Re: how i know i need a jake plate
What type of boat are we talking about? There's no need for a jack plate on most boats unless you're boating under unusual conditions. If the motor is of the correct shaft length and mounted at the correct height a jack plate is not necessary. I put a CMC hydraulic on my 18' fish and ski and it was a waste of money. The boat ran better without it. It did look cool though. On a bass boat with a pad or a v-hull with a delta pad they do provide a performanc advantage because the offset can get the prop back into cleaner water.
If you're having problems with the prop surfacing in rough water conditions then the off-shore platform is the solution. You'll see a lot of them on heavy aluminum fishing boats like North Rivers, etc. Most of the time those are just there so theres more room inside the boat because they eliminate the need for a transom well. On boats that really use them as intended, they set them motor back 18' and drop it deeper into the water. This helps to keep the prop in the water when cresting swells.
