1448 Pods and Jack Plate?

[bobbfrommn]

Hey all,
I have an older Alumacraft 1448 Jon (MV) that I'm putting pods on to hopefully float a little shallower. My river can get pretty shallow in the summer. Right now, we are about as low as it gets and if I were to take it out my short shaft Evinrude 9.9 would hit the skeg in some spots drifting. The pods say they offset 250lbs so that should be my weight and some of the motor. I'm wondering if adding a jack plate with the pods would make a significant difference in the draft. I'm not that concerned with speed, I just go a mile or two up river and float back down. Anyone have (or had) this type of a setup? Thanks!

 

[FuzzyGrub]

How deep is the boat sitting and have you tried moving gas tank and batteries to the bow? Is your cav plate even with the bottom of the boat?

I have run a 1648 w/25HP and during shallow summers, the skeg would hit on drifts. It's just your reminder to lift engine to shallow water mode or completly out of the water. Through very shallow sections, motor was out and used the oars to navigate, which also moved my weight forward. We'd get through 4" of water. Now, going upstream, my son had to jump out and pull boat thru some of those spots. Some the current was too strong to do so. We needed 6" of water to run in shallow water mode, but son had to sit on bow.

Pods are generally for heavy engines, but if your transom is sitting very low, it might help, but would try the easier things first. If cav plate is level, raising it further can cause water pick-up issues and/or cavitation when on plane. I considered using some of those manual jack plates that can be adjusted, but never tried them. Ie the ones for kicker motors.

 

[bobbfrommn]

hmm I'll have to go out and measure after work. I don't have any batteries in it, I moved the tank to the middle but it couldn't reach to the front without a new line. I was going to do that but haven't been in a hurry as it's a small 3 gallon tank.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

While it is sacraliguis (sp), you could try adding ballast to the bow, just to see if it helps. Maybe its time for a bow mounted trolling motor and battery.

You could also try one of the tiller extensions to get you toward the center. Myself, found that it helpd when by myself, but like being near the transom in case I have to raise the motor quickly.

 

[bobbfrommn]

Took a look last night and without me in it, it looks like its sitting 3"-4" in the back. Hard to say exactly with me in it but I'm guessing it sunk another 3"-4". Floating in a foot of water I dropped the motor down and the skeg went into the sand a few inches. The cav plate looks a couple of inches under the boat.

After talking to a few old timers at the bar last night, I think the pods will be enough for now. Although I also think I'm going to pick up a Mac's River Runner guard. I talked to three separate people who couldn't say enough good things about them and for $130 seems like cheap insurance.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

Six to eight inches sounds like allot compared to mine, with a lighter motor. I have to stand on the transom to try to get the rain water to the bilge pump.

On most boats you can raise the motor about 1" without needing a jack plate. ie shim the transom but make sure the clamps still have good bite or redrill motor mount holes.

I had a Rock Hopper on my 25HP Merc for a few years. Did its job, but lost top speed. The reason it came off was getting cavitation at planing speeds and kept taking out the rubber hub in the props. With or without it, I have never lost a prop to hitting a rock with many years of fishing the NY Susquehanna River. Being careful and learning/knowing the water pays off.

It would be nice to see before/after pictures with the pods, as it sits in the water.

 

[sonny.barile]

Sounds like you need one of those mud motors with the surface prop.