Proper propeller depth for a bass boat ?

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Welcome aboard.

There are bass boats and there are bass and there are bass boats. They are not all the same.

So what bass boat do you have? And what motor and things like jack plates?
 

Mack-McVey

Cadet
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
7
Good Day to you all. Thank You all got accepting here. I'm completely new to boating. Please forgive dba questions.
 

Mack-McVey

Cadet
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
7
I've got a preowned Suzuki DT40 motor and a 14 ft Procraft boat. I have NO idea what all the parts are called by name or terminology. Thank You for answering this old farts dumb questions.
 

Attachments

  • photo308192.jpg
    photo308192.jpg
    1.7 MB · Views: 0

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
Google search an outboard motor diagram. Look for the anti-ventilation or anti-cavitation plate. The propeller should be just below it. That part should be about at the bottom of the boat. Maybe a little higher for better performance, but that's the starting point.
 

roffey

Commander
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
2,187
FYI, a jack plate is what your motor is hanging off. Not all boats have them as some or even most have the motor bolted to the back of the boat. A jack plate allows you to move the motor up and down as compared to tilt that moves the motor out of the water by the use of some sort of mechanism that will bring the motor out, normally by hydraulics and a trim switch. Not sure if I'm explaining it correctly or not. You will find boating is almost a different language with all the terms that get used.
 
Last edited:

roffey

Commander
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
2,187
....until you have troubles. then the cuss words are universal.

Ya the cuss words... like when your out in the middle of the lake and your brand new boat just stops and wont start, even when the reason for buying your brand new boat was to have trouble free boating, yup the cuss word are universal.

Mack, I'm 61 and learn new stuff for boating all the time and that's why this site is great. For then most part you only get flack from these guys if your to vague, don't answer questions honestly or leave out big parts of the story.... then you'll hear about it, lol. I call it a dog pile, everyone chimes in. I did look back at the pic of your boat and you don't have a jack plate.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
Agreeing with JimS123, depending on the boat mfgr and model, with the engine (motor) sitting on the transom (the vertical board at the rear of the boat upon which the engine sits), with the clamp brackets tightened and all, Set the boat level.

Then lift the engine lower unit up and look under the engine at the bracket that clamps to the outside of the transom. Your engine may have a "Transom Lock" lever, up front (if a tiller model), just above the transom top which you will have to press to get the lower unit to to up.....usually if you shift into Forward gear, the lever is automatically released and you can lift leg of the engine easily................. There will be a stainless steel pin (⅜" or thereabouts) that stretches across the bracket and you will find several sets of holes in the brackets for adjusting the location of that pin/bar up or down. The holes you select sets the angle of the engine to the angle of the boat.

Select a set of holes, insert and lock the pin and let the lower unit leg of the engine down on the pin. Go to the side of your boat and see if the engine is vertical to the "level" hull (90 degrees). If not, move the pin up or down till you get it vertical.

Then take a straight edge, yardstick works fine, and project it straight out the back, flat against the bottom center of the hull, and continue it out till it passes the lower unit. Look at the location of the horizontal plate (antiventilation plate located just above the propeller blade tips) vs your straight edge.

If you have the right engine length for your boat, the AV plate will be roughly within +/- 1" of your straight edge. If it's 5 inches off either direction, the transom and the engine length are not compatible....like a 20 inch transom with a 15" engine skeg, or vise versa.

Assuming you are within the inch (more or less) if the plate is lower than the straight edge, the engine will do better getting your boat going (up on plane making your speed increase drastically) if you are tiller steering (at the rear....stern...of the boat), and for your listed combination, that's where I would want mine. Having it even or slightly higher is really for higher speed, higher HP boats designed for high performance. You shouldn't need, nor want a "Jack Plate"......again, something for the Jet Set.

Good luck.
 
Top