trappervan Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 I have a 16ft Tracker 3 jon boat, with a 50hp Merc, with power trim, etc. Its a long shaft. I just bought the boat, haven't had in the water yet,, but looking at the water line,,,lokks like I could run in about 1 1/2 of water, trimmed down. I'd like to run shallower,,,, been researching jack plates,,,but never dealt with one...Wondering if anyone out there could offer some advice. Keep in mind,,,I'm not concerned about more speed,,just depth..also, on a budget, hoping to be able to use either "fixed", or manual plate. Quote
Super User Long Mike Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 Are you saying that you want to run on-plane in less than 18" of water? Quote
Super User Catt Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 I run the shallow marshes of Southwest Louisiana which are 12-24" of water. Every marsh boat of 25 hp & up run Jackup/Setback plates with one goal in mind, get on plan asap. If you wanna run shallow you will need a Jack Plate or Tunnel Hull. Quote
Super User retiredbosn Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 Are you saying that you want to run on-plane in less than 18" of water? With the right set up you can run as shallow as 4" Quote
Super User Hi Salenity Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 With the right set up you can run as shallow as 4"I bet the prop man loves you. Kidding , but are you saying he can set his motor up high enough to run in 4" and not dig ditches with the skeg? 1 Quote
Thornback Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 You get much shallower you might as well just wade. Quote
Super User Catt Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 How shallow y'all think that'll run? 1 Quote
Super User Catt Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 You get much shallower you might as well just wade. Yea in a marsh full of gators I'm gonna wade! Uh! No! 1 Quote
Super User retiredbosn Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 I bet the prop man loves you. Kidding , but are you saying he can set his motor up high enough to run in 4" and not dig ditches with the skeg? No to run ultra shallow (I'm talking 6" or less) you need two of three things. Brass kahunas and an inboard jet or a tunnel hull outboard jet. If I still lived on the New River I'd have a set up like I'm talking about. Take a look. Quote
Super User Way2slow Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 That ain't gonna happen on a flat bottom boat with a prop driven motor! I don't know what or where you are measuring from but it's definitely the wrong place. With the bottom of the boat somewhat level, trim/tilt the motor until it's straight up and down. Check where the anti cavitation plate lines up with the bottom of the boat. It should be even with it to maybe an inch or so above it. Much higher than that and you run the risk of the water pump sucking air and motor running hot. The distance to the bottom of the skeg from the bottom of the boat is the absolute minimum depth water you can run in, and you are totally nuts if you try to that shallow. That or keep a supply of lower units and spare props on hand. Quote
Super User Way2slow Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 If you are ruining extremely shallow water jet drives are not a good choice. They are great for running rivers with blow downs and rocky Rapids, but not good for shallow, sandy, muddy, or small pea gravel bottoms. A tunnel hull with a prop drive on a hydraulic jack plate is much better in shallow water. That's why almost all the back bay boats you see are tunnel hulls and not jet drives. The problem with jet drives in shallow water is they a basically a vacuum cleaner, sucking water in the bottom and blowing it out the back. In less than about eight inches of water, they are sucking the sand, silt, and any particles that will go through grid goes through the screw and housing, eating it up and greatly shortening it's lfie. No different than letting a prop spinn in sand. Just a lot more expensive to replace. Quote
Super User retiredbosn Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 If you are ruining extremely shallow water jet drives are not a good choice. They are great for running rivers with blow downs and rocky Rapids, but not good for shallow, sandy, muddy, or small pea gravel bottoms. A tunnel hull with a prop drive on a hydraulic jack plate is much better in shallow water. That's why almost all the back bay boats you see are tunnel hulls and not jet drives. The problem with jet drives in shallow water is they a basically a vacuum cleaner, sucking water in the bottom and blowing it out the back. In less than about eight inches of water, they are sucking the sand, silt, and any particles that will go through grid goes through the screw and housing, eating it up and greatly shortening it's lfie. No different than letting a prop spinn in sand. Just a lot more expensive to replace. I've often wondered about this, on a river makes good sense, but I bet hydrilla would play havoc on the intake. I don't worry about shallow around here, very very little skinny water. But back home on the New River, I'm thinking that it would be awesome. Going up river in class V rapids would be fun. Quote
Super User Catt Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 That Merc 40 hp-2 stroke is setup with the anti-cavitation plate 1 1/2" above the bottom of a 16' x 52" Mod-V. That setup will get up on plane in 10-12" of water & it will do it in less than 20'. Three things we deal with are motor restrictions of 40 hp, shallow water, & heavy vegetation. Da Merc got engine work Quote
Super User Way2slow Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 Retiredbosen, I hate to go off subject but I had to make this one post to say, I just noticed you are in some of my old stomping ground. Back in the early to mid sixties, I lived in Augusta/Richmond County, just before you crossed the bridge into Beach Island. Did a ton of drag racing in Jackson SC. Went by the old house a couple of years ago and almost couldn't find it, everything has changed so much. I would think you would be fishing Santee Cooper, some. That used to be an awesome lake, and if you are into big cat fish, it had some monsters. Quote
Super User slonezp Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 Get one of these https://youtu.be/ybxy8N1Ohag Quote
Super User retiredbosn Posted March 14, 2015 Super User Posted March 14, 2015 I apologize for hijacking thread, but short answer you'll have to get a jack plate and raise the motor, might as well get a few inches of setback too, gets ya on plane without dropping stern as far. Manual jack plates aren't cost prohibitive, but of you're really in a pinch and know a welder have him make ya one. Quote
Super User WIGuide Posted March 17, 2015 Super User Posted March 17, 2015 Being that you have an aftermarket trim unit, you might just look into mounting that higher up on the transom and avoid the jackplate all together. That would be your cheapest option anyway. 1 Quote
Super User Catt Posted March 17, 2015 Super User Posted March 17, 2015 Being that you have an aftermarket trim unit, you might just look into mounting that higher up on the transom and avoid the jackplate all together. That would be your cheapest option anyway. Exactly! When it comes to Jon boats, small, to mid-size motors most dealer do not set them up properly nor do they think it needs setting up. Quote
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