Re: 1973 23ft.seacraft
This is something I'm struggling with, to a degree. I would like the bracket mainly to gain more room in the boat. I have seen several of them done and they come out really nice. My problem is that I would want the bracket mounted to accommodate a 30" shaft and currently I have a 25"(to keep the head out of the water,as I would assume that even with a float bracket there is a delay in the rate of rise of the stern of the boat when a wave/swell comes under the boat as in a drifting situation) To spend the money on the bracket install and new motor, well thats a little scary right now. If I felt comfortable redoing the transom thats one thing ...BUT Redoing the transom (closing it up and getting rid of the big motor well and putting in a new deck is not something I'm not to sure I want to mess with (unless Trayder wants to come down and help as it seems by the looks of some pictures nothing scares you !!). I'm sure that motor well of mine has alot to do with keeping the rear-end of that boat together. I've priced it out and its a little steep to have it done. However, I'm still inquiring about putting on a bracket with the 25" shaft, that is if there is no real issues with the motor getting dunked. I do think the bracket would be a benefit in the installation of twin outboards. There would be a much greater surface area to distribute that weight over.
On the other side of the coin it would be nice to keep the original look of the boat with the notched transom and motor well(AKA Seafari). Chris and I have had discussion around this and I think we both agree that if the well area is properly sealed up (no pop out hatches) there is no real problem with water getting into the boat (a concern of us all). I'm keeping ,or atleast attempting to keep, everything original. The planked deck, no other structural changes, the steering wheel on the starboard sdie of the console and so on...SO
Has anyone with a bracket dunked the motor??? What about coming off plane???.Has anyone remounted after the bracket was installed for an old motor then repowered with a different shaft length???
Scott
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