1950s Alumacraft Deep C Upper Transom Drains

[OldSailor85]

In calmer waters you may be OK, but growing up on Lake Erie, having that much weight on a 15" transom in our choppy waters. Way to.much risk from my own experiences. Won't even go out in the lake unless I have a self bailing motor well in these small tinnies. My own tinnie is rated for 80 hp motor but at today's weight...not sure I would want that much hanging on the back. My is 16' long with an 80" beam and 1300 lb capacity, but I am safety concious, not just interested in flying across the water.

I also grew up on Lake Erie. My father docked Cleveland to Sandusky over the years. The Harbor, Huron Lagoons, Cedar Point, Beaver Creek, Romps, etc. Other than his 16' Lyman, they were inboards with lots of freeboard.

I wouldn't even look at boats with 15" transoms.

I have a 16' Lowe Lunker II. It does have a small self-bailing motor well and a 20" transom. Even so, I have serious questions about taking it in Lake Erie. I'm a lot smarter than I was when I was 20. We used to fish out of a 16' Glastron. No radio, before cell phones, out of the sight of land (we did have compasses). Not real smart.

Also had a 15' fiberglass something. The 85 Merc helped get you out of trouble, but it's a long, long, way back from Kelly's Island with a wind out of the SE.

No playing around on the big lakes.

 

[airshot]

I also grew up on Lake Erie. My father docked Cleveland to Sandusky over the years. The Harbor, Huron Lagoons, Cedar Point, Beaver Creek, Romps, etc. Other than his 16' Lyman, they were inboards with lots of freeboard.

I wouldn't even look at boats with 15" transoms.

I have a 16' Lowe Lunker II. It does have a small self-bailing motor well and a 20" transom. Even so, I have serious questions about taking it in Lake Erie. I'm a lot smarter than I was when I was 20. We used to fish out of a 16' Glastron. No radio, before cell phones, out of the sight of land (we did have compasses). Not real smart.

Also had a 15' fiberglass something. The 85 Merc helped get you out of trouble, but it's a long, long, way back from Kelly's Island with a wind out of the SE.

No playing around on the big lakes.

Ahhh....a fellow Lake Erie boater !! Been on the lake for more than 60 of my 74 years. 15' Lyman with a 30 hp Johnson, yep, 15" transom and no splash well. Only a compass and no radio, ran all over the western end of Lake Erie. Learned slot over those years, at my age, there are a number if things I wouldn't do that I did back then !! But, then again, we didn't have anything else.. Kinda like the pioneers going west in a covered wagon, no one would do that now. I can remember waves coming over the stern and having a couple bailing cans handy, it wasn't until the late 60's before I owned my first bilge pump. Would I do that today....no way!!