To bracket or not to bracket?

[JohnB]

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]

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]

[JohnB]

Fellowship,
Your dead on right about the 20'.
These boats where pretty much "hooked up" when they were built. I'm still on the fence with my 23' with regards to adding bracket. I am getting almost 2mpg at 27mph with an older merc efi. Boat handles great.

[RAHIM NAHIM]

I have a 73 20ft SC. with a 200 Merc mounted on a bracket. Boat does need trim tabs. But she runs like a champ. I wouldn't even think twice about not adding a bracket. To solve the fishing with a bracket just "keep it in gear".

"Tight Lines".

[Reel Smoker]

My opinion on a 23, bracket. a 20 I'd leave it like Marks no bracket.But again thats personal preference.That DnD looks very similar to Stainless Marine.RS.

[Finster]

Same here.

[sanzo]

Mark, I have a 1971 Seacraft c/c which is a heavy boat. I had a 1998 250 Merc. bolted to my transom. I recently put a Stainless Marine wide bracket on the back with a 2005 honda 225 four stroke. The boat tops out at 44 knots on my gps and burns so little fuel I've thought my gauge was broken. Put a bracket on the back, the boat will be better on fuel, you will have more room, and it will run out faster. I'm in Fort Lauderdale, I'd be more than happy to take you out for a demonstration. Good luck, Sanzo

[Finster]

Sanzo, 20 or 23? They are two different boats and the weight ratio is totally different. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

If your talking about a 20 then your plowing a furrow, that boat with that power should be doing more like mid 50's +. If it's a 23 then your on target.

[Trayder]

Sanzo, 20 or 23? They are two different boats and the weight ratio is totally different. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

If your talking about a 20 then your plowing a furrow, that boat with that power should be doing more like mid 50's +. If it's a 23 then your on target.

Finster if his boat is a 20 it would also be on the bottom with a Honda 225 4 stroke......

[bjfg144]

Thank you all for your input. I did talk to Mark the reason he told me he didn't like the looks of the bracket on his 20' thats why he did not put it on his boat. But he spent some major $$$$$ putting his to the way he wanted. It looks great and gave me some good ideas for my boat. I still up in the air on the bracket like a tennis game going on in my head. But will decide soon. Thank you.
John [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]