Thinking of upgrading to offshore bracket

[89seafarer226open]

Ok, I currently own an 89 Seafarer 226 with the open transom with an 87 Johnson 225. Love the boat but I'm considering a 24 OFFSHORE on a bracket with twins. The motors are tired but thinking of just switching motors and using my 225. Question is can I use a 25 single on the 24 OFFSHORE in any way or do I need a 30 inch? I see the boat is 450 lbs heavier so is there a big difference in performance and handling ? Last open transom I had (82) the transom rotted. I'm assuming the bracket reduces that worry. I certainly don't want twins but a kicker might be good. I do have a perfect 15 hp.
Any help appreciated. Thx.....Ed.

 

[suzukidave]

can't answer your bracket height question but isn't an offshore a stretched seafarer with a 2' longer cockpit?

if it is then then i think a 225 will work fine but will not be a speed demon due to the weight. you will likely need to drop to a 15" pitch prop and settle for a top speed in the high 30s.

 

[DennisG01]

You can see what I have in my signature. I can hit 40mph with a 17" Yamaha prop. The boat has zero problems with hole shot - I suspect only 25hp less should do just fine.

 

[89seafarer226open]

Thanks. Yes, but my main concern is if I can just take the twins off and install a 25 inch single ?

 

[DennisG01]

Mine is a 25" shaft. That's using a Grady Drive bracket.

 

[89seafarer226open]

I've seen 25s before on the brackets but my concern is this boat has TWINS on it now. Something tells me when they came with twins the bracket is different. Or maybe just mounted HIGHER since they are 25s on each side. Which SHOULD automatically need a 30 in the middle?

 

[89seafarer226open]

can't answer your bracket height question but isn't an offshore a stretched seafarer with a 2' longer cockpit?

if it is then then i think a 225 will work fine but will not be a speed demon due to the weight. you will likely need to drop to a 15" pitch prop and settle for a top speed in the high 30s.

I think your right Dave. I looked it up and it's only 45

can't answer your bracket height question but isn't an offshore a stretched seafarer with a 2' longer cockpit?

if it is then then i think a 225 will work fine but will not be a speed demon due to the weight. you will likely need to drop to a 15" pitch prop and settle for a top speed in the high 30s.

I think your right Dave. I found out it's only 450lbs between the two boats. Not that much. My trailer is kinda big so that's all good too.
Actually inside it doesn't even look bigger to me but certainly more friendly to passengers.

 

[DennisG01]

I've seen 25s before on the brackets but my concern is this boat has TWINS on it now. Something tells me when they came with twins the bracket is different. Or maybe just mounted HIGHER since they are 25s on each side. Which SHOULD automatically need a 30 in the middle?

Could be right. If you currently have 25"-ers on each side, then going to the middle... makes sense that you have to go longer. I didn't see where you mentioned that above - but it makes sense. I guess the best way to find out is to actually measure it.

 

[suzukidave]

measure from the top of the transom to the keel at dead centre of the transom. if it is 25" you are fine. if it is 30" then you could maybe use a 10" jackplate to mount a 25" leg without notching the transom but it's tricky. i say this because usually a 10" jackplate is about 5" higher than the transom, so you could maybe mount yours to be the same height as the transom and the motor would then be able to tilt up without hitting the transom. if you can find a bass boat placethey can help with the exact height or maybe grady can help.

 

[suzukidave]

whoops, just realized you are talking about a bracket. disregard the previous post. assuming it is a factory install you need to talk to grady.

 

[DennisG01]

Dave, the boat

whoops, just realized you are talking about a bracket. disregard the previous post. assuming it is a factory install you need to talk to grady.

I don't know a whole lot about jack plates, but do they allow the engine to be lowered, as well? I've seen some "non-powered" jack plates, too. Maybe something like that would work. They're sort of a "set it once" kind of thing (but adjustable, if need be).

