# Cut the transom or figure something else out?



## possom813 (May 21, 2011)

My motor is too short. It measures 18 inches from the hanger bracket to the cavitation plate. The transom is 20 inches.

I need to get the motor lower, and I don't really have the budget to make something amazing.

The transom is solid, and new, and 1 7/8 inches, and covered in fiberglass.

It's tall in the middle and drops off about 3 inches on the outside edges.

Can I just trim out a motor spot in the middle of about 3-4 inches and make it look pretty and it not hurt anything?

This is the only pic I have of the transom right now, no wood installed, the lip is flipped up, but it goes straight across at the peak of the two inclines.


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## old_school (May 22, 2011)

Hi, we have a Tracker 17.5 and just poured a new transom. We have not had your specific problem but our good friend with a fiberglass boat just did - he needed his motor about 6 inches lower

The boat dealer next to his shop said he could buy and install one of two kits

1. 1st was an extension kit (not what it is called but you will see boats that have the motor sitting out about 1-2 feet away from the transom so the motor is in "clean" water) - he did not do this cuz it was expensive
2. was a set of sliding/adjustable adapter plates (not what it is called but basically one plate mounted to motor and one to transom and then you attached the two at what ever height you needed - he did not do this cuz he has a 150 OB and thought it was too mickey mouse/flimsy
3. he eventually found a blown motor that he bought dirt cheap that had a longer housing and he swapped out the power heads (BUT he is a licensed motor mechanic so it was easy for him)


I am sure you were looking for an easier answer (like - sure cut that darn transom) but I would just be guessing

Hope that helps now I have to do a post (unfortunately)

OS


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## Captain Ahab (May 22, 2011)

I would not cut out the transom - you do it wrong and the boat is toast

Get (or make) an extension bracket - use that to adjust the height of the motor


What size outboard? 


There are few people on here who have installed home made brackets with little problems

You could get a kicker bracket and that would probably work great

https://www.basspro.com/Trac-Outboard-Motor-Brackets/product/10200395/-1548391


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## possom813 (May 22, 2011)

It's a 1970 Johnson 40hp electric shift.


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## possom813 (May 22, 2011)

Is there a jackplate made that will lower the motor about 4 inches?


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## possom813 (May 22, 2011)

I'm reading up on jackplates and static plates.

I'm right at 3 inches from the cavitation plate to the bottom of the boat, if I set the motor back on a static plate with no lift, would that work? Or am I just p***ng in the wind?


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## truckhuntfish (May 22, 2011)

if you have a 3" rise back there already , as long as you won't be cutting any of the supports or braces inside of the boat , i would cut the 2" needed off of the whole top side. Just remember , measure twice , cut once.


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## possom813 (May 22, 2011)

I've been thinking on it, and I'm trying to avoid cutting it right now.

If I can find an affordable jackplate on ebay or craigslist that will adjust 6 inches up and down then I can make it work and work better than cutting.

I'm trying to convince the wife that I need a hydraulic jackplate with tilt and trim :mrgreen:


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## truckhuntfish (May 24, 2011)

it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission :twisted:


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## rgpemt (May 24, 2011)

When I first bought my boat close to 20 years ago, I had the same issue. I picked up a 1969 Evinrude 40...with Electric Shift ( a true classic lol) and I did cut the transom down....

this turned into a HUGE mistake for me in the next few years. I sold the boat and motor to my fire chief who wanted more power...so he slammed a 70 Johnson long shaft on, did not adjust or repair the transom, and then he sold me back the boat after he upgraded....

I was left with this beast of an engine, really only being held in place with 4 bolts. The process of lifting that motor and having structure was a headache that I will not soon forget. 

IMO...make a bracket that will lower your engine. I have seen so many pics of homemade jack plates on tin boats (the best site ever BTW) I am sure with some imagination and a local machinist you can come up with something good. Check with local communications companies, a lot of the equipment racking is either stainless steel or aluminum and it is 2x4 inch channel....rugged stuff for sure, and you can probably get if for a dance. Hope that helps

bob


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## possom813 (May 28, 2011)

Alright, the deed is done :twisted: 


I cut the transom down 4 1/2 inches today and made it pretty with a couple of angle cuts and some aluminum angle.

I just notched out a 12 inch base and angled it up to 16 inches across to allow free movement of the motor.

If I hadn't just rebuilt the transom, I wouldn't have done this, but as it is, I pretty confident in it.

Even after the notch, it's a full 14 inches from bottom to the notch and 20 inches on each side of the notch.

I'll get some pics of it tomorrow, the only modification that I had to make was to flip my steering rod bracket upside down. I also gained about 3 degrees turning radius both directions with the lowering of the steering rod :mrgreen:


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## possom813 (May 29, 2011)

Alright, here's some pics of the before and after


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## huntinfool (May 29, 2011)

Looks good, you should not have any problems. Just make sure you seal the transom where you cut it. My only question would have been where is the water line?


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## richg99 (May 29, 2011)

Congratulations...what you've done is done daily by boat dealers. I know that many Carolina Skiff boats are shipped with twenty inch transoms... then the dealer cuts them down as needed. 

Given the nice splash panels that you have, I doubt that you'l have much trouble, unless you back down into high waves a lot. Back-trolling probably wouldn't be a good thing to do often.

regards, Rich


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## possom813 (May 30, 2011)

If you can see the drain hole right under the motor, the water line is about 5 inches below it.

No backwards trolling, even when backing at the dock it's not too bad though.

I've been trying to take it to the lake and see if it's working better, but the wind has been fierce, 20-30mph the past two days. I went to my little lake that I enjoy, it's only a 650 acre lake, give or take, and it had 2-3 foot swells on it today.


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## huntinfool (May 30, 2011)

We have been having winds like that for the last 3 months here. Hardly anyone can get out on the water. 

We need to start up a Texas Tinboat club/tournament. There are several of us here and we could all get together and do some fishing around the state.


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## richg99 (May 30, 2011)

On one boat that had a low cut transom, I made up a splash board that fit close to the transom. It worked, but had to be specially cut to allow for the motor's turning radius. Rich


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