Re: 1964 Evinrude 40HP Lark VI long drive shaft to short!
Converting the 20" shaft to a 15" inch shaft makes the most sense, but finding a 15 inch shaft for this motor may be quite difficult. It looks more and more like a transom jack is going to be the easiest resolution. I am in the process of restoring a 16' 1946 Aroliner Cabinaire Cruiser (all aluminum) and I would like to reinforce the transom before I install my 40 HP Evinrude. The boat is rated for 40HP MAX, so I want to get the maximum performance out of my motor. If I use a transom jack, I will need 5 or 6 inches of vertical lift for maximum performance with a 20 inch shaft, because the boat has a 15 inch transom. My concern is having the motor up that high on a boat that only weights 320 lbs without the motor. I was worried that the center of gravity will be too high and create balance and performance issues for the boat. If I don't jack up the motor, performance will be poor. I have attached photos of the boat and close up shots of the transom. The motor shown in these photos is an old Tecumseh, which was shot. My motor is a fully restored 1964 40 HP Evinrude Lark VI and I am ready to finish reassembling the new transom and mount the motor.
