Seastar hydraulic cylinder clearance

[Gbrent]

Hi everyone, I have a new to me welded aluminum centre console boat with a 20 inch transom. Boat will be living on Vancouver island for ocean use. I just had it repowered with a 20" long shaft Yamaha F150 and upgraded the cable steering to hydraulic <Seastar HC5345-3 cylinder>. I now have an issue with not being able to fully tilt up the motor due to the cylinder contacting the top of the extended transom (with no splash well).

So my question is how to best solve this OR do i just limit the tilt and learn to live with the situation? (possible dinged props or skeg damage)

The options seem to be::
A - Have a splash well fabricated, cut and welded into the top of the extended transom. 22"W x 6"H x 5L" is a pretty big hole..
B- Exchange motor or modify to a 25" XL shaft allowing higher mounting position and possible cylinder clearance. Not great option due to dealer shortages until late in the season and extension kits seem sketchy.
C - Buy, install a 6" jack plate (manual or hydraulic) allowing further back, higher mounting position and possible cylinder clearance. Does anyone here run one in a marine environment and how are they for performance and long term reliability.
D- Have a step back bracket fabricated or transom modified setting the motor back and having a cylinder cut out allowing the motor to full tilt

Pictures to help illustrate the issue and a pretty bad example of solution D for your thoughts..

 

[salmonkiller01]

Hi everyone, I have a new to me welded aluminum centre console boat with a 20 inch transom. Boat will be living on Vancouver island for ocean use. I just had it repowered with a 20" long shaft Yamaha F150 and upgraded the cable steering to hydraulic <Seastar HC5345-3 cylinder>. I now have an issue with not being able to fully tilt up the motor due to the cylinder contacting the top of the extended transom (with no splash well).

So my question is how to best solve this OR do i just limit the tilt and learn to live with the situation? (possible dinged props or skeg damage)

The options seem to be::
A - Have a splash well fabricated, cut and welded into the top of the extended transom. 22"W x 6"H x 5L" is a pretty big hole..
B- Exchange motor or modify to a 25" XL shaft allowing higher mounting position and possible cylinder clearance. Not great option due to dealer shortages until late in the season and extension kits seem sketchy.
C - Buy, install a 6" jack plate (manual or hydraulic) allowing further back, higher mounting position and possible cylinder clearance. Does anyone here run one in a marine environment and how are they for performance and long term reliability.
D- Have a step back bracket fabricated or transom modified setting the motor back and having a cylinder cut out allowing the motor to full tilt

Pictures to help illustrate the issue and a pretty bad example of solution D for your thoughts..

Look at a sidemount cylinder, it should give you clearance

 

[Brando]

Hydraulic jack plate would likely be cheaper than any of the fab work options, might get away with a manual one depending on the model and setback.

 

[Sharphooks]

I would think fabbing a block to promote set-back would be a cheaper option then a hydraulic jack plate?

What’s that aluminum block in the picture? Is that an already fabbed block for the set-back?

Swapping the F150 for a 25” leg——not in the cards unless it already exists on a dealer’s floor—Yamaha availability is going to be in the hurt-locker going forward—they’re already sending out letters to boat builders

 

[Gbrent]

I would think fabbing a block to promote set-back would be a cheaper option then a hydraulic jack plate?

What’s that aluminum block in the picture? Is that an already fabbed block for the set-back?

Swapping the F150 for a 25” leg——not in the cards unless it already exists on a dealer’s floor—Yamaha availability is going to be in the hurt-locker going forward—they’re already sending out letters to boat builders

I’ll have a look at a side mount cylinder but with a kicker I suspect it’s going to busy back there. Yes that’s a setback, mount block thing I got for free years ago, will not fit as is, just there to provide an example of a possible solution.

 

[Gbrent]

I’ll have a look at a side mount cylinder but with a kicker I suspect it’s going to busy back there. Yes that’s a setback, mount block thing I got for free years ago, will not fit as is, just there to provide an example of a possible solution.

Ya the yamaha dealer I bought mine from said the same thing about short supply.

