Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
What a jackplate will do is allow you to raise the motor out of the water more, but it also moves the center of gravity of the boat back a little farther, making trimming adjustments easier. With the center of gravity further to the stern, the bow will react more to smaller amounts of trim. You might also find that changing to a higher pitched prop will be in order as well, since you will have less motor in the water (less drag) which will give you more RPMs. You will also find that handling can be increased since the prop blades are running in "cleaner" water so to speak because it may not have as much turbulent water to run through as it did when tight to the transom. So...a little more bite, which helps in cornering is a plus as well.
With the ability to move the motor up, you also may see more overall boat out of the water as well, which means more speed.
If you install a jackplate, one thing you must watch for is water pressure. If you go with the plate, be sure to install a water pressure gauge, because if you get too high and lose water pressure, it will be new engine time.
Before you spend the cash, I would check with your manufacturer to be sure they will still warranty the boat if something goes wrong. Worst thing would be for a transom failure and you are not covered due to the plate.
All in all, in almost every case, putting on a jackplate will only give you gains both in handling and in speed. It will, however, make the rear of the boat "squat" more in the water, so it is not level as might be desired while fishing, so there is a trade off as well.
Steve |
