# Pods on G3 1236 causing handling issues?



## FishJax (May 7, 2014)

Hi,
First time posting this year. Picked up a G3 1235 jon with a Merc 9.9. Boat had float pods on it from PO for hunting and a heavier motor. First time out today, handles wierd and skittish when trying and getting up on plane and then starts porpoising. I guess PO had a fin on the motor, because of the holes left, but not on when I bought it. Thinking putting them back on with like ones help with the handling issues? Pics of the set up, thanks for any input and advice ahead of time.


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## stevesecotec02 (May 8, 2014)

From 2nd pic it looks like cavitation plate is well below bottom of boat. Is the motor a longshaft?


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## huntinfool (May 8, 2014)

Agree, looks like the motor needs to come up several inches. May have to put risers on it. Once that is done, try again. If it is no better, then I'd put a whale tail on it.v


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## lovedr79 (May 8, 2014)

mine did the same thing until I put a transom jack on. huge difference! no more porposing and got a couple MPH out of it. there are several threads on here on how to make a jack plate. from simple to complicated and expensive. a mini-jacker is all you should need they can be had for less than $100 or you can make your own.


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## muskiemike12 (May 8, 2014)

I agree that you need a jack plate. The anti-cav plate should be even or slightly higher than the bottom of the transom.


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## FishJax (May 8, 2014)

Thanks to all for input and info. 
The transom is 15" and the motor is supposedly a short shaft, but is 17". weird. I know a longshaft for like sailboat motors is about 21". I bought the motor from a guy that had it on his Geenu, but had a tail on it, but took it off and couldn't find it to give to me with the motor. Previous pic I posted made it look worse than it is. So the cav plate is 2" under the hull. Thinking if I jack it up, then if I need a whale tail, it will not fit between the pods. Cav plate already has holes drilled, I will probably try matching a tail with the existing holes and put more weight up front. Update on that trial next week. 
Thanks again.


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## lovedr79 (May 8, 2014)

mercury shafts are always a tad longer than what they claim. my long shaft is something like 23" which is why i had to get a jack plate.


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## hwew (May 8, 2014)

There is an inexpensive solution to this to bring the motor up 3/4 - 1 inch. 

Cut a piece of wood 10 inches long x 1-1/2 inches wide x 3/4 inches or 1 inch thick.

Loosen motor bracket clamp and lift motor enough to slide the piece of wood under the motor where the mount rests on the top of the transom.

Been doing this for years and you should see an improvement.

Check to see if you outboards water intake is under the cavitation plate or on the sides of the gear case. If the water intake is under the cavitation plate you would want toe keep the top of the cavitation plate 1 inch below the bottom of the boat. If the cavitation plate is less than 1 inch under the water and you use shallow water drive you could risk starving the water pump and in turn you could overheat the engine and damage the pump.

If the water pickups are on the sides of the gear case only than you can bring the cavitation plate up until it is just under the bottom of the boat.


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## FishJax (May 8, 2014)

Thanks hwew,
The water pick up is under cavitation plate. I still may try your wood block trick. I did go out and get a whale tail for it that fit the existing holes already drilled from the PO.
Ok, everybody, let me know if this is a horrible idea, should I take them off and jack the motor up an inch?


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## huntinfool (May 9, 2014)

First off, I have never seen a fin put on that way, but maybe it is something new.

Personally, I'd raise the motor before I added the tail. Raising the motor may cure all of your problems, but at least it will be set up correctly. Adding a tail might help with your problem, but the motor will still be set up wrong.

JMHO!


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## muskiemike12 (May 9, 2014)

I'm with HF, that does not look right! You should have tried raising the motor before you went and got the fins. You need to raise it more than an inch. It looks more like 3-4 inches from the pics you have posted.


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## hwew (May 9, 2014)

It is put on right.

It is an Atwood brand and that is the way the pictures show it mounted on web pages.


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## FishJax (May 9, 2014)

I have been thinking about this all day at work. I believe I am going to give it a try this weekend the way it is now with the Attwood foil on it. I am afraid to raise the motor because I do not have a tunnel hull or even a false tunnel and the water intake is underneath the cavitation plate. In the end I may have to end up raising the motor a little and putting some sort of trim tabs under the pods, like I have seen from someone else in the forum. This next time out should be interesting. Thanks again.


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## vahunter (May 9, 2014)

the PO probably had a whale tail on it before the pods were installed. He probably took it off because he couldn't get the motor to turn fully without it hitting the pods especially in shallow water setting. Do as others suggested and raise that motor up and remove the tail. It that doesn't work: run a level from bow to stern on the bottom of the hull and check for what is called "rocker" which is where the hull has a belly and porpoises. Jack that motor up!


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## vahunter (May 9, 2014)

If the whaletail calms the porpoises and doesn't hit your pods when turning its still just a bandaid.


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## jonboatboy (May 12, 2014)

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Every one on here has told you where your problem was. I'd raised the motor before I'd put that ugly whale tail on. I've never herd people say those were a big plus or made a big difference. The pods are awesome


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## FishJax (May 12, 2014)

=D> Thanks all for making sure I went in the right direction. Don't want to bounce the dog out of the boat!! :shock: 
I have been looking online or will probably make a jack plate. Didn't even want to try it with the tail, took it off, but no harm done because holes were already there when I bought the motor. Hope to get it jacked up about 2-3 inches and run next weekend. Wish me luck!


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