 

[suzukidave]

Dave, the boat

I don't know a whole lot about jack plates, but do they allow the engine to be lowered, as well? I've seen some "non-powered" jack plates, too. Maybe something like that would work. They're sort of a "set it once" kind of thing (but adjustable, if need be).

this is moot since i realized the boat he is looking at has a bracket not a transom. i don't know if you can install a 10" jack plate on a bracket. seems a bit extreme.

but if we assume he had a 30" transom i think the jackplate works without lowering anything. he could install the jack plate the manufacturers recommended height up from the keel for a 25" motor and then install the motor normally on the jackplate and dial it in. at that point it is a normally installed 25" motor on a jackplate that is the correct height for the motor with the only issue being whether the front of the engine cowl will hit the top of the transom when he tilts the motor up. i think between the inherent 5" rise of the jackplate and the 10" spacing of the jackplate he would be able to tilt the motor fully up. worst case scenario he'd have to cut a small notch in the transom just the width of the cowl.

 

[DennisG01]

I don't think it's a moot point, Dave. Your original idea of a jack plate, I believe, is still valid. He would like to use his existing 25" motor on a twin bracket. The twin bracket currently has 25" motors on it. However, because the 25" motors are mounted port and stbd where less vertical distance exists between the bracket and hull bottom, and more vertical distance exists between the bracket and the hull bottom (the keel, in this case), he may either need a 30" motor (or extension to his 25") or a jack plate that can lower his existing 25". The setback is going to be the same (that general rule of raising the anti-vent plate roughly 1" for every 1' of setback from the transom) for a single motor or the twins. With the slight exception that a jack plate will add a bit of distance.

The question, I think, would be whether jack plates can be used to lower the engine. Calling a company like TH Marine would probably be best. Or, possibly just using some heavy duty, aluminum C-channel to lower the mounting point.

I'm not sure I'm following you on the need to possibly notch the transom, though. If the current bracket allowed twins to tilt up (assuming everything is fine there), then why wouldn't it allow a single to tilt fully up?

 

[suzukidave]

The question, I think, would be whether jack plates can be used to lower the engine. Calling a company like TH Marine would probably be best. Or, possibly just using some heavy duty, aluminum C-channel to lower the mounting point.

I'm not sure I'm following you on the need to possibly notch the transom, though. If the current bracket allowed twins to tilt up (assuming everything is fine there), then why
wouldn't it allow a single to tilt fully up?

you mount a jackplate at the normal height for a 25" motor and then adjust it normally. the jack plate does not care how high your transom is.

you would mount any outboard bracket or jackplate a certain recommended distance up from any keel to fit a 25" motor. forget the transom height, just worry about the distance from the keel and mount your jackplate.

once a jackplate is mounted at the right height from the keel the engine will work fine. the transom height does not matter at all except when you go to tilt the motor up for storage. at that point you need room to be able to tilt the engine cowl forward into the splashwell. since the jackplate has raised the motor about 5" higher relative to the transom and since the jackplate is also 10" back from the transom, i think there is probably room to tilt the motor above the transom or maybe a small notch.

as regards a jack plate on a bracket, it is the exact same deal except i do not know how to measure the bracket to get the correct mounting height for a jackplate and i do not know if there is any limit to how far you can hang a motor off behind a boat.

 

[glacierbaze]

What mounting holes were used on the twin set-up? If they were high, and you set the single low, you are probably okay. Water rises off the transom, and the longer the bracket, the less depth you need for the prop setting. There is a formula somewhere that shows the ratio of setback to engine height.

 

[89seafarer226open]

Thanks so much for the responses!
I called Grady White tech support and they said it's not gonna happen. The TWIN bracket is totally different and not designed for single motor use on the Explorer. Plus the TWIN bracket is too big and won't mount any lower. They sold that boat with TWO totally different brackets for the 24 (1989). So I would need the other style bracket for a single. And they ain't cheap. So I guess u less I want twins it just ain't worth it....