Lifting Outboard brackets: worth it?

RogersonCrusoe

RogersonCrusoe

Well-Known Member
Hi guys,
Lining up the winter projects and am blue-sky thinking about kicker upgrades. Currently I have an overkill-size solid pod style kicker mount and in my quest to reduce weight, considering moving to a spring loaded kicker bracket (Garelick).
Thoughts? Feelings? I'm guessing corrosion would be the number one problem?
 
RogersonCrusoe said:
Hi guys,
Lining up the winter projects and am blue-sky thinking about kicker upgrades. Currently I have an overkill-size solid pod style kicker mount and in my quest to reduce weight, considering moving to a spring loaded kicker bracket (Garelick).
Thoughts? Feelings? I'm guessing corrosion would be the number one problem?
Click to expand...
Still not sure I understand those things at all. A fixed bracket at the right height is perfect.
 
RogersonCrusoe said:
Hi guys,
Lining up the winter projects and am blue-sky thinking about kicker upgrades. Currently I have an overkill-size solid pod style kicker mount and in my quest to reduce weight, considering moving to a spring loaded kicker bracket (Garelick).
Thoughts? Feelings? I'm guessing corrosion would be the number one problem?
Click to expand...

I had the Garelick spring loaded bracket on a 20' Overnighter Grady with a 9.9 4 stroke Yamaha on it and it worked pretty descent, no complaints,

IMG_8469.jpeg
 
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I had a Garlick bracket for years but it constantly needed to be lubed up or it would quickly get stiff and hard to pull up. I went through 2 of them when bushings wore out and they got sloppy. I have had a solid bracket now for many years and won't go back. It would have been only a matter of time that I would have put my back out lifting the kicker, especially as I get older. At this point in my life I want less reasons to lean over the side of the boat...not more.
 
profisher said:
I had a Garlick bracket for years but it constantly needed to be lubed up or it would quickly get stiff and hard to pull up. I went through 2 of them when bushings wore out and they got sloppy. I have had a solid bracket now for many years and won't go back. It would have been only a matter of time that I would have put my back out lifting the kicker, especially as I get older. At this point in my life I want less reasons to lean over the side of the boat...not more.
Click to expand...

... see all the grease in the attached pic above :) got to do it or else!
 
Same as Profisher, went though 2 and went solid after that and would never go back. You get those heavier 4strokes bouncing and they are going to bounce they start wearing out. Spend the money on power tilt instead.
 
casper5280 said:
Same as Profisher, went though 2 and went solid after that and would never go back. You get those heavier 4strokes bouncing and they are going to bounce they start wearing out. Spend the money on power tilt instead.
Click to expand...
Totally agree,I had a garelick break on me on my way to Desolation Sound years ago,motor was hanging sideways till I got to dock.Power tilt on a fixed bracket is the only way to go.
 
Thanks guys - food for thought. I got a new-to-me kicker that I'm super excited to install this winter, with controls but no electric tilt. For reference, my bracket looks very similar to the background boat in Robert's picture above. The motor is quite far back and challenging to pull up and lower without straining the back. So even getting the motor closer to the boat would be beneficial.
 
RogersonCrusoe said:
Thanks guys - food for thought. I got a new-to-me kicker that I'm super excited to install this winter, with controls but no electric tilt. For reference, my bracket looks very similar to the background boat in Robert's picture above. The motor is quite far back and challenging to pull up and lower without straining the back. So even getting the motor closer to the boat would be beneficial.
Click to expand...
I have a 9.9 yamaha high thrust with power tilt for sale. On my bayliner I just intalled a trim switch on my dash for easy in and out.
 
Garelick is horrible don't do it. Just in process of mounted fixed bracket with the hydraulic lift plate. The spring went on mine and now hangs the kicker trimmed in. I have heavy duty 4 stroke one.
 
The garlick was bad enough on my non podded boat and even with a fixed bracket on my podded ss the reach was too much for my back I couldn't buy a new kicker with trim electric fast enough Some of the best money spent on any boat
 
I have never used a lifting device that is hydraulic, or spring driven.
I installed a 20 hp, 4 cycle bracket from Garelick or whomever, and kept it in the lower position always. Ya sure the bushings wear out, but just tighten it all up, never move it. 20 years!!!
My boat had a high transom, Inboard outboard style.
I positioned the bracket onto the stern using a hoist. the bracket and engine held up in the air proved where the prop would end up.
Then pull the motor up into run position with a hook and strap. Hook onto the back of the Yamaha kicker where your hand would go and then use your legs, to pull horizontally on the lifting cloth sling, grab the back of the motor and latch it.
strap is 6' long, with an aluminum rounded 2" wide hook.
 
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upload_2019-10-10_10-41-27.png

That red line is what happened to mine over time. The pad is in that position now. I also had the same issue on my other double eagle.
 
https://www.cabelas.com/product/boa...0/cmc-power-tilt-and-trim/700021.uts?slotId=0

I have the after market CMC electro-hydraulic tilt and trim mounting bracket bolted to the Al. pod on my boat. It worked great with my previous Yami kicker which did not have its own built in power lift and trim system. It is an extremely strong and powerful unit and can handle larger motors so a 9.9 does not stress it at all.

My new Yami 9.9 HT has its own power lift so I disabled a wire for the CMC to deactivate it so that some newby on my boat does not use both as it would be possible to quickly put the motor right upside down using both together and since the motor oil sump has an open top end that would not be good. Now it is being used as an extremely strong fixed motor mount although the wire could be hooked up quickly if need be.

Over all we are very impressed with the CMC unit. It was a little slower going up and down than the built in Yami 9.9 power lift, but not by that much, and does hold its own, speed wise, with larger outboards. Since my pod is very low to the water, a small part of the lower CMC mount went into the water so we put a small zinc on it. I have noticed that the price of the CMC unit has really gone up since we got ours. If you have a kicker or even a smaller main that does not have power lift, the CMC will save time, hassle and most importantly your back, and eliminate any risk of falling off the back of the boat while wrestling with the manual lift.

Obviously this lift has some weight to it, so likely not a good fit with some small boats or boats that are already stern heavy and don't have an adjustable ballast flotation pod like ours.
 
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I had 2 20’ Overnighters, liked the boats, the two I had were both underpowered 150 on one and maybe an older 175 on the other, I think. Nice easy trailering boat and easy for one person to load and unload, I done it manys -a-times.
 
hated every one I ever tried.. bent , broken, pita
 
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