Any issues running a 20" shaft length on 25" tubes?

Cat nip

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Will my motor have bite in the water in the new 25" tubes? Or will it blow out all the time? I have a 89 evinrude 60 hp.
 

GA_Boater

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It isn't the tube diameter, it's the motor height on the transom or in your case the motor pod. Going from 21" to 25" tubes means the motor most likely mean lowering the motor.

But you're adding weight with the larger tubes and weight for the added 4' deck. You won't know until you drop the toon in the water, and see how the motor sits.
 

ahicks

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I agree, it's going to be about more than the difference in tube diameter. The bigger tubes are heavier, but will likely float higher than the 21" do now.

I would guess that you would want the cavitation plate on the engine about half way between the bottom of the engine pod and the bottom of the pontoons. That generally leaves a conventional 2 tube boat pretty close. This one though with the mods and lift strakes, I dunno.....
 

Cat nip

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Well my motor is already as low as it will go so without getting one of the newer pods that's sloped down at the back it will just need to work I guess. I figure the deck extension will add 100 lbs to the stern and the transom is semi sealed so I guess I could us that as ballast lol. It just looks from measuring stuff and where the prop sits now the new tubes will have the center of the prop shaft even or an inch higher than the bottom of the tubes. Maybe I'm just over thinking all this?
 

GA_Boater

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Maybe I'm just over thinking all this?

Yes.

Put the FrankenToon together and drop it in the water and go from there. All we can do is make SWAGs because you won't have a stock toon when you're finished.
 

HotTommy

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First, I agree with what's been said above. You've made too many simulaneous changes to accurately predict where your motor will sit. .... BTW, if your logs have a round cross section, know that the amount the waterline will move is affected by more than just the weight they carry. If the waterline is near the center of the logs when you add or subtract weight, you will see relatively little movement in the waterline because that is where the log is widest and displaces the most water per inch of depth. But if the waterline is either very high or very low on the log, then changes in weight will produce a much larger movement in the waterline as the log's cross section is much narrower there. ... So depending on where the waterline was on your old logs and how much weight you've added, the new waterline might not be much different.

One more thought - when I needed to change out the engine pod on my old pontoon boat I asked around at the lake where I go and located a guy out in the woods who had been collecting old pontoon boats. He had five engine pods lying about and I found one that was just what I needed. As I recall I bought it for $200 cash. Maybe there's an old boat guy near you.
 

ahicks

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Just a thought, there's also the potential to mod the engine pod (depending on design/construction of course) or to shim it down.

Suggest you finish your project up, give it a float test, and cross any necessary bridges when you get to them.
 

Cat nip

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Ok it all makes sense to me thanks! And I was going to name it time out or maybe paid for but GA_BOATER I'M really liking frankkentoon.
 
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