portabracket on a 170?`

[ANTIBLING]

Has anyone ever seen a portabracket on a 170? I need to redo my transom and I am really considering closing it in and adding a portabracket or similar system. Has anyone ever seen a closed transom on a 17?

[compcrasher86]

Why not? I think porta-brackets are very cool, and you should go for it.

The only thing I would be cautious about is too much tongue weight. Basically, your 170 was only designed (flotation-wise) to have a maximum amount of weight on the back. Using a porta-bracket will add the weight of the bracket as well as put the motor back more which means there will be more of a downward force on the transom, pulling it down more. Maybe somebody here has experience with the 170s and reassure you

[ANTIBLING]

Im just throwing around my options at this point. My boat has been sitting in my buddys shop for months just waiting for me to work on it. The transom needs to be rebuilt, and the floor looks to be going soon. Plus I dont know if I even want to put that much work into a boat this small. I found a 72' 19 footer that im going to look at tomorrow that may be a better candidate for the 2004 115 yamaha sitting in my garage.

[compcrasher86]

yea the new yamahas can be like, really really heavy so I would wait for a 170 pro to kick in and give you some advice. I really like porta-brackets though so give it high consideration. That 72 19 footer sounds like a great option. Im pretty sure the 70's 19 and 22-2's are almost exactly the same minue the 3 feet so it will be quite similar to mine. I can vouch that the hull design is one of the most elegant and strategic designs out there, it just cuts through waves. I'm pretty sure SJwiley is taking on a similar project with his '73 19-6 (http://www.classicaquasport.com/forum/v ... php?t=3564) so he might know more about the boat than me.

[ANTIBLING]

Yeah the older aquasports have beautiful lines. I almost picked up a 78' 222 this weekend but it was gone after 2 hours of being on craigslist. Sold for 2500 in next to mint condition!

[compcrasher86]

wow thats amazing! I picked up my '73 22-2 for 2900 right off the launch ramp cause the owner was frustrated and slapped a sign on it. 2900 for the hull in mint condition and an '87 140hp Evinrude that still runs great

[RickK]

Where I bought my rebuilt motor for my 170 there was a 170 in the storage lot and I asked the shop owner about it while I was hanging out.  The boat had a closed in transom and a bracket on the back with a 150 4 stroke (if I remember right) on it.  The guy said the owner of the boat, a buddy of his, wouldn't listen to him that the bracket added the weight too far back, like cc86 just mentioned, and he went forward with the rebuilt anyway.  Looked real nice.
On his maiden voyage he came off plane real quickly and the boat sank from the backwash - all in the first 10 minutes of the voyage.

[ANTIBLING]

Where I bought my rebuilt motor for my 170 there was a 170 in the storage lot and I asked the shop owner about it while I was hanging out.  The boat had a closed in transom and a bracket on the back with a 150 4 stroke (if I remember right) on it.  The guy said the owner of the boat, a buddy of his, wouldn't listen to him that the bracket added the weight too far back, like cc86 just mentioned, and he went forward with the rebuilt anyway.  Looked real nice.
On his maiden voyage he came off plane real quickly and the boat sank from the backwash - all in the first 10 minutes of the voyage.

Thank you rick, that answers my question perfectly  

I'll take pics of this 19'6 im looking at tonight and maybe you all can give me feedback on what you think about it.