[jasboj]

Im new here and im doing my first boat build. My boat is 18 ft long and 96" wide. Im trying to set my outboard up but im not sure how it needs to be. Here are some details if it helps. I have a 6" jack plate, my boat is a flat bottom tunnel hull, the tunnel comes up aprx 7", my motor is a 55hp older johnson. I just need some advise as to what i need to line up as a reference for initial set up. I realize i will need to fine tune it later on the water so i was thinking setting the jack plate with a little down and alot of up adjustment at first and i was planning on using the second hole down on the motor mount which is what the factory had used. any advise or tips would be appreciated. thanks!!!

 

[JpEater]

I would line up the cavitation plate with the top of your tunnel. That should be a good start for a test run.

 

[chocolatebayou21]

after your first test run, you will probably be wishing you had a bigger motor...so my advice would be to sell that motor and get something atleast >90

 

[KY Bighead]

Yeah that's a barge!! Lol.. Is that 96 inches the beam or floor measurement?

 

[Old Bald Guy]

after your first test run, you will probably be wishing you had a bigger motor...so my advice would be to sell that motor and get something atleast >90

Yep. I don't see that combo working out either.

 

[jasboj]

Its 96" at the beam and 72 at the floor. Thats what motor i have but maybe ill find something bigger later. What hp do yall think i could go up to?My boat doesnt have a spec plate on it.

 

[ARC_lefteye]

Its 96" at the beam and 72 at the floor. Thats what motor i have but maybe ill find something bigger later. What hp do yall think i could go up to?My boat doesnt have a spec plate on it.

I agree w/ the others, put at least a 90 on her but a 115 would work. My buddy has a similar boat w/ a 115 on it & it seems to be good.

 

[clark3]

Yea a 90 or 115 would be perfect. Were about to stick a 150 optimax on a 2072 hull for a guy.

 

[maglite]

115 would be great on it!

 

[DBM85]

The first time you fill the boat with fish you'll have to listen to that thing strain all the way back to the landing.

 

[clark3]

We had a 55hp yamaha on our old 1648 (16ft 48" bottom) and with three guys and 400lbs of fish it was tough to get on plane