bracket or transom mount??

[dandub20]

i have a 72' 20' seacraft and i cannot decide whether to close the transom in and put a bracket on. Right now it has a 20" transom and i need to raise it to 25", but was thinking of useing a bracket. any ideas or comments?

[vcs]

Go with a bracket I did both of my Seacraft's one is an 18 the other a 23

[Bushwacker]

I did a fairly extensive post on the pros & cons of brackets several years ago but have been unable to find that post. Here is a more recent one you can check out: http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...cket+pros+cons

I ran my boat for 31 years with a 90 hp 300 lb V-4 on the transom and it was one of the best riding 20' boats I have ever been on. It would plane at about 12 mph, which is very important if you run offshore in big seas. I finally got tired of all the noise and smoke and in 2006 installed a modern but much heavier 2-stroke on a Hermco bracket. The changes in ride and handling were noticeable and initially, NOT for the better! It would not plane below about 20 mph, which is WAY too fast for running offshore for very long when it gets snotty. After much experimentation with motor height and props, I was finally able to get it to plane at about 12 mph by using a good stern lifting 4 blade prop.

The 20' hull is relatively narrow compared to modern boats (which is one of many reasons that it rides so well!), so it's performance is quite sensitive to motor weight and more important, fore & aft CG location which will shift aft a bunch when you add a bracket. I'd recommend you consider the following:

1. Run the least setback you can find that works for the selected motor. 30" is typical but Don Herman can make his with anything from about 18" to 30" in 6" increments.
2. Get the biggest flotation tank you can find. (Hermco) Forget the Stainless Marine bracket which is heavy and has zilch flotation.
3. Run the lightest motor you can find. This eliminates most 4-strokes but the 140 Zuke and smaller. My motor weighs about 430 lbs, and I sure wouldn't want anything heavier back there! Unless you run with very heavy loads or want to run over 40 mph, the V-4 E-Tecs (115/130) are about 375 lbs and a good modern choice, as are the older 2-stroke 135/150 hp V-6's which weigh about the same.
4. Plan on moving batteries and gas tank forward.
5. Plan on moving your trailer axle aft about 18" to compensate for the aft shift in CG and keep enough weight on the tongue for stable towing!

[jerry1]

The least expensive would be to get a splash well from Hermco. That would solve your problem

[dandub20]

thanks for the in put. I'm still not sure what im going to do. i like the idea of a bracket so i could save some space and would work better for diving. just dont wana mess up how it rides