To bracket or not to bracket?

[markdpm]

I just got the specs on the Hermco bracket (see links from this site) I was wondering anyone out there have any input on before and after ride, speed comparisons. Do you recommend the conversion or stay put. I know it looks great but is the $$$$ worth it soley for cosmesis? The boat is a 79 23' Sceptre with a single 250 outboard.

[FELLOW-SHIP]

HA MARKDPB
THAT IS A REAL INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE QUESTION. I HAVE A 23 CENTER CONSOL THAT I RE DID THE TRANSOM. I HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE OFF THE BACK AND GO WITH A BRACKET. I DON’T LIKE MOST BRACKETS FOR A FEW REASONS FIRST THEY ARE BOLTED ONTO THE BOAT, IF THE BRACKET IS LIKE THE CONTENDERS (PART OF THE BOAT) THAN THAT’S OK FOR ME, I JUST DON’T LIKE THAT AFTERTHOUGHT APPROACH. THE OTHER REASON WHY I DON’T LIKE BRACKETS IS THAT IT HAS YOU FISHING 5’ IN FRONT OF THE PROP. THERE IS NOTHING THAT TICKS ME OFF MORE THAT LOOSING A FISH AROUND THE PROP BECAUSE HE STARTED CIRCLING THE BOAT. THERE ARE MORE AND MORE BOATS THAT ARE BUILDING INTEGRATAL TYPE BRACKETS LIKE THE NEW 25’ SEACRAFT THEY BOTH HAVE THE BUOYANCY AND PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL BOAT SURFACE THEY LOOK GOOD AND IF YOU NEED TO GET BACK THERE IT ISN’T ANY PROBLEMS. I WILL SAY THOUGH IF I HAD ONE 25” SHAFT AND NOT THE 30” SHAFT ON MY 225 I MIGHT THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THIS, BUT WITH A 30” SHAFT I DON’T SEE THAT I WILL BE TAKING MUCH WATER OVER THE STERN AND ONTO THE DECK. WILL THAT MY THOUGHTS AND LIKE I SAID EVERYTHING HAS THEIR OWN PREFERENCES ON THIS SUBJECT.
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[BacDoc]

If you have seen my other post I am trying to do the same thing on my 20'. The pros are - longer waterline = better ride, closed in transom is nice in bigger seas and having the motor back further reduces noise.
The cons are(as Fellowship says) additional obstacle when fighting fish from the stern, possible self bailing compromise, prop specs could change and I have heard both scenarios from different people who have done this - slow to plane or easier to plane. Also longer shaft is required. I hope my project is possible/affordable as I would love to have the closed transom and bracket combo.

[timd]

I also rebuilt the transom on my 20' SeaCraft, and thought long and hard about closing in the transom and adding a bracket. I decided not to, because I also did not want to fight fish around the motor. Also aftermarket brackets make backing the boat very difficult. I decided to raise the transom to 25" and save myself the $1000. The higher transom definitely should help the problem of taking water in over the stern.

[Scott]

Hey guys

As you may well know I’m also contemplating a bracket for a 23 CC. And yes there are many pros and cons to doing it. Fellow-ship brings up a good point of the motor/motors getting in the way fishing and I have heard both sides about backing the boat down with a bracket. I think the biggest reason I’m considering it is to gain back a lot of deck that gets taken away with the splashwell. That then leads to the benefit of a solid transom to keep the ocean out. As far as the ability to use the notch to bail the boat out ….at least in my case it would not work with the big splashwell….as it will not allow water in to the boat its not going to let it out either (this is assuming you take green water over the bow ). The bracket I have focused on is the Potter bracket that Hermco distributes. I have even had a Captain that I used to work for go and look at the bracket to get an assessment of it. He came back with very favorable report….and basically said that if he was to purchase an aftermarket bracket he would go with this one hands down…

