Re: jack plate question
What? You can put a jackplate on her. On smaller boats, you just need a smaller jackplate. If she sets back another 4-6", that's fine. It won't throw it off balance. If you trim the engine out too far, it will porpoise or chine walk, but that's only if you trim it too far out.
With a jackplate, there is a greater range of things the operator can do to screw up: Too much trim or raising motor too high at speed and losing traction in turns or losing cooling water.
So, the jackplate increases the number of things you, the operator, can do wrong and it increases the severity of your errors. But just having the jackplate (and the modest setback it offers) doesn't do anything to hurt your boat. You'll get more speed and better mileage, that's for sure.
Two companies that make them for all size boats AND will talk to you over the phone and tell you what you do or don't want are Bob's machine shop and hydrodynamics. Google 'em and call em.
