Rear boat seat on center or offset?

[newnick]

I can't return it, so I have to make things work

 

[DaleH]

I have a 12ft Jon Boat new to me with a 20hp Suzuki outboard and it is really too heavy …

Yeah … hate to pile on you, but there is no 12’ tin that is rated for 20hp …

It is almost ironic that you mention ‘safety concerns’, yet you have a way overpowered hull!

What you could do …

ADD an extension to the outboard kill lanyard and wear it!

ADD a SE Sport 200 hydrofoil wing/fin to the OB lower unit, that will at least add some stability while running …

Be dayum careful …

 

[newnick]

DaleH, I'll look into that 'ADD a SE Sport 200 hydrofoil wing/fin to the OB lower unit, that will at least add some stability while running …'

 

[newnick]

I always wear the kill switch and a life vest. I do have sanity, I just got a used boat with too much power since the price was unbeatable on the Facebook marketplace. Now I have to deal with it.

 

[newnick]

on my own post page my reply to others was: I wish you would focus on the question.....how do I balance it? I mean since it is a small boat and the motor tiller forces me to sit on the farthest right side of the back bench of the Jon Boat the weight of the motor and myself (200lb. man) are practically sinking me when I first get in since all the weight is in the back where motor is and then I add to the back right side the boat is only about 5 inches above water on the right side of transom. SO I am trying to move my body to be centered but the darn tiller is not allowing me to steer if I sit in middle of the bench, so I have to find a way to manipulate the tiller with an extension that is not made by any company I have seen which would somehow allow me to steer from center without the tiller extension bumping into my body when I try to move it to the right for a left turn. Many would say 'you can move all the extra weight to the left side' but I already have moved gas and battery to the left and it is not enough, and I can't add any more considerable weight to compensate the balance or it would sink, therefore the only option is moving my own body to the center of the bench but I am struggling to figure out how to steer when I do that without a custom made tiller extension that I am trying to make myself but fear it. I also want to shift my body weight forward to the middle of boat's second bench area to get my weight off the rear of boat and a man questioned me 'how will you change gears if you are in middle of boat?' and the answer is I will lift my tiller upright pointing toward the sky for a moment with the throttle at lowest point of speed, make a fast move back there to put into neutral or forward or reverse, then quickly go back to my seat in the center of boat at low speed (idle speed) then lower the tiller back down beside me before I accelerate again. So what I need from you in advise is how to design the tiller that would put me in the center of the boat to balance it without having trouble making turns since it will bump into my body.

 

[Still Afloat]

(((((((( Time warp. What were you doing in November 2011? ))))))))

 

[thill]

I sit like Great White, on the second bunk, centered. and use an extension handle.

 

[LDUBS]

(((((((( Time warp. What were you doing in November 2011? ))))))))

I was smiling a lot because I was one month away from retirement!

 

[newnick]

I sit like Great White, on the second bunk, centered. and use an extension handle.

I would like to do the same, but to sit on middle bench the extension tiller would have to be 5ft. long and I can't find those, so it would have to be PVC DIY. Perhaps still having trouble with the tiller wanting to bump into my body as I steer sitting in the center of the bench.

 

[newnick]

DaleH, I'll look into that 'ADD a SE Sport 200 hydrofoil wing/fin',

I read about these hydrofoils made by many other brands and found another one on the site I will paste here that claims to give me more lift up of the transom because it is not flat shaped but curved which also gives better help with steering at high speeds without sudden loss of control, the site says: 'Stingray Hydrofoils AIRO Hydrofoil does feature pronounced curvature for better lift on heavier small boats.' so please tell me if this website's explanation sounds true that the Stingray brand would be a better option for me by lifting the transom higher faster and providing better steer control...the site is: Boat Hydrofoils Keep Your Stern Raised for a Smoother Ride and Better Acceleration

 

[pathunter]

