really stout looking bracket! Any idea what it weighs after all the trimming?

I think you'll want to mount it as low as possible to get maximum flotation at rest. I think Don Herman mounted mine so bottom of tub is about 4" above keel. Motor AV plate is 3.5" above keel in attached pic. We redrilled the holes to raise it another inch, but it still needs to come up about another inch, because AV plate is still under water when up on plane, so keep that in mind when you drill motor mount holes. I need to make an adapter/spacer plate because lower bolts will interfere with the swim platform if I raised them another inch!