20" transom options on a 20' boat

JohnB · #1 12-09-2005, 11:44 AM

I am appealing to the brain trust on here to get some ideas.
Here is the problem.
20' early 70's potter SF w/ 20" transom that consist of air and crumbled wood.
I have a 20" 330 pound motor that I want to hang off from it. Motor is perfect, and paid for.
Options....
1. Rebuild transom just as it is.
2. Rebuild transom for 25" motor, get extension kit for motor.
3. Rebuild/close in transom, and put a bracket on it.
4. Rebuild trans to 25", and put a jack plate on it.

Boat will be used for inshore/near-shore, and once in a while, up to 20 miles offshore.

What are the pros and cons, and are their any other options I have missed?

FELLOW-SHIP · #2 12-09-2005, 12:14 PM

Ha John;
I don’t own a 20 I got the 23 and when I did my boat I went from the 25” to 30” single on the transom. I fish in the Ocean here in South Florida. For me, if I had you boat I would go with a 25” on the transom and buy the kit. Again for me, there is nothing more disturbing when out drift fishing to have water coming in over the transom. Not that I am concerned about sinking but as the Caption it becomes a distraction during the day. As for a bracket and closing the back again this is me talking I personally would pass on this one for a few reasons. First off, I am not a big fan of extension brackets for smaller boats. I own a boat so I can go FISH. I prefer not fighting a fish around a bracket. I know lots of guys that have your boat bracketed them but again for me 20 is a little small for a bracket. On my 23 IF A EVER DECIDED TO GO WITH TWINS I would bracket only then.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

JohnB · #3 12-09-2005, 12:39 PM

Fellow-ship,
On my 23', it would be a no brainer to go with the bracket.
On the 20' generally, I don't like brackets on smaller boats, but it's a tradeoff. Bluewaters 21 is an exception, that boat rocks!!! with a bracket.
The bracket would have floatation, and might keep the back of the boat dryer, especially with it closed in. What I am not sure about is how it would effect the ride and handling. I have run big cats and others that have no access to the back of the boat, and could "live" with it, but having 360 degree access to fishing on small boats is one of the things that attracted me to the 20' SF. On charters, not letting the clients have access to the back of the boat, aka props, is not always a bad thing!!!, but this boat will serve a different purpose.
I have seen pictures on here of most of the combinations, and hope to get some real life pros and cons. I don't want to do this twice.

lost2a6 · #4 12-09-2005, 03:12 PM

Here's my two cents worth. Don't do the bracket on that boat. I don't think that you can get away with the 20" engine on the 25" transom with the jack plate. What would happen is if you was even able to get the engine low enough to run right, then you wouldn't be able to trim it up. The front of the engine would hit the transom. I had a 20ft Sceptre with a 200 Yamaha and 20" transom. I didn't have any problems with water washing in the well, however I never really put a lot of weight in the boat either. If it were my boat, I would go with the 25" transom and the engine extension. Now if only I could get an extension.[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

HatTrick · #5 12-09-2005, 03:17 PM

Does anyone have an opinion on those "shrouds" that go between the motor and the deck? I have seen one on a 20' and it seems that it would keep water out of the boat but not require rebuilding the transom if the transom is OK. It does steal a little of the deck area in the back of the boat though.

lost2a6 · #6 12-09-2005, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Does anyone have an opinion on those "shrouds" that go between the motor and the deck? I have seen one on a 20' and it seems that it would keep water out of the boat but not require rebuilding the transom if the transom is OK. It does steal a little of the deck area in the back of the boat though.

I'm assuming that you’re talking about the bolt in splash well. My 20ft Sceptre came with it and I assumed that they all came that way, however I'm sure that it could be made pretty easily. I never had a problem with waves coming over the transom but if they did then it looks like the splash well would be very effective in keeping the water out of the boat.

Tarpun · #7 12-10-2005, 11:44 AM

I have the bolt in splash well on my 20MA. It works as designed but intrudes about 5" into the cockpit. I will probably replace it with a two piece fold down gate at some point in the future. Pretty easily done and doesn't take up any cockpit space.