Jack Plate?

["BRB"]

Thinking about putting a jack plate on my boat. It's 18 ft 150 hp, read one article said wouldn't help on 18' 150hp or smaller just seeing if any one had a opinion on the subject.

[Sam]

When installng the jack plate please use the proper hardware.

I know of a guy who used brass screws and the jack plate and the $18,000 outboard is now on the bottom.

Will it help? Check with your boat's manufacturer to find out if 1)the boat can handle the jack plate and 2) if so what type and size should you put on the boat.

Just a word to the wise.

[Hooligan]

Thinking about putting a jack plate on my boat. It's 18 ft 150 hp, read one article said wouldn't help on 18' 150hp or smaller just seeing if any one had a opinion on the subject.

General thought process is that it will help situationally. What you'll most likely notice with that setup is a slight reduction in RPM to attain a given speed and a little better hole shot. You might see top-end by a couple mph increase, but it isn't likely. You will definitely sit up on plane faster.

Let me give you a point of reference: I had a 6" on my 18-8 with a 150 and noticed a 3mph increase after many settings and adjustments. I also saw my fuel efficiency drop down to under 6 mpg. That one is a mind boggler. When I raised it back up to run in cold water and put on a Raker prop, I gained all that back, and gained 4MPH on the top end.

On my 20' Triton with a 225, the jackplate settings would allow me anywhere from 5-7 mph on top, a 70-90 foot difference in hole to plane, and a 2mpg range of efficiency. Running the same prop, the same chip, the same load, everything. I could hit 76MPH with the plate set up for running in spring and fall, and about 72 for running in summer's chop and wakes.

Another thing that a jackplate may help you with is handling when your rig is on plane. If you're chine walking at all, sometimes setting the motor down will help to eliminate that much more than trimming. It's not a cure-all, and you're going to have to figure out what works particularly well for your rig, but once you find it, it can make all the difference in the world.

["BRB"]

Thinks hooligan I believe I get one this winter. And Sam I'll defiantly have someone who knows what there doing help me.that would suck losing your motor in the lake!!

[Way2slow]

Yes, it will help, but only if you are willing to spend the money and effort setting up your boat. What does best is let you get the right prop, tuned perfectly for your boat. Get it right and it can add more peformance than going to a bigger motor. Just throw it on and play with a few different settings and leave it, it's not going to make much difference.

Understand on more thing, most of the time it's not just saying I will put a jackplate on and doing it. Depending on the boat, you may need one with 8" - 10" of setback to get to the sweet spot. That's almost impossible with you installed steering cables and some control cables. Sometimes you can pull them enough to squeeze them onto a 6" ofset but that's about max, and don't bet on being able to get them to reach with just 6" of offset. Sometimes you can spend as much on replacing cables as you did on the jackplate.

[Hooligan]

Yes, it will help, but only if you are willing to spend the money and effort setting up your boat. What does best is let you get the right prop, tuned perfectly for your boat. Get it right and it can add more peformance than going to a bigger motor. Just throw it on and play with a few different settings and leave it, it's not going to make much difference.

Understand on more thing, most of the time it's not just saying I will put a jackplate on and doing it. Depending on the boat, you may need one with 8" - 10" of setback to get to the sweet spot. That's almost impossible with you installed steering cables and some control cables. Sometimes you can pull them enough to squeeze them onto a 6" ofset but that's about max, and don't bet on being able to get them to reach with just 6" of offset. Sometimes you can spend as much on replacing cables as you did on the jackplate.

Very good points. Particularly in taking the time and effort to get it set properly. If you've got friends with props that will fit, even better. Although, you'll be able to tell a lot with just the plate, it will give you a pretty good idea which direction you need to go. Valid point about the cables, too. I needed to replace the controls on the 18-8, I didn't have enough slack to add any length at all.

["BRB"]

Well I have a 2005 nitro 882 I believe its 18' 3" with 150 mercury on it. The prop and everything is stock.

[3dees]

as others have said, a jp will help if set up correctly. I'm thinking of adding one to my 19' tin. 99% of the time your stock cables should be ok for a 5 or 6" plate.you may also have to change props.

["BRB"]

Well what would be a good prop only one I really ever herd of is fury.

[Hooligan]

Enertia, Laser II, Fury. If you fish rough water the High Five is a stellar prop; you're going to lose speed but it will never lose bite. There's another from Michigan Match that's a great prop on some boats called the Ballistic; which is a killer prop on the 150 Merc. THe Turning Point is supposed to be a great prop, too, but I've no experience with it.

[Way2slow]

The reason there are so many different props, is there are so many different requirements. The "ONLY" way to tell what's best for your boat and needs is to try it. It's helps to check with a couple of people that have your same setup, have done the proper setup and know what they are talking about. There is no magic wand when it comes to seting up a boat for peak peformance.

That's why I say, try before you buy.

One thing the takes a lot of the work out of it is getting a prop that's close and have it custom tuned. It's not cheap but if you are serious about getting it right, it's worth it. Over the counter props are made for a varity of applications, some a lot more specific than others, but in the hands of a good tuner, it's hammered for just your boat.

[3dees]

no one can answer what prop. what numbers are you getting now? what prop do you have? put the jp on and you will have to test everything again. it's going to take a bit of work if your looking for absolute top speed or handling. jack plates are usually a good thing, but if not set up correctly it can be a waste of money. sometimes just a prop change will make a difference. I had a 1998 Stratos 295 Pro Elite with a 200 hp rude and no jp. boat ran about 68mph and was so easy to drive. traded it for a 2003 Stratos 295 Pro XL with a 200 optimax with a 8" jp. I had to learn to drive that boat cause it would chine walk like crazy. took me quit a while before I finally got it set in.

[Hooligan]

I had a 1998 Stratos 295 Pro Elite with a 200 hp rude and no jp. boat ran about 68mph and was so easy to drive. traded it for a 2003 Stratos 295 Pro XL with a 200 optimax with a 8" jp. I had to learn to drive that boat cause it would chine walk like crazy. took me quit a while before I finally got it set in.

$100 says your jack plate was set too high. That would cause the 295 to walk like Nancy Sinatra.