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Mark5795.
HowdyIs there an advantage of a hydrolic jack plate over a manul one? If there is why dont more people use it?thanks in advance
Ive had boats with and without, the advantage of a manual is its cheaper, the hydraulic give you the ability to adjust the settings based on load and conditions. It also allows you to trim motor up to run in shallower water. Either way, if you can afford it, go with the hydraulic. The only drawback is if it fails during fishing. I trailer mine on a neutral setting so when I come to the launch and it wont work, at least I can fish.
A hyd kack plate would eliminate most of these posts about JP height, an automatic adjust all the time.BAYOU BANDIT
We are not proponents of hydraulic plates as they can fail, and any failure effects the user experience. We like dependability and a manual has that. If you are interested in one and know the quirks, then it should be fine.
When BCB says no torque on the steering is optimum is that equal to saying no wheel resistance left or right at these high speeds, like you can almost move it back and forth and not feel it? I am still learning to drive my 08 Cougar 250 Opti and just yesterday playing with it in a rare calm lake I went a little higher then usual with my Hyd plate and there was a point that I felt I had just about driven through the Chime walk but then came into some boat wake and had to let off. So I kept playing and what was usually a 6 on the ezact dial then turned into a 7 and I was feeling like there was less walk then before maybe I been having too much motor in the water?….I am going to use the latest posted engine height formula and see where it stands at different numbers but wondered if the concept and thinking are correct? Water pressures was still building and great so I assume maybe less trim and more out of the water? Does this sound like I am heading in the right direction? I hit 72 .7 just before the boat wake and it felt smooth but could not tell if I was risking having too much motor out of the water or not…First time I saw a really dent rooster tail without actually trying to make one…..Does it sound like I might be headed in the right direction?Lastly if in fact I am, is it correct that no matter what, the motor as deep as possible on take off will give me the best hole shot or should I also experiment on that engine height as well?Thanks…..maybe in 3 or 4 years I will figure these bad boys out.
Mark…Im in the same boat with you. (pun intended ) I have been able to get my 09CougarFTD up to almost 76mph but that was with a lot of chine. I can now run it at 74 with little or no chine. Still learning I guess. Ive got a Bobs Hydraulic plate on mine. Im finding that going higher is giving me more speed and less chine. I still have plenty of water pressure too. I dont drop mine all the way down to take off, I have it near where my best speeds have been and still have a good hole shot…about 3 seconds Id guess. The only time I raise it very far above that is when idling around in skinny water. If I didnt have to run in skinny water very much, Id have a manual plate…no doubt about it.
Thats the beauty of the manual jackplate. Once you determine the best overall setting you can keep it there !Determining factors always included, #1. Torque (how much rh pressure was on the wheel at speed) #2. Holeshot (does the hull break over quickly, with just a possibility of blowout or slip at breakover) #3. Water pressure, and rpms.After all that seat time was the only cure for learning how to drive the hull, or fine tuning the plate.Good luck guys, but ill stick with the manual plate.
has given me more flexibility as like Billius in the fall or late summer the lakes I fish river to river is so skinny without the Hydraulic my season would be over much sooner..In addition I have enjoyed the workings of trying to find that sweet spot. By nature I am a very mechanical person it isnt good enough for me to have something work ok and not know much about it….I want it to work perfect and know all I can….but I understand what you are saying…
A hydraulic jack plate is a lazy mans dream when it comes to set up. A hydraulic jack plates takes about 99% of the time out of finding the best height. Not only on the initial set up, but as you guys already stated that varying for different weight loads and other conditions can be adjusted for. A hydraulic jack plate can aid in fishing shallow water as you can raise the motor with the jack plate and keep the engine trim down or neutral thus eliminating some of the boat swing in the rear end. A hydraulic jack plate can also help in navigating rough water. Lower the engine on the jack plate and eliminate most of the blow out as the boat crests high rollers or as the boat clips the top of the wave while at a fair rate of speed. There are two disadvantages to hydraulic jack plates and both have been mentioned…………..cost and they can malfunction from time to time. Though, Detwiler has dramatically improved their reliability over the years and Bobs has been a good plate for some time now. Mark……. if your engine is mounted in the 3rd holes or lower, youre dangerously high on that plate. Using a Fury prop you would be best suited to running around 4 on the dial. If youre running a Trophy you can raise a bit higher, but not more than 6. These heights are based if your engine is mounted in the 3rd holes from the top. Trust me, if youre running a Fury prop, you better keep that one in the water or it will move the rear end around on you!The reason youre able to drive the boat a little better is due to the boat is running flatter on the pad. In the end, this would cost you a couple of mph or more. Getting back to original question……..Ill never own and use another boat without a hydraulic jack plate. Are they necessary? No…………………but its like side imaging, Hamby Beaching Bumpers, 36 volt trollers, 250 hp engines, etc. etc.!
Like any added feature it is a nice benefit if you are prepared to deal with any issues that adding function might give you,I am running third hole from the top which is 1 hole lower then the manual plate was mounted. I am running my Trophy right now as my Fury is being cleaned up from a ding. I run usually at 6 with the Fury and get the best performance from it but now will pay closer attention at 4 and see what I get out of it there. What is your opinion on take off leave it at 4 or bury the motor?I will tell you that with the Trophy at 4 or 5 or even just at 6 I get allot of torque. It goes away mostly at 6 and completely at 7………Phil you need to come for some Maine Lobster and show me how to drive this rig……Maybe I can even find a Moose and some Maine black bear to round out the scenic tour……lol
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