Outboard transom bracket recommendations?

[JeffM]

I have just become the proud owner of a Suzuki 2.5hp short shaft motor for my CS20.  (Short shaft in hope I could also use it on a Michalak Piccup Pram.)  When hung on my old Duckworks tripod mount, the motor can't be raised more than about 45 degrees before it hits the top edge of the transom.  (It has 7 inches between the front of the pad and the transom and needs at least 3 inches more just for the skeg to clear the water, and much more to lock it in the raised position.)  I think I'd prefer an adjusting (lifting) bracket -- I can picture myself getting in trouble around docks with my lower end sticking way back from the transom -- but nearly all of these these are heavy, made for much bigger motors (or only 2-strokes for some reason) and all are very pricey.

 

Any experience or opinions welcome!

[Steve W]

Well, since no one has chimed in, I'll add my .02 

 

Since the CS20 boats have good freeboard, you need a way to have the motor lower, but you already knew that. The Suzuki, like most other mounts, needs space when you tip it forward. Even though the tiller tips up, the motor itself needs some clearance. This makes it so that the bracket has to have a lot of room, or spring up so the motor is above the transom. Both ideas have problems. 

 

In the long low bracket, with enough room for the motor to tilt, the weight is aft which isn't great. You can scooch forward to trim the boat, but it's amazing sailing in the company of others how many boats are dragging the transom.

 

In the popup bracket, the motor in it's raised position is high, raising the CG........where you also don't want it. You will need to remove the motor during travel with any bracket. 

 

I believe the best option is to study the pages where integral mounts were made and design you own. Here is mine:

 

 

That is the start of the area of where I started  and follows over a few pages.

 

I stole Graham's idea from Carlita but at his recommendation put it on the Starboard side. It wasn't that hard and the results are excellent. I did start out with a short shaft and I failed to realize that if I went forward the motor would be a bit starved for water and the exhaust would be above water. I converted to a long shaft by buying the parts. If I had to do it all over again, I would have cut the mount in a few inches lower and called it a day. When I sailed in the company of @amos I noticed his short shaft Suzuki 2.5 was fine. 

 

The results are a sturdy place to keep the motor while trailering, and a low CG close as far forward as possible.

 

I hope this helps. 

 

[R Jones]

Jeff, I will add that I had a similar struggle with my CS17mk1.  I ended up using the ugly spring outboard motor bracket but did find a sliding bracket (garelick adapter plate 71053:01) that allows for bracket  removal.  These adapter plates appear to be discontinued but maybe you can find one.  

Randy Jones 

[JeffM]

Thanks, Steve.  I'm not willing to cut up my transom and aft deck, so I'll likely go with a spring "adjustable."  I agree I don't want the weight farther back than I can manage.  But I can't imagine the raised motor on a spring bracket making much difference to the CG of my heavy boat.  I'm curious why Graham recommended it on the starboard side of the transom.  I had planned to put it to port, but I could be talked out of it.

 

R Jones, what brand/model of bracket do you have?  I'm confused by the specs of the brackets I see when they set limits on 2 vs 4 stroke, or have a minimum hp (like 6hp) and why that would matter.  I also find them insanely expensive, but...

Thanks in advance!

[Reacher]

I would think about making a fixed bracket that bolts to the transom and provides sufficient clearance aft. Wood, epoxy, maybe some fiberglass reinforcement and maybe some aluminum angle. 
 

Or find someone to weld a couple of simple steel arms that you can attach the motor plate to. It’s only 2 1/2 hp.

 

Wes Kisting? Built a fine CS20.1 10-15 years ago and made a removable mount that used a metal tube that fit into a socket on the transom. Maybe it’s possible to dig that out of the site archives.

 

Good luck.

[Reacher]

Jeff, I have a spring loaded outboard bracket that I use for a 15 hp on an i/o motorboat. It is in the smaller range of these types of brackets but I really wouldn’t think of mounting it on my CS 20. It is overkill for what you need. And I’m not certain the top of the bracket motor pad when extended would be lower than the top of your transom as is. It takes a lot of weight to overcome the springs and get the bracket down. My 15hp 2 stroke weighs 75 lbs and I still have to push it down into position. That would be worth checking out. In a couple months I can take a picture.

[JeffM]

Thanks, Reacher.  I think you've finally talked me out of an adjusting bracket.  My motor only weighs about 30lb.  Thanks for the suggestions!  I need to think some more.

[Reacher]

Jeff, after talking you out of a spring loaded bracket I have to admit that I don’t have a better option for you aside from making your own. So…

 

If you determine that the spring bracket would fit on the transom and that the bracket motor pad would be lower than the transom by the right amount and otherwise fit your needs, then you could probably modify it with lighter weight springs appropriate for a 30# motor and make that work. But personally I would keep looking.

[R Jones]

My spring loaded outboard bracket on my Belhaven19  is a Fulton MB1710 rated for 20HP 2 stroke, 5 HP four stroke, and max weight of 120lb. It is plenty strong. Vertical travel is 13 inches.

I've used it with a 3.5 hp 24lb long shaft two stroke outboard and a 6 hp 60lb long shaft four stroke.  Never had trouble moving it up and down with either motor, but you will have to push down.  

If you go this direction, I recommend getting one with the maximum vertical travel available.  Even then you may have trouble making a short shaft motor work.

One other consideration.  I jumped to the 6hp to get the a remote fuel tank after an ugly experience refueling the little motor in heavy weather.  The 6hp at 60% throttle achieves about 4.5 knots with modest noise and seems to run forever on the 3 gallon external tank.  I suspect the B19 and the CS20 are similar enough that you'd get the same performance. 

Randy Jones 

[Don Silsbe]

@Reacher— I had installed a fixed bracket on the transom of my 17 mk1.  To get the Suzuki low enough, it wouldn’t latch in the tilted position.  It hit the transom.  It’s a difficult problem.

[JeffM]

Thanks, R.  I'm going to poke around and see if I can find a Fulton.  I'm glad to hear one of these things can work.  

Reacher, I'm thinking seriously if building my own lifting bracket.  (What could possibly go wrong?)  Instead of the 14" of travel it would take to get the lower end clear of the water, 7" would get it high enough to tilt fully.

[Reacher]

Enjoy the project! In the last couple of years I did a front tabernacle mod to my CS 20 and made a swivel to assist stepping the mizzen mast. Both made a big difference and were satisfying to do.

 

Prototypes are fun, and the transom bracket is something you can screw to a sawhorse and tank test in a garbage can.