I would like to know..........................?????

[mjmattia]

I just purchased my second Starcraft it's a 22' Islander. My first was a 21' w/o the cuddy. Both boats are outboards and are coincidentally equipped with a 135hp Merc and I love the 21' (which my wife tells me I now must sell) but I know I'll love the cuddy even more. Here is my question: Many of the outboard boats I see now, even the newer Starcrafts have an extension bracket off the transom which places the motor 18" to 24" back. I like the look and the possible swim platform I would get, also I understand this supposedly gives better performance/economy. I am thinking I might like to install one on the cuddy but don't know much about these brackets and am wondering if any one knows for sure what all the implications of installing one of these brackets may be.
The price of appx. $1000 plus installation costs is significant so before I make a decision I need to understand better the pros and cons any know what I may expect?

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: I would like to know..........................?????

Good find. You need to talk to Kelly he posts often . He has researched a Stern drive bracket. I have a 22 Holiday with a 200 Johnson that is great on the Salt Water. I do object to the very wide splash well which I find really unreasonable. But the boat performs well. Your 21 with the motor and trailer should bring you a bit in return funds. Good luck and PHOTOS please. Rochester Where?????

 

[jasoutside]

Re: I would like to know..........................?????

Welcome mj! An OB Islander awesome!!! They are rare my friend. Listen, your boat is already set up for an ob. What you would have to do to your rig in order to receive a bracket and the costs involved to do such a modification would be, well, silly quite frankly. You would basically need to rebuild your stern and turn it into an IO hull (basically). Then the bracket goes on. It kinda sounds like you'd be paying somebody to do this work so figure many thousands of dollars.

You have a gem there if it's already set up for an OB. Many dudes around here would love to have such an animal (me included). Bolt on your OB and enjoy!

If you really, really want a bracket boat than sell that Islander and go buy one with a junk IO in it. Now you'd be talking bracket!

Hey, welcome to iboats! Toss up some photos of that Islander, we'd love to take a look!

 

[Bob Gilvary]

Re: I would like to know..........................?????

Google "Gill Bracket" and you'll get all the information you'll need on them.

 

[mjmattia]

Re: I would like to know..........................?????

I cant wait to post some pictures but right now in Rochester, New York, where for I hail as home, we're burried with the kind of water I don't really care for: the white frozen kind and the boats well covered and buttoned-up tight for the winter. I am still entertaining the transom bracket for both performance as well as economy, but I probably won't make a decision this year but still would like to hear opinions and tips from all who care to offer them. My dream would be to some day strap on a new 200hp Verado on the boat and see if she flies. My 21' starcraft with a 135hp two stroke merc did alright, made me happy but the new boat has the cuddy and I haven't had her out on the water yet. For now she is destined to have the same 135hp from the 21' that has always made me happy. I'll try to find some pics of the old boat and post them for now.

 

[PKomrowski]

Re: I would like to know..........................?????

I would agree with Jasoutside, if its set up for an outboard, its kinda backwards to put a transome bracket on it. I agree with him, sell that one and find one with a dead I/O then you have a boat that would realy work on. There are many reasons first off, is the freeboard needed to install that bracket. You have to be selective in the boat you choose to do this to that you have the right amout of freeboard. With a outboard stern you have to little to work with, and not make it look like a cob-job. On an I/O (most all I have seen have enough freeboard) you could make it look real nice, and your freeboard would be right, plus your mounting would be much stronger, because your angle brackets would be longer and would not be leveraged as badly. Putting that bracket on its alot of work, and when your done you dont want it to look weird, which no offence I believe it would. I have mounted dive platforms on boats, and they are every bit heavy enough to mout motors to as well, and the sterns differ quite a bit and make securing them right a challange, sometimes I just will not do one if there isn't the depth to work with.