Gil or Armstrong Bracket for 204C

[blackcloud]

I have a 1984 Overnighter that has the original Mercury 150 Black Max. Most parts for that engine are marked "obsolete" by Mercury. I like Yamaha, but of course the 4 Stroke Yamaha tha I like is just south of $13,000.
I really would like two smaller (90HP) four strokes.
I have seen Stainless Marine, Gil and Armstrong products on other boats.
Has any one have personal experience with a Single transom to Transom Bracket twin intstallation on an Overnighter 204C?
I know there are a lot of opinions out there, so lets hear them.

 

[SUNSHINE 204 C]

Re: Gil or Armstrong Bracket fro 204C

Hello i have a 1988 204 c non bracket model i have heard good things about the armstrong brackets they have floatation in them to help lift the stern of the boat with the 4 stroke weight. I called grady when i was thinking of repowering they said not to go over 500lbs. I think 500 is still to heavy for that boat max horse power is 235hp 4 my 1988 weight of a 235 was around 375 to 400 lbs back then.You have to think about the scuppers in the transom going below the water

 

[blackcloud]

I think that the Horsepower limits for our old boats are conservative at that.
The transom probably wouldn't support a current 230 HP engine simply due to the weight, especially a 4 Stroke, and like you said the scuppers would go under.
Are the brackets that you are talking about "user installable"?

 

[derx2]

Great idea, this has crossed my mind to do on my boat.

Just for fun I looked at the Mercury Marine site. They list their 75hp hp at 369 lbs and their 90hp at 399 lbs and you would need 2 of them.
Wow that seems really heavy compared with my single 150 hp V6 2 cycle at 428 lbs

How about a pair of 2 cycle 70 hp or 90 hp Tohatsu's ?

also saw this on ebay one dayhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/AFFORDABLE-..._Accessories_Gear&hash=item4ad28522ee&vxp=mtr

Please share as you gather information.

 

[blackcloud]

I checked all of the usual manufacturers in 2 and 4 stroke.
We are still looking at 700+ pounds, even for a 75HP 2 stroke Tohatsu .
How do we find the weight (not HP) rating of the Grady Transom?

 

[lime4x4]

Don't know how to find the weight. But my 86 offshore with a grady drive bracket has twin 1987 150hp yamaha's attached to it which weigh 352lbs each

 

[derx2]

I saw this on ebay recently: a rebuilt Boston Whaler 18 with twin 75 HP 4stroke mercury that weigh 399 lbs each. Did not say if they did any extra work on the restore to beef up the transom

So this is 800 lbs on the transom.