Specknreds
Well-known member
After a failed first attempt, I now have a great looking and working homemade jack plate.
At first, I tried using 2" x 2" aluminum angle. I drilled 3 holes in one piece and 3 matching slots in the adjoining piece. This only gave me 2 1/2" of set back. The clamps on the motor hit the transom. Then I was back to the drawing board.
After a lot of head scratching, I talked to rick50 and he gave me a piece of 3"x4" aluminum angle. This angle did the trick. It gave me 5 1/2" of set back. The next roadblock was a flaw in my pod design. I made them too wide. They come within a 1/2" of the motor on both sides. After scratching my head more (I think I'm making my hairline recede) I turned them inside out. You can see all of the bolts now. I had to notch the jack plate a 1/4", but you would never know. I have 1 1/2" of travel up and down. I can not sea trial it due to it raining nonstop for the last few days. I might need to cut longer slots. I didn't get the height I think I need. I didn't take into consideration the angle of the transom. Staight up, I could get 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" of lift on the motor. When I installed it, I discovered that the angle of the transom was severe enough to only give me a 1 3/4" max lift. I hate to mess with it until sea trials. All the bolts are 5200'd in #-o .
I will try to sea trial it after work one day this week.
At first, I tried using 2" x 2" aluminum angle. I drilled 3 holes in one piece and 3 matching slots in the adjoining piece. This only gave me 2 1/2" of set back. The clamps on the motor hit the transom. Then I was back to the drawing board.
After a lot of head scratching, I talked to rick50 and he gave me a piece of 3"x4" aluminum angle. This angle did the trick. It gave me 5 1/2" of set back. The next roadblock was a flaw in my pod design. I made them too wide. They come within a 1/2" of the motor on both sides. After scratching my head more (I think I'm making my hairline recede) I turned them inside out. You can see all of the bolts now. I had to notch the jack plate a 1/4", but you would never know. I have 1 1/2" of travel up and down. I can not sea trial it due to it raining nonstop for the last few days. I might need to cut longer slots. I didn't get the height I think I need. I didn't take into consideration the angle of the transom. Staight up, I could get 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" of lift on the motor. When I installed it, I discovered that the angle of the transom was severe enough to only give me a 1 3/4" max lift. I hate to mess with it until sea trials. All the bolts are 5200'd in #-o .
I will try to sea trial it after work one day this week.