Building a Transom Elevator??

[Trailbum]

OK Boys and Girls, put on your thinking caps. I have a 15 HP Force long shaft (20") that I want to use occasionally on a 14 foot aluminum V-Hull with a 15" transom. I saw a "Transom Elevator" that bolts to the transom and is designed to raise the motor 5 inches. Price is around $150. Although the photo didn't show much detail, it didn't look like it would be too tough to build one for considerably less!!!! Has anyone out there seen or built one of these??? I'd like some expert advice before I take the chance of loosing my motor over the side!! I'd like to attach it with large C-clamps perhaps, since I may swap the motor to several different boats (all 15" transom) during the course of the Summer. Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom....

 

[djunk121]

Re: Building a Transom Elevator??

The "elevator" is called a "jack plate" in florida - flats fishermen use them to run in shallow water. They modify the foot of their engines so the water intake is at the lowest point. <br /><br />Maybe you should just swap that long shaft for a short shaft. I have a gamefisher (1989, ithink, made by force - old chrysler) short shaft that I use on a sailboat, a long would work for me.<br /><br />If interested, email me at Djunk121@cs.com

 

[93bronco]

Re: Building a Transom Elevator??

i have a used one for half that price ,2piece powerlift. has some old bolt patterns on transom side, for like if you had an old merc you could use this plate to bolt up new pattern with out drilling new holes in transom.

 

[nautiboy]

Re: Building a Transom Elevator??

Hey Trailbum,<br />Your email indicates that you want to lift the motor entirely from the water. In Aus, we call them auxillary outboard brackets. If you go to www.bla.com.au this will have a pic for sure and you may be able to have one zapped up by a mate with a welder...

 

[Trailbum]

Re: Building a Transom Elevator??

WOW!!! Talk about a post returning from the dead!!!! I built my own "transom elevator" last Spring in about a half hour, using a couple of 2X6's and 2 large "C" clamps. It worked OK for the Summer but it looked VERY strange and I'd rather convert the motor to a short shaft. I'll Email Djunk to see about a possible swap of the necessary hardware. Looks like just the driveshaft, lower shift rod, and water tube are the only items that are different between the short shaft and long shaft. The long shaft also has a 5" extension housing bolted above the lower unit.... I'm fairly certain the early 1989 Force 15HP & the 1989 (Sears??) Gamefisher 15HP were the same animal.... Can anyone confirm this???

 

[matt--b]

Re: Building a Transom Elevator??

Hi hope this helps. Here in Louisiana we use jack plates to help running your boat in the marshes. We use angle iron of Aluminum. 3/8" x 3"x5" bolted on to the transom andanother 2 pices with a short pice of chanel in between to slide up and down between what is on the transome. It lifts the motor about 5"-6" and moves it back about the same distance. I run one on my boat with a 25 hp. on a 15' boat.Works well in the shallow water. Hhope this helps. Matt--B

 

[brent suzkui wyble j16]

Re: Building a Transom Elevator??

look @ bass pro shops, there is one called the mini jacker. cast alum. well bult unit.

 

[emmerson2]

Re: Building a Transom Elevator??

Hi Trailbum,<br />For the first time a Kiwi compliments an Aussie..Nautiboy/<br />Get an an auxillary bracket, bolt it on in five minutes and the problem is solved. I had a 12 ft dingy and was running a 15 hp johnson long shaft and also a 15 evinrude short shaft. No problems in changing things around. The bracket cost me around $60 NZ, is galvanised and I've put it on my 16 footer as an auxillary motor mount.<br />Simple, easy and economical.