Black motor vs white motor height

[Skoontz]

Got the Georgenator Merc all dialed in, gearcase on, ready to rumble at Havasu...

got a Q or two. We are running the OMC in A, Merc in AXS on the same Dawecraft boat.

The Merc is a full 1.5" lower in the water than the OMC. If I shim it, the top of the motor clamp washer will be even with the top of the transom to get the gear foot high enough to be legal and fly. It seems this is kind of Polish, unsafe, and Yickigion, as there is not allot of transom for the motor to grab that will be left.

So, what I been thinking (dangerous when I think) is if I made an aluminum jack plate for the transom, but, cut a notch out of the middle so I can remove the shim for the OMC....That way, aluminum would wrap the shim
for the Merc, and I would have a little more meat for the transom clamps to work....

OR.....Am I over thinking this, and will the Merc be OK mounted over a shim that just sits on top of the transom with nothing but the weight of the motor holding it down?

KT and I are excited about this motor, and my dad would be rolling in his grave, but, it actually looks better on the back end of the boat.....

[RICK BIRD]

got The Georgenator Merc All Dialed In, Gearcase On, Ready To Rumble At Havasu...

Got A Q Or Two. We Are Running The Omc In A, Merc In Axs On The Same Dawecraft Boat.

The Merc Is A Full 1.5" Lower In The Water Than The Omc. If I Shim It, The Top Of The Motor Clamp Washer Will Be Even With The Top Of The Transom To Get The Gear Foot High Enough To Be Legal And Fly. It Seems This Is Kind Of Polish, Unsafe, And Yickigion, As There Is Not Allot Of Transom For The Motor To Grab That Will Be Left.

So, What I Been Thinking (dangerous When I Think) Is If I Made An Aluminum Jack Plate For The Transom, But, Cut A Notch Out Of The Middle So I Can Remove The Shim For The Omc....that Way, Aluminum Would Wrap The Shim
For The Merc, And I Would Have A Little More Meat For The Transom Clamps To Work....

Or.....am I Over Thinking This, And Will The Merc Be Ok Mounted Over A Shim That Just Sits On Top Of The Transom With Nothing But The Weight Of The Motor Holding It Down?

Kt And I Are Excited About This Motor, And My Dad Would Be Rolling In His Grave, But, It Actually Looks Better On The Back End Of The Boat.....

Yes It Will Work Just Make Sure You Screw The Jack Plate To The Boat To, Bill Allen Does With Some Of His Boats From Stock To Mod

[Skoontz]

Hieght questions

So, I made a .090 transom jack plate, 90° mandrel bent to form the transom. A wooden shim will be used to keep it on top, then #10 stainless screws will hold it to the back end. So, next Q.

The Merc is sitting on the boat as we speak, almost ready to hit the lake this afternoon.

The engine is kicked in 1/2" end of prop shaft to front of bullet ( prop shaft lower than bullet)

My measurement under the bottom is 1 5/8". The legal A/AXS height as most know is 1 3/8". Is this going to be enough below the bottom if we need to drop the motor in rough water? Or, should the motor go lower so we have the latitude to shim up?

After we set this height, I am cutting a notch at current transom height the OMC motor will sit in, so, this is the method to the madness.

Any suggestions?

[G Stillwill]

Depending on the tasom angle I never saw that much differance between the Merc and OMC My boats are 13 degree and only see an inch of differance between the two. When I cut the transom height on a new boat its fot the OMC with a 1/8 shim to make it the leagle height of 1 and 3/8 when I screw a 1 inch block on top of the transom the Merc is leagle with no more then a 1/4 inch shim. With these dimentions the washers on the Merc are about a 1/2 inch from the top more then enough to keep it on the boat. I never drop a motor for rough water I have props that are for that The saying props that test great but doesnt race well at all is mostly they wont run in rough water which after the first lap its rough water.

[Skoontz]

Thanks George. That answer nailed it. With the plate, the 7/8" shim, i am completely legal for the Merc, with some good adjustment....Now time for the OMC to fit. Once the notch is cut out of the jack plate, it should fit perfectly.

One thing that was goofing me up here, is after running in the ocean, i flushed the engine very well,. I never thought about the thrust block. The threads on the block were seize, and the plastic unscrewed....So, the blue wrench came out, copper anti seize on the threads, and now i got full adjustment...

I'll make it to the water today yet. Will I see 54-55 MPH, or more.....I'll just bow to the God of Speed and tell him 60, what the heck!

[Skoontz]

More questions

We brought out the Merc at Havasu last weekend and no less than 20 racers came up to me while KT was out on the course and said things like, "that thing is a rocket" , "KT is flying", etc etc etc. And we ain't even got it propped right yet. She had a good 2 mph on the field in AXS and was able to power through the turns. She told me the boat is handling differently than with the OMC, and here is my assumption so please chime in with anything you may have to add.

The Merc is sitting a full inch higher than the OMC, and, the way it is built, the powerhead is a good 4.5"-5" higher than the OMC. The engine feels like it is 10 lbs heavier, but since I did not weigh it, I don't want to say that.
In the rough water, the boat appeared like it was going to launch any minute. I ran the engine tucked 3/8", at legal depth and the prop had a pretty deep cup on it.KT told me she had to lean allot farther outside the boat to keep it on a good level slide, and that was evidenced by how wet her cut suit and jacket were on the left side.

So, is this normal for the Merc to have a pretty big difference in handling over the OMC, and, if so, can you suggest what if anything is done to correct it?

This engine had the crowd looking real hard, and I never thought I would ever say this about a black engine, but, man what a difference! Good Job George!

[G Stillwill]

Bill the Merc is ten pounds heavier then the OMC and does sit higher and you will feel a differance. I run a wide bottom boat 36" with an off set cockpit reg B&H axsh/ash .If your running a high rake clever it will carry the front higher. When she gets to the turn and the front is high its not setting the fin without her leaning into it. I have to do the same thing but once it sets I can slide all the way back and turn on the outside rear corner. She may need more fin or deeper fin and you may need to tuck it a half inch. Val really gets up on the fin when she turns look at some of her pictures. I get to see her do it every weekend from behind Glad the motor worked out for you

[Steve Warnock]

Jack Plate

Get a hold of Tad Olson here in the midwest. He has a real slick option. If we had the boats out of storage I could take pictures. We can go from a Merc to OMC (vica-versa) in less than 20 mins gased, proped and dry fired. Motors are in the same position. If we had Dave Scott merc motor thottle linkage we could shave 5 mins off when going from the OMC to the Merc.( J Committee)
He has a tapered cast front plate so if the motor is not tight, it will tighten as the motor moves up. The boat adjustable wooden plate has brass pluggs in it and the shim has pins to fit the plugs to add security to the whole assembly. Once you got it figured with the proper power tools its like a NSACAR pit stop for Rachel and I.
This really works if the race committee schedules ASH and AXSH in the same flight.
If interested PM me and I'll get you Tads info!!

Warbs