20' SeaCraft - better w/ or w/o a bracket ???

[Bushwacker]

John - the Hermco bracket is completely out of the water when you're on plane, so doesn't add any drag. It probably reduces drag because you can mount the motor higher. Of course the flotation also goes away on plane. Like I said earlier, the boat knows you've changed the weight distribution, so beware of hanging a heavy motor on a bracket. I didn't notice any porpoising until I raised the motor 2" from where Don Herman originally mounted it, and I considered that a good trade for the extra performance I got. Even now it doesn't porpoise until motor is trimmed out to about 60-65% of max (where 0% is full down), so not a big deal. This may be the result of the SeaFari being better balanced than a cc (more weight forward) to begin with.

[JohnB]

bushwacker,
Thanks for the reply. I think the boat manufactures figured this out when they started putting brackets on new boats, and adjusted the center of balance forward. I think they move the gas tank forward, and I also noticed the the consoles are starting to move forward too. I do think the Sceptre/Safaries fair better from this modification than the CC's from a balance perspective. I can't wait to splash mine and see what the differences are. I left my gas tank in the same place, I was already bow heavy with the top on my boat. It also had 2 "pig iron" balast weights in the back that I removed. I think they wieghed about twice what the bracket does, so it should be neutral.