1648 Center console or stick steer?

[rotus623]

Jeff,

Thanks I found the riser. Crazy they want $200 for a piece of metal. The manual jack plates cost that much. I actually had a short shaft jet (15") on my boat too. They are rare but most tunnel hulls have the raised transom anyways.

 

[richg99]

Crazy they want $200 for a piece of metal

If it says BOAT.....well, you know the saying.

I'd go to a scrap metal place and see what they had. They might have to cut it to size. It cost me $10.00 for my place to plasma-cut my material for some kayak rudders. Sure beat me hacking away for an hour.

richg99

 

[JL8Jeff]

Yeah, the best I saw was TH Marine on Ebay for around $151 shipped for 2 pieces of angle aluminum basically.

 

[rotus623]

Yeah, the best I saw was TH Marine on Ebay for around $151 shipped for 2 pieces of angle aluminum basically.

Well, I may have gotten lucky. I may not need to jack up the transom. I found a 2000 Mercury 60/45 (Factory)Jet, short shaft with controls, local for $3000. Going to check it out in the morning. Ill let you guys know how it goes!!

 

[rotus623]

Jeff, when you have a second person on board where do you keep em? Will the boat plane and ride level with them in
The back?

 

[JL8Jeff]

With one other person it doesn't really matter where they are, it isn't enough weight to throw things off too much. I've had 2 other people sit up front and you can start to feel it plow a bit. An extra person in the back works fine as well. If that 2000 Mercury is a short shaft then you might be good to go depending on your transom height. My Mercury is a 94 or 95 so it's pretty much the same motor. Mine did not have power trim when I got it, but I found a new PTT setup on Ebay for $400 and it works great.

 

[rotus623]

Jeff,

Thanks for all your feedback on the subject. So I got seemingly lucky and found a 60/45 short shaft with power tilt and trim and ended up buying it. Do you have any pics of your boat from the rear? I am interested in where your foot is placed with the tunnel.

I am having a hard time seeing how you got that motor mounted on the tunnel hull without a riser plate. It looks like I can get my motor mounted high enough without the tunnel, but I dont have room to lift the motor another 2-3" if I get the tunnel installed later down the road. I am wondering if I should just put a tunnel in now and build up the transom so I dont have an extra set of holes in the transom.

 

[JL8Jeff]

My transom is around 22-23" around the center area and the tunnel is about 2.5-3" tall. I have the motor mounted about 2.5-3" above the transom and the foot is just inside the tunnel. The boat is backed up against the wall in the garage so I tried to get some pictures but it's not that easy to see it.

 

[rotus623]

Cool thanks man! I think you said earlier that you had to wedge the transom, was that because you couldn't trim down far enough?

 

[JL8Jeff]

Yeah, you can see the transom wedges, the boat would porpoise when it was trimmed all the way in so it needed more trim angle. It would porpoise with the 40 hp prop motor as well so I think there wasn't enough weight up front and the transom angle wasn't enough.

 

[rotus623]

Merry Christmas everyone!!

I was wondering, lots of you guys run your start battery under your front console. What gauge wire are you running? That is a long run from the battery to the engine so I would imagine youd be running some rather heavy wire. I have heard lots of guys running welders wire.

 

[richg99]

Here is a PDF from MinnKota that should help...

richg99

https://www.minnkotamotors.com/Support/FAQs/FAQ-Details/What-gauge-wire-and-fuse-is-needed-for-my-trolling-motor-/

 

[JL8Jeff]

I went with marine 4 awg gauge and it seems to be more than adequate. The stock cables were 6 gauge so with the 4 gauge being thicker, it took a little working to get the cables to fit on the engine. I had to file down the plastic cover for the positive cable to fit with the cover closed all the way.

 

[rotus623]

Cool man. As long as she starts up in the cold and the wires dont get hot than the 4gauge is ample. I couldn't imaging running 2 gauge to the engine........

 

[richg99]

Whoops, sorry I didn't read the query correctly. My reference to the Minnkota Trolling motor PDF was totally incorrect.

You should be fine with 4 gauge for the engine. richg99

 

[JL8Jeff]

Just make sure it's marine grade cable.

 

[rotus623]

I ran the steering, control cables and wiring out the bottom of the console and up the side of the boat on back.

Jeff, I was hoping to get some more pics of your control box. Do you have a trim switch in the handle? Looks like you moved the keyswitch. I want to get the control cables down like you have done so they dont shoot straight out towards me, but the angle of the box looks a little awkward.....

 

[JL8Jeff]

The trim switch is in the handle and the wiring goes through the handle and under the console where it connects with the main harness.

 

[richg99]

Just FYI. My trim switch went out. My mechanic said they no longer make one for my 96 Johnson. He installed a double switch next to the control. Works but not as convenient as ...in the handle.

 

[rotus623]

Thanks guys.

I took my box apart last night to make sure I can flip the handle to the other side and I certainly can. I have to add a wire harness extension to my controls and change out the throttle/shift cables to 3-4' longer cables. When I am in the box I may just run the keyswitch to the console like Jeff has done. It's funny because in January I sold my "project" boat and got this boat. Now I have decided that I want to change the layout and weight distribution so I am on to another project. I hope to finish this one though.....


Floors up!! Pulled out about 50-60lbs. of soaked foam. That's gonna make a difference!!




Boxes grinded and cut out without harming the structure of the boat stringers or boxes. Another 50 or so lbs. gone. These boxes are heavy duty .190 gauge aluminum!!






And here is where I am hoping to put the console.