how to measure transom height for outboard motor

% Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Some may call it a standard length while others may call it a short or a long shaft. The transom is the "back wall" of your boat, the most rearward part of your hull. No one wants to have issues with a new transom or boat repairs. While this is the case there is certain saltwater motors that are extra extra long at 30. My family and I used it to fish, ski (yes, you can ski behind a pontoon boat), and cruise the lakes near our home. })(); The first order of business is to measure your boat for the ideal fit. Knowing how this can affect the overall operation of the boat is a factor to be considered. The mounting height of an outboard motor can impact the speed and handling characteristics of the boat. As you can see, the measurement is about 2 1/2". Other factors to consider when determining the mounting height of an outboard are related to performance. A reverse transom that sits too high can impact the propellers of the motor and motor bracket. var h = d.getElementsByTagName("head"), If you have a fast boat, getting the outboards cavitation plate at the same level of the hull will ensure quick hole shot and fast top-end speeds. Smaller 12-14 foot boats can require either a short or long shaft outboard depending on the style of the boat and the brand. Trimming in, trimming down, and trimming out are all terms that a beginning boater should learn. Charles Plueddeman is Boats.com's outboard, trailer, and PWC expert. If you have a short shaft motor, the distance between the top of the transom and the bottom of the boat should be between 15 and 16 inches. It is extremely important that the boater understands the significance of the transoms height. Safely but briskly accelerate. On most newer center consoles and offshoreboat transoms might include a rear door leading to a swim platform as well as a molded setback bracket. The boater must also consider if the boat transomsupport is designed to bear the weight of a higher mount. mpeSelector: ".pt-mpe", With the outboard shaft length too long, meaning the prop is too deep in the water, the engine wont be as efficient, and the fuel burn is high. maxTerm: 36, Long shafts are 20-inches long. With some boats I have a pretty good idea as to what length motor should be hung on them. Follow Westshore Marine & Leisure on Wordpress! Triton. Another important measurement is the transom angle. clearInterval(interval); Here are several situations on how you should adjust the outboard shaft length: Mounting the outboard a little bit higher than the standard point could reduce drag, improve RPM at full throttle, and therefore improve speed and make it easier for the boat to get on plane. On the downside, a higher mount can interfere with the boaters steering capabilities. So if you are measuring the outboard shaft length for smaller boats, inflatables, dinghies, sailboat or other low-speed work boats, the cavitation plate is often about 2 below the bottom. How can you figure out what your transom angle is? If you go too short your more than likely going to cavitate and loose power. Mounting the outboard motor in accordance with the industry standards is important. The vertical distance between the interior of the clamp and the cavitation plate is the shaft length specified by the outboard manufacturer. Among them will be first-timers or those who have recently purchased their boats. This could also effect your travelling capabilities on the boat trailer. Some outboards have a serial number that tells you which shaft length to go for. actually have the propshaft above the pad.). Required fields are marked *. Your email address will not be published. Now that you have a better understanding of boat transom heights its time to take out the ruler and get the perfect measurements. When the right length motor is hung on the transom of a boat, the cavitation plate (the large plate that extends out over the propeller) should be even with the very bottom of the boat. loadScript(ptScript); Also, the boat will be more likely to hit bottom or submerge objects such as rocks or logs. Propshaft in Here we will guide you in how to get the right boat transom height. This, however, is not recommended for the beginning boater. Step 2 requires the propeller's radius (check the user manual and then the technical drawing). A1: Broadly speaking, the outboard motor shaft length for pontoon boat, bass boat, or other larger boats should be long shaft. I run a 9.9 Mercury Bigfoot 20" shaft off the swim platform of my 89 Trophy 2160. Your email address will not be published. *The Factors indicates the adjustment affected by on your boat type, the outboard working environment, and the transom distance as discussed above. For vee-shaped hulls, the lowest spot of the hull will come to point, while on flat-bottomed boats it will be more or less level. If youd like to see this in video format, skip to 0:44 in the below YouTube Video: Is it OK to put a long shaft outboard on a boat thats rated for a short shaft? An inch or two probably wont make a big difference, but any more than that will lead to trouble. Selecting the Correct Size Outboard Shaft, What is the Best