LT'S-BIG BRACKET ???

[ltdan]

I'M READY TO MOUNT MY ARMSTRONG WIDE BODY BRACKET (ON THE BOAT [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img] )THE MOTOR IS A 30" SHAFT E.F.I. MERC 250HP.THE HULL,FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME,IS A 23'CC SEACRAFT. THE BIG QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING WITH A BRACKET. WHAT HIEGHT DID YOU MOUNT THE BRACKET AT,AND WHERE IS THE CAVITATION PLATE IN RELATION TO THE RUNNING SURFACE? IF I MOUNT MINE AT 29" UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE KEEL AND THE MOTOR IS BOLTED ON AT IT'S LOWEST POINT, THE CAVITATION PLATE WILL BE EXACTLY 2 1/2" ABOVE THE RUNNING SURFACE. ACCORDING TO ARMSTRONG THAT'S WHERE IT SHOULD BE. (RAISE THE MOTOR 1" FOR EVERY FOOT OF SETBACK. ARMSTRONG SETBACK IS 30" OR 2 1/2 FEET = 2 1/2"'S OF LIFT ON THE MOTOR) ALL THE MATH SOUND'S GOOD. BUT BEFORE I GO PUTTIN' HOLE'S IN THAT FIGHTIN' LADY YELLOW TRANSOM I'LD SURE APRECIATE SOME FEEDBACK. I KNOW IT'S BEEN AWHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS THREAD, SO I'LL GIVE A QUICK UP DATE. THE OUTSIDE OF THE HULL AND CAP ARE COMPLETE. TOPSIDE'S AND BOTTOM ARE AWLGRIP CLOUD WHITE, AND THE SIDE'S ARE FIGHTIN' LADY. I KEPT THE OLD CONSOLE AND MADE SOME BIG CHANGES TO IT. RAISED IT 4" CUTTING OFF THE BOTTOM FLANGE AND PUT A 45 DEGREE INWARD RETURN. NOW YOU CAN GET YOUR TOW'S UNDER ALL THE WAY AROUND.I ALSO PUT IN A FOOTREST AND ELIMINATED THOSE SILLY TEAK DOOR'S UNDER THE HELM. THE CAP IS IDENTICAL TO ONE ON AN INBOARD. YOU CAN STEP ALL THE WAY TO THE TRANSOME. IT'S GOT AS MUCH ROOM IN THE COCKPIT AS I HAD IN MY 28' INTREPID,,,, NO B.S. I'VE ADD A FOWARD BELOW DECK 20 GAL. FRESH WATER SUPPLY AND A BELOW DECK FISHBOX. IT MUST BE ALMOST FINISHED?,THE CHAINSAW'S OUTA GAS, AND I'M DAMN NEAR OUTA BEER. TIGHT LINE'S TO ALL LT DAN

[ScottM]

LT,
Good to hear from you. As you can tell from the posts, some of the members were worried that you got into a fight with that chain saw and lost [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . Sounds like the boat is coming along well, can't wait to see the pics!

[Capt Chuck]

ltdan
let me how it runs after completed. I also want to see some pics. I'm going to enclose and bracket my 78 23'cc this year.I'll most likely go with wildfire Marine here in Stuart as I have had Mike replace my fuel take back in 95. He knows the Seacraft hulls and has done several others like Deigo's. Good luck.

Capt Chuck (shellback)

If she asks "How much did it cost?" LIE!

[ltdan]

HEY SCOTT,IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN A CHAIN SAW TO TAKE O'LE LT DOWN [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . WHEN IT'S FINISHED,I'LL DEFINITELY GET SOME PICTURE'S UP. LT

[ltdan]

CAP'T CHUCK, I THINK MIKE'S A GOOD CHOICE. I'VE SPENT SOME TIME AROUND HIS SHOP AND HE KNOW'S THE 23 SEACRAFT AS WELL AS ANYONE. HE WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO DO MY REBUILD.BUT, BY THE TIME HE GOT CLOSE TO GETTING ME IN THE SHOP,I HAD SO MUCH OF IT DONE MYSELF I DECIDED TO COMPLETE IT ON MY OWN. I'M STILL A WAY'S AWAY FROM BEING DONE,BUT I'LL LET YOU KNOW. HELL,YOU CAN GO FOR A RIDE IF YOU WANT,WE'RE PRACTICALLY NEIGHBOR'S. LT DAN

