# Long shaft vs short shaft



## ol sarge (Jan 3, 2013)

Can I put a long shaft on a boat with a 15 inch high transom? Just curious if that would cause major problems or if it is even possible. I have a 84 Smokercraft 14 ft big fisherman and the transom measures 15 inchs at the lowest point. I am having a hard time finding a short shaft and just thought I would ask. Thanks.

Ol Sarge


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## russ010 (Jan 3, 2013)

You can do it, but you won't get all of the performance of the motor. If you were to get you a jackplate, you could raise the motor up enough to have it at the right height, along with putting it a little further back behind the transom


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Jan 3, 2013)

You can use it, but performance will suffer because of increased drag. You can mount it on a jack plate, but the motor would be ridiculously high. Because a jackplate would move the motor away from the transom, you would have to lift the motor even higher to get it out of the water. Think of the water behind the boat as a wave, the trough of the wave is next to the transom. So the farther away you get the closer you get to the crest. Hope that makes sense???


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## ol sarge (Jan 3, 2013)

Thanks for the quick replies. I will shop around a little more and find a short shaft for the boat. You can always get a straight answer here.


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## earl60446 (Jan 3, 2013)

Some boats have 5-6 inch cutouts in the transom so they can accommodate a short shaft outboard, if this is the case with yours, you could build up the transom height or replace the transom and possibly use the long shaft quite nicely. You would not regret this if it works because the extra height in back makes for a more seaworthy boat.
Tim


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## crazymanme2 (Jan 3, 2013)

> You would not regret this if it works because the extra height in back makes for a more seaworthy boat.



Think of it as a big ship, weight high up makes it top heavy & tips over where weight down low puts it at the water line which is where your pivot point is.


Best find a short shaft.


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## cva34 (Jan 3, 2013)

get a manual Jack Plate most will raise motor 5" ...cva34


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## earl60446 (Jan 4, 2013)

crazymanme2 said:


> > You would not regret this if it works because the extra height in back makes for a more seaworthy boat.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



My point was the higher transom keeps water from rushing in the back when loaded heavy or stopping quick. Better to have the gunnels at the same height ALL the way around the boat.


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## Gotem (Jan 4, 2013)

Another huge issue is the longshaft is 5 inches than the shortshaft. It can make a huge difference in shallow water and trailering the boat.


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## cva34 (Jan 5, 2013)

Gotem said:


> Another huge issue is the longshaft is 5 inches than the shortshaft. It can make a huge difference in shallow water and trailering the boat.



Tru if your putting Long shaft motor on a short transom But if putting a long shaft on a long transom or a short shaft motor on a short transom They will stick below bottem of boat almost exactly the Distance..cva34


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