If I go with this bracket I will most likely go with a twin-engine bracket for future consideration of motors. I can still mount the single and when the day comes I can convert it to a twin mount if I so desire. All I have to do is some minor glasswork to seal up the holes from the single mount. Twin bracket also affords me a lot of floatation for one of those heavy four strokes if I wanted to go that way. In general I like the fact that the floatation chamber is just that…it’s a chamber. I could throw this bracket in the water and it would float. Try that with an aluminum one and it’s to the bottom as they rely on the seal made against the transom and 5200 to create a waterproof floatation chamber. Potters bracket also has a huge load distribution area across the entire transom therefore its not concentrating all the weight in a 1foot square area where the engine is bolted to the transom. Additionally the platform would benefit me for diving (for much easier access in and out of the boat).

If you look at the float chamber for some of the other brackets out there they angle up from the attachment point on the transom to the motor mount, whereas Potters follows the same plane as the boats bottom back to the mounting point of the engine extending the running surface of the hull (on plane that may be clear of contact with the water??????). In general and as for ride that I don’t know and would like to hear about that….a lot of boats come from the factory with brackets on them…look at Regulator. I have seen several 23 restored with brackets and while the bracket may not be the prettiest thing on the boat , the room and the feel from the inside is unbelievable ……and personally I think the closed transom gives the boat a lot of character….

[Reel Smoker]

I closed the transom on my 23cc, and I love it.It gets up on a plane quicker .I can back down now without water rushing over and inside the boat. I was concerned about backing down ,I had heard that this was a problem. The truth is I cant notice any difference backing up.The stern came up 1 1/2 inches with the bracket,it doesnt squat down like before. If you go with a bracket make sure its one with a chamber,I used the wide body from Armstrong. Overall it gave me more room, better ride and got to get rid of the original well I hated that design.Yes, I agree the ONLY draw back is that you might lose a fish or 2.
(I've been out at least 40 timest since I mounted the bracket and I've lost 1 fish, and that was because the the angler wasn't paying attention, and had to many Budweisers)but Ill give up the fish for the positives I gained.Like Scott says character, and in my opinion its a different animal.RS

[REPETE]

I have a 23'CC with a bracket and twin150 hp mercs. I also run another 23 that has a transom mounted engine with the huge splashwell. There is no comparison to the way the boats fish. The bracket boat has the same amount of room as a 25' with an enclosed transom. I fish offshore and live bait for King Mackeral and have never lost a fish to the engines. FYI- the bracket boat w/ twin 150's can cruise at 35 knots which is higher than the top end for the single engine, and the fuel usage is the same. Go for the bracket.

[Reel Smoker]

I wish I would of put my bracket years ago,BRACKET, BRACKET, Bracket.

[Bill Potter]

Why brackets for SeaCrafts (or most other open transom outboard boats!)?!! 1.SAFETY - The biggest cause of offshore accidents is capsizing due to destabilizing water in the cockpit which in almost all cases came in over a low cut transom. That is why we put full depth motor wells in SeaCrafts. A bracket alone helps this, but not as much as having a full height transom with the bracket 2. PERFORMANCE - All bracket mounted engines should give at least 8-10% better top speeds and improved fuel efficiency than the same engine(s)and propellor(s)transom mounted plus better steering at speed and more engine trimability. 3. MORE INTERIOR SPACE - You can cut out the old motor well or you can convert it to additional seating, a stern casting deck or additional storage space. (See the Hermco link for pictures of some he has done.) 4. STRENGTHEN THE TRANSOM - Brackets with full width integral swim platforms spread the motor weight and leverage out over most of the transom. A properly designed bracket can be used on most SeaCrafts in stead of replacing the original core and/or raising the transom height - For not a lot more money and a lot less work!!! CHECK OUT the complete Seamark ALL FIBERGLASS Transom Brackets and Transom Closing Systems at the Hermco link. And by the way, who ever thought it made sense to put a permanent ALUMINUM extension on a good FIBERGLASS BOAT----

[PressureDrop]

seapotter - you wouldnt happen to be mr. Bill potter, would you?