Long shaft motor onto shortshaft transom

[Iowanboater96]

Hello everyone, I am relatively new to boating and I am currently working on my first boat project. I bought a very inexpensive 1961 aluminum Starcraft runabout. 16' long. When I purchased it an older short shaft motor was on it. Because the transom is in a rotting state i thought I would do it right and redo the transom. To get to the point I bought a newer more reliable 96' Force 50hp long shaft. I thought if I just build the transom up to align the cavitation plate the long shaft motor would work. I haven't had this boat it the water yet but I am worried that the water pump intake will not be fully submerged. Please if there are any suggestions I would like to hear them. I'm wanting to use the boat for tubing/kneeboarding etc. and reasearch suggests that the plate should be at the same lever or even higher the the bottom of the transom. Thanks for taking your time to respond!

 

[Bondo]

but I am worried that the water pump intake will not be fully submerged.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... The water pickup is below the cav-plate on the motor ain't it,..??

 

[CrazyFinn]

Back in our racing days we used to line the prop shaft up with the bottom of the transom - more or less - and we still managed to pick up enough water to cool the engine. You won't be planing nearly as high out of the water, and running the engine deeper than we did (we ran with only the bottom half of the prop in the water). You should be just fine...