Transom notch width

muddywater · #1 07-16-2011, 10:48 PM

I have been prepping to do my transom within the next two days and I just had a thought. The old 1980 115 Mariner tower of power was a wraith-like runway model compared to the monster bloated 4-strokes of today (which is what I was planning on going with). The original notch (1972 20' SF) was only 22 inches wide at the bottom and 33 at the top (actually a little less than that after the skins are rebuilt). Is that wide enough for say a Yamaha F150 or a Suzi 175? Thanks!!!

muddywater · #2 07-17-2011, 06:59 PM

Through google I just found a CSC post on this that I didn't find through the on-site search. I feel like a dunce now because I had posted on that thread also, but there never was any real answer given anyway. We had established that there were three transom configurations on the 20': full, notched 43"top/33"bottom, and notched 33"top/22" bottom.

A little more research and this is what I came up with. According to Honda's website, the BF150 is 22.5" wide, but the only time the widest portion would ever be inside the transom is when the motor is tilted in it's most upward position. The narrowest transom notch (the one I have) is 22" at the bottom; however once the transom is raised to 25" tall, it will be around 25.5" wide at the bottom. It does not seem that there could be any problem unless the motor was turned to max steering angle while tilted up out of the water. Still not sure whether it would be ok in that upward by turned position or not. I am not taking any chances. I am going out there to chop off a bit on each side.