 

[wolf]

Even with a side mount your going to be screwed as the cables and front of motor is still going to hit , jack plate will really be your own option
Also if I were you id move that fuel filter inside of boat under protection as in a years time thats going to get wrecked with salt corrosion need to install a rigging tube where ALL your wires and fuel line can go thru. very easy and cheap to do you really want to protect everything

 

[Gbrent]

Even with a side mount your going to be screwed as the cables and front of motor is still going to hit , jack plate will really be your own option
Also if I were you id move that fuel filter inside of boat under protection as in a years time thats going to get wrecked with salt corrosion need to install a rigging tube where ALL your wires and fuel line can go thru. very easy and cheap to do you really want to protect everything

Thanks Wolf, that fuel filter went into the original location. Will get busy relocating it

 

[profisher]

I think you are looking at a fab shop welding up a 7 inch by how ever long drop box...get the box made with enough depth to allow full tilt...then cut a matching sized hole in the panel...weld the box in place. Drill a hole through transom to allow it to drain.

 

[RiverBoy]

Ya the yamaha dealer I bought mine from said the same thing about short supply.

who installed this? couldn’t they foresee this issue before they hung it?

 

[wolf]

who installed this? couldn’t they foresee this issue before they hung it?

was wondering the same thing....Just gone thru the whole "pod" thing
Im sure this is what Rollie is referring to... its 26 inchs wide FYI

 

[profisher]

Yup, exactly and agree it should have been foreseen by the installer especially if the motor had to sit on the lower mounting holes.

 

[ship happens]

Yup you need to raise that up and use a 25inch engine

 

[Gbrent]

Yup you need to raise that up and use a 25inch engine

It was hung at a 5 star yamaha dealer here in Alberta. Myself and everyone that has seen it is surprised the issue wasn’t foreseen or at least communicated prior to completing the install. Getting a 25” motor sounds very unlikely unless I choose to wait months. Its currently mounted in the second from bottom hole so it could go up one Hole. Not sure if performance and cavitation will suffer yet?
Wolf, who built that pod in your picture? I’m now thinking of leaving it alone until I can get it to the Island where there is more aluminum boat expertise.

 

[Gbrent]

It was hung at a 5 star yamaha dealer here in Alberta. Myself and everyone that has seen it is surprised the issue wasn’t foreseen or at least communicated prior to completing the install. Getting a 25” motor sounds very unlikely unless I choose to wait months. Its currently mounted in the second from bottom hole so it could go up one Hole. Not sure if performance and cavitation will suffer yet?
Wolf, who built that pod in your picture? I’m now thinking of leaving it alone until I can get it to the Island where there is more aluminum boat expertise.

FYI I just tried calling the 2x main aluminum boat shops here (Explorer and Outlaw) and they say they are too busy to look at it until probably fall...

 

[wolf]

Wolf, who built that pod in your picture?

A very good friend who is a local who REALLLLLLLY came to bat for me to get me up and running again...he has a very good shop here in sooke

 

[Gbrent]

Thanks, any shop recommendation mid island area? Nanaimo/Parksville/PA?

 

[wolf]

To be honest to get you up and running FAST id put a jack plate on for now if you can find one to lower and lift engine, or your going to have to do some phone calls and beg and plead for a job of that size to get done..OR get the extension kit to make that 20 into a 25 inch and get a 3/8 plate bolted on to it with 6 1/2 inch nuts and bolts THEN drill your new holes to hold the engine. no matter how you have options and its not going to be fun....
please dont take this the wrong way but whoever did this design, its bad workmanship unless it was to hold a longer leg

 

[Gbrent]

Thanks Wolf, I’ll try calling around (seastar, bob’s machine, atlas) for more info on jack plates what will work. And try to get an an appointment a fab shop in late June. At least this should allow me to get out there... Boat was built by Predator marine in 2002, and I just bought it from the original owner. Cable steering seemed to work For him. See no evedence of aftermarket mods to make a 20 inch transom but it’s possible...

 

[ship happens]

Would have to see where that engine sits, height wise. Before raising it up. Hard to tell, however looks a little short as it sits now

Can you take pic of the engine trimmed down, side shot.. so we can see where the cavitation plate sits? Include the hull and pod in the picture