[Briguy]

LTDan,

I'd like to hear how you made a footrest, or better yet see some pictures. As for the bracket, make sure you have a compressor, it will be much faster drilling those 25+ holes. Also 2 tubes of 5200 should be good enough. Also use an air impact tool to tighten those bolts down. I used a forklift to hold the bracket in place, then placed tape all around the bracket and hit it with a level to make sure it is streigt, also have a good ruler and measure from the rubrail down to the bracket on both sides. Make sure it is within 1/8th inch or less and also make sure it is centered by measuring from the bracket to the sides of the boat. When you have it all ready, drill and bolt 2 holes near the top and bolt it down tight(dry, no 5200). After its tight, lay on top the bracket with a black permanant magic marker and mark out all the rest of the holes, remove the bracket, drill all holes( I used a 9/16th bit) then blob 5200 all over the rim and around every hole. Bolt the sucker on with the bolt heads on the inside of the transom. Someone will hold the nuts with a crescent wrench from the inside and the other assistant, while drinking a cold beer with impact those down about 70% tight. Also smear the bolts with 5200, use rubber gloves. Do all the bolts and when done, go back and clamp them down to the max. Take pictures at every step with a digital camera. Peel the tape off and if you did it right, a nice bead of 5200 will be left. Let me know what else you need.

[ltdan]

THANX BRIAN, THAT'S EXACTLY HOW I DID IT. I DIDN'T MOUNT THE BRACKET YET,(ON THE BOAT),BUT I'VE GOT ALL THE HOLE'S DRILLED. GOT JUST A LITTLE MORE WORK ON THE INSIDE BEFORE I BOLT IT UP.THE BRACKET CLEARED THE TRIM TAB MAST BY A "C" HAIR [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . IF I HAD A DIGITAL CAMERA, I'LD SEND PICTURE'S OF THE CONSOLE. HERE'S WHAT I DID. TOOK THE DOOR'S OFF AND CUT THE COSOLE UNDER THE HELM FROM PORT TO STARBOARD ALL THE WAY ACROSS AT AN ANGLE DOWN GOING FORWARD 6" FROM THE BOTTOM,THEN TURNED THE CUT 90 DEGREES AFT TO COME BACK OUT. FROM THE SIDE IT LOOK'S LIKE I CUT AN "L" SHAPE OUT OF THE CONSOLE. THE I BUILT A MOLD THAT I SCREWED TO THE CONSOLE. DID ALL THE GRINDING [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] ,AND LAID IT UP WITH GLASS. IT CAME OUT GREAT. IF YOU LOOK AT A NEW 25' SEACRAFT YOU'LL SEA WHAT IT LOOK'S LIKE. LT DAN P.S. I'VE BEEN TO COSTA RICA TOO [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Briguy]

LT DAN, I just remembered, my bracket didn't clear the trim tabs so I had to cut a small semi circle from the swim platform of the bracket. You can only tell from underneath. She looks like a million bucks. Oh yeah, Costa Rica... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[ltdan]

CAPT'N BRIAN, ARE YOUR MOTOR'S MOUNTED AS LOW AS THEY CAN GO OR, ARE THEY UP ONE HOLE? MY BRACKET IS 29" UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE KEEL, WHAT'S YOUR'S? IF I'VE GOT MINE FIGURED RIGHT,THE MOTOR WILL BE AS LOW AS IT CAN GO. HOPE I'M NOT WRONG,CAUSE IF IT NEED'S TO GO DOWN I'LL HAVE TO DRILL A NEW SET OF MOTOR MOUNT HOLE'S IN THE BRACKET. EVEN AT THAT THE MOST I'LD GAIN WOULD BE AN INCH. THE DEAL IS, I WANTED AS MUCH OF THE TUB IN THE WATER AS POSSIBLE FOR FLOTATION. SO I HAD IT MADE EXTRA DEEP AS WELL AS EXTRA WIDE, HENCE THE 30" SHAFT. THE GOOD NEW'S IS,,ONLY HALF AS MUCH BEER WENT INTO THE THOUGHT PROCESS AS WAS CONSUMED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . LT DAN