Manual Jackplate Question

This topic has 9 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 10 months ago by natanestaban.

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August 13, 2013 at 5:51 pm #390150

cb2structural
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In about a month, I am going to need to get under a bridge with my PIV. The water level where I want to fish is being held so high that I cant get under a bridge to access my area right now. I rode up to the bridge this past week and measured everything up. If I take off the trolling motor, take off the wind screens, then I only have to deal with the outboard. My merc sets alittle too high to make it.Im wondering how low I can drop the motor on the manual jack plate. I do not fool around with moving my motor up and down….Ive never done it…..so I dont know if this is difficult or not. The way I understand it, I need to loosen the side bolts, screw the big bolt in the middle up or down, then tighten back up the side bolts.How low can I go? How do I know when Im at the limit of low?How do you know when the side bolts are tight enough?Anything to watch for when dropping the motor like this?I will mark the plate so I know where to put this motor back to when Im done.I will also be filling the livewells with water and puttng as much weight in the boat as I can to drop it down.

August 13, 2013 at 6:07 pm #390153

cef1965
Participant

A couple of things you may/may have already considered:1. If you set the cover off of your outboard, does it give you any more vertical clearance w/o having to drop the motor on the plate?2. In the rear storage compartment, there should be two valves close to the passenger side of the boat. If you flip these valves while running your aerator and recycling pumps, it will pump water into the stern. Could you get enough additional clearance with extra water (weight) in the stern (bilge off) to get you there and not get the water level where it would endanger anything in the back compartment–oil reservoir, perhaps an on board charger?Just a thought I had after reading your post.

August 13, 2013 at 6:33 pm #390156

dbasketman
Participant

Remove the trolling motor ? If you gotta get that low, dont mess with it, and go find some other fish. Youll waste more time rerigging, when you could be catching fish. Ive done wome wild stuff to get into someplace,,,,, but im not gonna alter my boat or flood it.

August 13, 2013 at 6:49 pm #390159

VonH
Participant

dbasketman wrote: Remove the trolling motor ? If you gotta get that low, dont mess with it, and go find some other fish. Youll waste more time rerigging, when you could be catching fish. Ive done wome wild stuff to get into someplace,,,,, but im not gonna alter my boat or flood it.Ummm, how long does it take to pull/replace a troller?? With the foot pedal loose, about 10 seconds.I like the OP idea. I say go for it!!! As mentioned, I would take the cowl off and see if that gets you where you need to be. I see nothing wrong with putting water in the bilge also.Let us know how it works out.

August 13, 2013 at 7:13 pm #390162

kent7351
Participant

Been there, done this. Didnt need to pull the TM, so I guess mine wasnt quite as close as yours. I did flood the bilge though, that worked great. And yes, pulling the cowling will give you a couple of inches. Just hope it doesnt get the wrong kind of wind for you while youre on the other side!

August 13, 2013 at 7:20 pm #390164

dbasketman
Participant

When you have Hydrowave, and HD transducer wired on the TM like i do it takes a while to re rig.

August 13, 2013 at 8:08 pm #390167

cb2structural
Participant

Pulling the trolling motor is no big deal. I do not own a hydrowave nor HD transducer.Im reluctant to pump water into the stern. I probably will not go that route. I saw an R boat fill the stern (he forgot his plug), let it go too far, he got in a hurry and didnt pump enough out before trying to run the outboard, and when he gave the motor fuel, it forced the rear end down into the water, water came in over the back, the nose of the boat pointed skyward, and the boat rolled over sideways. It happened right in front of a BFL pairings meeting on a Friday night at Tamarac Marina at High Rock Lake several years ago. Next thing you know, the wildlife officers were there, hazmat had to come to boarder off the spilled fuel, a bunch of guys got in the lake and overturned the boat, and those guys got a ticket. Crazy.Im not putting water in the bilge area if I can help it.I may pull the cowel, fill the wells, remove the windscreens, and such……and if it will not go in a test run, drop the motor via the jack plate.

August 13, 2013 at 8:34 pm #390170

scubaman154
Participant

Generally jack plages are lowered by the bottom side of plate, and just tighten the side bolts like any other bolt

August 13, 2013 at 10:11 pm #390173

BIGCATTER
Participant

Fill the bilge until water comes up in the floor . — drops the whole boat down evenly . Ive had 4 inches inside the boat a couple of times with no ill affects . — Only thing to watch for would be the onboard charger . — The real pisser will be when you get there and find somebody else is already on your fish . Got there in a smaller boat . — By the way , if you cant get in there , how sure are you about your fish ?!? — Just a thought .

August 14, 2013 at 3:46 am #390175

natanestaban
Participant

Jump it. Ike proved on the Sabine that a cat can take it.
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