help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

[mannydvk11]

i have a new project is a 1986 wellcraft 180 fisherman with a omc sea drive i will like to remove the old motor and bracket but i don't know what will be better if i cut my transom or add a bracket for the engine my Q? is do i need to cut the transom to add the motor on top of the transom or should i add a bracket in the back of the transom to extend and add the motor and how can i cover the hole on the transom,thanks in advance for your input

 

[mannydvk11]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

for you guys to have a better idea this is the bracket

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

I am not a big fan of cutting down transoms. Generally it looks crappy. It doesn't make the boat look slow, doesn't make it look fast, but makes it look half-fast. And, if not done correctly it will affect the structural integrity of the hull.

If it were my boat, I would first investigate fabricating a plate to adapt the sea drive bracket to the new engine. After all, the bracket already has steering installed and has power tilt. You may be able to use the existing wiring.

Then, if the bracket was not functional or if that was simply not do-able, I would buy or make a jackplate to replace the existing sea drive bracket.

 

[mannydvk11]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

The bracket is good but the seals are bad on the tilt and the pump is not working so good

I will like to go with a swim platform bracket

if I go with the jackplate I think I'll have to cut part of the transom ?

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

Armstrong Bracket.

Repower your boat with an Armstrong Bracket.


There are other brands also, but this gives you the idea.

 

[mannydvk11]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

Armstrong Bracket.

Repower your boat with an Armstrong Bracket.


There are other brands also, but this gives you the idea.

I like those that is one of my Choices if I do that how I close the hole in my transom do I need to cut it and do the hall transom o can I just patch it

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

You can just patch it.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

Wasn't the sea drive simply an outboard bolted onto the bracket, then the bracket bolted to the transom? There should be minimal holes in the transom and they should be easy to plug.

 

[mannydvk11]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

yes that is how it is

here is how the hole in the transom is right now

 

[mannydvk11]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

What will be the best way to patch this hole

 

[mannydvk11]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

This is what I am going to do I love how this looks

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

Depending upon the location of the hole, you may not need to plug it at all. If it is well above the water line, re-use it for the electrical and control cables on the new engine, just as you see in the photo.

If it needs to be plugged, use a holesaw to cut a couple of correctly sized circles of plywood. Put a backing plate inside the hole and epoxy the filler circles into the hole. Then cover with fiberglass (and gelcoat if you want it to look nice.)

 

[mannydvk11]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

Depending upon the location of the hole, you may not need to plug it at all. If it is well above the water line, re-use it for the electrical and control cables on the new engine, just as you see in the photo.

If it needs to be plugged, use a holesaw to cut a couple of correctly sized circles of plywood. Put a backing plate inside the hole and epoxy the filler circles into the hole. Then cover with fiberglass (and gelcoat if you want it to look nice.)

i will try for my to look as close as that i have to take some mesuments after i take the bracket out and i will know where exactly i have to put the new bracket

i hope i don't have to i need to get a different motor i don't know if it have to be long shaft o short shaft what will be the differences is it performance o just different models

this is a sample pic of the place witch is going to be making my like this one

 

[phillnjack2]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

once this is fitted youl be fine.
if you decide to raise the engine higher up you just get or make a jack plate and bolt to the armstrong type bracket.
this way you dont have to cut the transom and make a splashwell and you keep all the room in the boat.
the extra length will give better handling of the boat as well.

it will be a realy nice set up once finnished, as it will look very nice on your boat as it has good looking lines to take the braket.

what horsepower are you going to be using on the boat ?


phill

 

[mannydvk11]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

once this is fitted youl be fine.
if you decide to raise the engine higher up you just get or make a jack plate and bolt to the armstrong type bracket.
this way you dont have to cut the transom and make a splashwell and you keep all the room in the boat.
the extra length will give better handling of the boat as well.

it will be a realy nice set up once finnished, as it will look very nice on your boat as it has good looking lines to take the braket.

what horsepower are you going to be using on the boat ?

phill

I am looking in to the range of 115 to 130 what ever I can get

 

[mannydvk11]

Re: help with a wellcraft 180 fisherman transom should i cut or add ?

how about if i do this