To bracket or not to bracket?

REPETE · #1 06-20-2002, 07:09 PM

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 · #2 06-23-2002, 12:06 PM

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

Bill Potter · #3 06-23-2002, 07:32 PM

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 · #4 06-23-2002, 08:32 PM

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

hermco · #5 06-24-2002, 10:55 AM

Sounds like Mr. Potter finally jumped into the forum! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

John R · #6 06-24-2002, 11:31 AM

Welcome to C-S Seapotter... Good crew here with a pinch of Seacraft OCD [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ June 24, 2002, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: John R ]

Briguy · #7 07-12-2002, 06:13 PM

Reel Smoker, I am considering a dual flotation bracket for my '78 23' CC. What was the cost of your Armstrong bracket? Did you install it yourself or have a dealer do it? Any add'l info would be great!

Thanks

bjfg144 · #8 10-13-2004, 10:29 AM

After looking through the old pages and messages.
I have been looking for responses of have do's and dont's off mounting an outboard bracket on the back of my 20' boat as long as I got it torn apart. Here is a message from Potter himself on why to go to a outboard bracket. It seems to help on fuel mileage, driveability, safety,and more room in cockpit. I know there are other brackets out there. But Potter designed this one for the Seacraft where others adopted it for the Seacraft. I've looked at Armstrong that looks very similar but the cost is less or Stainless marine out of Miami which have a single and one for a twin w/no platform. I'm sure there are others out there too. I just need to decide if its worth my $$$$ to put it on. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

JohnB · #9 10-13-2004, 10:57 AM

I am looking at 3 possible solutions
Armstrong, DnD, and hermco.
Right now I am leaning toward DnD (http://www.dadmarine.com).
You might want to look at DnD, they have a strong product for a good price with a lifetime warrantee (no I don't work for them). Most of these brackets look pretty much identical.
I think where you mount the bracket on the transom, and how you mount the motors has more to do with precieved performance, than differences in the the individual bracket.

FELLOW-SHIP · #10 10-13-2004, 11:12 AM

Ha John
This is just my opinion, but here it goes. I think, it would be really hard to improve on the 20 footer by adding a bracket, hoping to make it more that it really is. I once owned a 18 foot Hydrasport and “wanted a bigger boat” so I spent a lot of time thinking what I could do, which like you would mean adding a bracket. Well one day I saw a Hydrasport like mine with a bracket and after that I knew I did not want a bracket on a 18 foot boat. I ended up buying a bigger boat, my 23 CC which was the best decision I could have made. Smaller boats can propos on you, because of not having enough boat to handle the change in the center of gravity by adding a motor approx 3 feet behind the boat on a bracket. It seems to me, that somewhere around 23 foot long boats and longer have enough boat to handle this transfer of weight but on smaller ones you could have a problem. I know that can dash your hopes and maybe someone else has a different opinion than mine but for me “bigger is better” when it comes to brackets.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]