Outboard Motor for Saltwater, Diagnosing Common Outboard Motor Problems, Best Beginner Boats Everything You Need to Know. Say the 20 shaft is a long shaft length for gas engines, but it is a short shaft length for electric outboard motors. Many boat transoms are modified to use a different length of outboard by using a bracket. "brackets". It does not store any personal data. Owners of bass boats, RIBs, or offshore fishing boats need to get this right. If your outboard motor height. Industry transom height standards have been evolved during the last 30 years: 15 for short shaft engines, 20 for long shaft engines, and 25 for extra-long shaft engines. your motor will be higher.) Measure from there down to the top of the cavitation plate, also known as the anti-ventilation plate. Pretty easy to figure out but like I said its crucial to pairing a motor with a boat. Actual shaft length is 21.5" on those. Small motors built for sailboats might come in a unique configuration with an extremely long shaft since these are mounted higher off the water. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Place the point of a yardstick at the middle of the top of the boat transom. Ask a friend to hold one end of a measuring tape at the extreme outer edge of the top of the transom while you pull the tape across its width to the opposite outer edge to measure the "length of the taffrail," which is the width of the boat across the top edge of the stern. Generally, short shaft outboards are 15 inches, long shaft outboards are 20 inches, and extra-long outboards are 25 inches. But, how do you measure it? As mentioned above, the operation of the propeller relies on the transom height. With it comes a lot of responsibility and new things to learn including, Why your boat transom needs to be the right height, The pros and cons of properly mounting the outboard motor to the transom, Standard mounting is always best for the beginner, Of course, its always best to go with standard practices when choosing the, Lower mounting is not for the beginning boater, Mounting the motor lower on the boat transom, There is a simple test to see if your outboard motor is set at the best height. To measure the transom height, measure from the center on for transom (rear of the boat). This number will likely be shorter than that for a single-engine installation since you do not necessarily measure to the point of the keel. The pros and cons of properly . <> s.setAttribute("href", "https://cdn.paytomorrow.com/css/pt-mpe.min.css"); Picking the right shaft length for your outboard is an essential step in getting the best performance from your boat. from the transom. Beyond motorboats designed for large outboards, you will see outboards hanging on the sterns of everything from small canoes to large cruising sailboats. PayTomorrow.mpeInit({ Workboats, sailboats, and displacement-hulled boats fall into this category. How to Measure Transom Height For vessels with transom-mounted outboards, you can easily figure out which type of outboard you need to get. Move the bracket as close to the center of the transom as possible while still maintaining clearance to allow the main outboard or rudder to reach its full range of motion without contacting the kicker motor. Check out the full chart of the Mercury outboard model code and its features. Here we will guide you in how to get the right boat transom height. resting on the transom if you had the motor all the way down on the boat In the past, though, it housed the officers and captain of 17th, 18th and 19th century sailing ships. The standard installation of an outboard has the top of the transom of the boat at the same level as the bottom of the motor portion of the outboard. Doing so, will put the propeller right below the boat. relation to pad A: The answer varies by boat, but here are some rules of thumb for matching a short shaft outboard to your boat. priceSelector: ".price--withoutTax, span.price.price--withTax", s.setAttribute("rel", "stylesheet"); The rearmost structural member of your boat, it not only distributes the stress of the hull generated by the bow's impact as it cleaves the water, it's the place you hang your outboard motor. There is a simple test to see if your outboard motor is set at the best height. If youre looking for a bracket that can handle motors of up to 10/15 horsepower, go no further. Why wont Touch ID be under the screen in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16? The flat part of the bracket that rests on the transom when mounted will give you the same point of reference as the transom does on the boat. According to MarinePartsMan.com, the outboard can be raised 1 inch above the standard height for every 10 miles per hour of speed the boat can attain. Outboards designed for saltwater applications usually have longer shafts. Step 2: Three Variables to Consider Which Navigation Lights Does Your Boat Need? The transom angle is the vertical incline of the transom and is measured in degrees. All things considered, sticking with the industry standard is best for the beginner. This illustration depicts four different outboard mounting height options (courtesy Mercury Marine).

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