I have a 12ft Jon Boat new to me with a 20hp Suzuki outboard and it is really too heavy as I sit on back bench with seat nearly all the way to right side of bench so that I can actually steer. I am the only one aboard and it puts too much weight on back right corner of boat, only a few inches of above water there. It is terrifying when I steer at high speeds because just the slightest movement of tiller left or right overpowers the boat's balance and things go haywire, so I have to slow down so much to make slight turns. I hope you will advise me on how to rectify this problem for safety reasons. My plan is to get a tiller extension and try to sit in the middle of the bench in front of the back bench, but I don't know how will be able to truly be centered on the bench to balance weight since the tiller extension may still be forcing me to move my seat to the right side of boat. That leaves me imagining making my own bizarre Tiller extension that would basically be PVC extending forward to make a large SQUARE SHAPE THAT WRAPS AROUND MY BODY in order to make it possible to sit perfectly centered on the bench nearest front of boat, which is actually in the center of the hull. This is the only way I can imagine being able to get centered in boat for balance but I am not sure if the DIY PVC Square shape of a tiller extension will be safe to really try. Please give me your opinions.

If you check the stats on the boat you will find it is rated for a maximum of 7HP.

 

[Striper57]

Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, just get a bigger hull for your 20 and/or a smaller outboard for your boat. I believe you have figured out the reason boats have HP ratings on them. Personally, I'd ditch the 12' hull and get a 14' boat. Your problems would be solved instantly without wasting money on a hydrofoil and creating what sounds like a PVC tiller death trap. As they say, don't throw good money after bad.

 

[Wayne Roberts]

I have a 12ft Jon Boat new to me with a 20hp Suzuki outboard and it is really too heavy as I sit on back bench with seat nearly all the way to right side of bench so that I can actually steer. I am the only one aboard and it puts too much weight on back right corner of boat, only a few inches of above water there. It is terrifying when I steer at high speeds because just the slightest movement of tiller left or right overpowers the boat's balance and things go haywire, so I have to slow down so much to make slight turns. I hope you will advise me on how to rectify this problem for safety reasons. My plan is to get a tiller extension and try to sit in the middle of the bench in front of the back bench, but I don't know how will be able to truly be centered on the bench to balance weight since the tiller extension may still be forcing me to move my seat to the right side of boat. That leaves me imagining making my own bizarre Tiller extension that would basically be PVC extending forward to make a large SQUARE SHAPE THAT WRAPS AROUND MY BODY in order to make it possible to sit perfectly centered on the bench nearest front of boat, which is actually in the center of the hull. This is the only way I can imagine being able to get centered in boat for balance but I am not sure if the DIY PVC Square shape of a tiller extension will be safe to really try. Please give me your opinions.

Way too much motor for that boat my friend. Go with a 8 hp or max 9.9............they will give reasonable speed, be lighter and much safer and to top it off they burn less fuel.

 

[airshot]

Thats good to hear...motor should be here very shortly!

Hey thanks...you make the sliders mounts eh? Thats cool? Is there a way to lock the seat to the slider?

I made my own seat mount, basically a U shaped wood piece to straddle the tank seat in the boat. You could easily slide your seat from side to side to get that perfect position. Once your butt was on it, it did not move very well. Even when another person drove my boat, they could make the seat into the best position.

 

[thill]

Make it out of PVC and a Fernco soft rubber plumbing fitting.

Personally, I think you should put up a post on FB asking someone to trade for a motor of similar value. I'm sure someone would love to upgrade.

Or sell it and buy a nice 9.9 HP. Having too big of a motor on a 12 jon is dangerous both when running and at rest, so you must stay aware of balance at all times. No fun at all.

 

[GYPSY400]

If you must have a seat, it goes on the starboard side, slightly off center as most motors are port side handle. I find that in my 14ft with a 9.9 I prefer no seat ( carpeted bench) as I can move around and compensate for my dog moving around. In my 16ft with a 30hp, it lists slightly, but nothing to be worried about.

If your going to run a 20 hp on a 12ft Jon... go buy a bigger boat!