1973 23ft.seacraft

[JeffS]

Forgive me oh great one. I do not have a Seacraft but do have a similar hull I am just about to start to gut and build back up into a center console. It is a 24ft Seabird Hardtop OMC I/O *blown motor and crappy outdrive* which I plan to bracket and put a 225 on. Looking at the bracket links I was unaware of *flotation versus non flotation* Is there a method or formula for deciding which type you will need? And what about the set back length? I have read threads about bracket height and this gets pretty detailed as well. Then there is the issue of 25 or 30" shaft motor...Oh man....This all gets scary at times...*GULP*...The seabird has a deck below waterline and obviously is not self bailing. I plan to change that and raise the deck nearly 8 -10" and make it self bailing tho. I will still have great freeboard and my knees will still be under the gunwale....This site is going to be my little home away from home now.. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ March 05, 2002, 08:54 AM: Message edited by: JeffS ]

[Billybob]

I already oferred my opinion on the I/O, and Capt Min's point on fishability is well taken, the engine boxes I've seen on Seacrafts are pretty unobtrusive as well.I don't quite understand why some of you want to go with a longer shaft on a bracket.Seems to me that raising a bracket higher to accomodate a longer shaft with the setback that a bracket provides may alter the attitude of the boat,especially at below planing speeds.I can see a longer shaft on a transom, but only to keep waves from coming over.I don't get it as it relates to a performance enhancement on a bracket.Is it common practice to run 30" bracketed o/b's on a 23'.

[Trayder]

As for floatation or non-flotation I do not know why anyone would chose a non-floatation type bracket. I am not saying there is not a reason, but if there is, I have no idea as to what that reason may be.

As for shaft height. For twins on a bracket I think you would go with 25" where as a single you would go with a 30". The main reason being when coming off a plane with an engine on a bracket you want the engine's pwerhead as high as possible. Also, the design of the bracket lifts the engines up higher than if they were mounted on the transom because being 30" from the stern the props need to be up higher for the better efficency. From what I have been told engines on a bracket run in much cleaner water as opposed to the transom. I have yet to see a report where adding a braket degredated ther performace of a boat. All but a few improve performace quite a bit.

None the less it still boils down to your own preference.

Jeff, SeaBird, SeaCraft at least they both start with Sea [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Your welcome here even if you have a floating Winnebago.

[ March 05, 2002, 10:30 PM: Message edited by: Trayder ]