Aquasport 222 identification and rebuild

[Blue Agave]

h20ryder, I can tell you with absolute certainty that the shaft of your motor dictates the construction of the bracket and the placement of the bracket on the transom.  I can't imagine that the manufacture would have made you the bracket without knowing the shaft length of your motor.  If the bracket is for a 20" shaft and your motor is a 25" shaft a jack plate will be your only recourse and that is if you properly mount the bracket at the correct height.

[seabob4]

Agree with Nando on the "look" of the bracket...I'd say for a 20".  Right now, I'd stop what I'm doing, get that motor up to the mounting holes, and see where that LU falls...

[h20ryder]

I know I measured the motor before placing the order for all of the dimensions to work so it must be a 20". I will roll the engine stand to the bracket and see where it sits.

What's the ideal location? Or what part of the motor should I be looking at lined up with what other area? I'm clueless here guys so any input will really help. Thanks

Also, I found the pic I had saved previously from Hermco on the Classic Sea Craft site with a jackplate on the bracket. Hermco is the poster so I'm sure he knows what he's doing.

[seabob4]

Hermco makes an excellent bracket, I would assume he asked the right questions.  But, just to make certain, it will take a few steps, but it's not complicated.

First, move your engine over to the bracket to simulate hanging it.  Almost all builders design their transom such that, bracket or no bracket, the engine is mounted in the 2nd hole down.  So you need to approximate this.

Second, assuming the boat is on pretty level ground, make sure the motor is at totally neutral trim.  That means your cav plate is the same distance from the keel, vertically, fore and aft on the plate.  As long as you have the motor PRETTY close to it's installation position, measure from the floor to the leading edge of the plate, record that dimension.  Mark on the floor where that dimension was taken from.  Move the motor out of the way.

Third, get a straight edge (L-channel aluminum works great) that is long enough to secure to the hull bottom and will reach the engine location.  Secure the straight edge to the hull bottom (this is a perfect 2 man job, get the wife to help you out!) adjacent and parallel to the keel.

Fourth, the easy part.  From the mark you put on the floor, measure up to the straight edge.  The rule of thumb with brackets is for every 12" of setback, you raise your motor 1".  Since we want a cav plate basically level with the keel on a standard transom, a 24" setback bracket, you should see 2" of difference between the straight edge and the measurement of the cav plate you took earlier. 36" setback, 3" of difference.  

Granted, since we are approximating here since the engine is on a stand, the measurements aren't going to be near exact...we're looking for "in the ballpark".  What we ARE looking for is measurements that are WAY out.  That will tell you A) whether the bracket was designed and fabbed for the proper motor shaft wise, and B) whether the bracket was installed at the proper height.

Hope this helps...

[Blue Agave]

Did the bracket manufacture not provide mounting instructions?  I recommend giving them a ring.

[Capt. Bob]

Just following along on this.

I received a mounting template with my bracket.
When I had my B-Bracket fabricated, I told the shop that I wanted the bracket mounted flush with the transom motor cutout. This was for a smooth transition between the splash well and the deck of the bracket.


The bracket maker told me the rule of 1" per 12" setback (as stated by SB) and designed the bracket to have the motor cav. plate mounted 2" (bracket was a 26" setback) higher than the line of the hull bottom when mounted at it's lowest position on the bracket. This would allow for adjustment higher up but not lower based on my 25" shaft length. When I questioned that design he stated that any lower would degrade performance.  :|

I was fortunate that this was my first bracket and I was able to take the boat to the builder (sans engine) for him to measure. Great when it can be done but that often isn't the case so providing measurements would be critical for obtaining the best performance.
With a jack plate, you should be able to fine tune yours and hopefully obtain the performance you're looking for. I enjoyed mine a lot.

Good luck.

[seabob4]

CB, I HOPE you replaced that rigging hose...

[Capt. Bob]

I'm not sure if it was but....

That was when I was cannibalizing the CCP and a member wanted the engine. He later purchased the hull also and I never took the motor off. Cutting that rigging hose was hard both mentally and physically. :cry:

[h20ryder]

Thanks for all the info guys. I tried to roll the engine to the bracket but it almost tipped twice so I have to wait until I can get someone to help me. Its on a Harbor Freight engine stand and rolls well on smooth concrete but the rough aggregate stuff behind the boat keeps hanging up the wheels and starts to tip plus I have to make it over 2 freeze joints. No bueno.

I have some angle aluminum and will use that to get the measurement, great idea. Unfortunately my driveway is on a pretty decent downward slope so I will have to match the keel angle with the concrete angle by jacking the front of the trailer and go from there. I have one of those dial angle finders so that should help and hopefully I can get some pretty accurate measurements that way.

Bob your B-Bracket placement was really nice right at the height of the transom lip. I didn't really think of that on mine, wanted a little wave gate there which is how I chose my location but I'm sure yours was less likely to trip someone going in and out.

I followed the mounting instructions from the bracket builder: 3" up from keel, top of platform should be at 19" up from keel (16" tall float box) which is right where I'm at. They didn't give a mounting template so I made my own and all holes line up perfect. Drilled, test fit, overdrilled and chamfered, then filled with epoxy to be re-drilled.

Motor is a 20" I double checked this morn

[seabob4]

Might want to de-rig that motor...

[Capt. Bob]

Bob your B-Bracket placement was really nice right at the height of the transom lip. I didn't really think of that on mine, wanted a little wave gate there which is how I chose my location but I'm sure yours was less likely to trip someone going in and out.

You are correct in your thoughts. The CCP transom had a splash gate behind it so mounting the bracket flush was doable without worrying about a following sea coming in. On the other hand with the bracket mounted flush, I did get at times a good amount water flowing into that rear splash well area.

You have the right idea for your transom cutout. I would have done the same too.

Good luck.

[h20ryder]

I have never even started the engine. It came with the boat and the previous owner said "it runs perfect" so it must right?? We will see when the time comes. I did test the tilt yesterday and works fine, looks ugly on the outside but under the cowling is super clean and looks immaculate.

Here's a shot with the scuppers drilled. They may not be above water line but I'm using the ping pong ball style.

[Tx49]

If those are the scuppers for the self bail, it won't matter if they have a ball-check, they won't work if they are below water level. If they are pumped then they will. Sorry if I missed anything that answers that already.

[h20ryder]

I didn't think of that. If the ball is already submerged it will float and block off draining. I hope it's above the waterline or I will have to mod it.

Floor was raised 1.75" during the rebuild and originally there was a drain chanel that dropped about 1" below the stock floor to the scuppers but since I never had it in the water I have no idea how it sat. My float box on the transom is 39" wide which is pretty big and gas tank and console were moved forward also. All batteries will be in the console too.

The new scuppers are 2.25" higher than the original ones. Used a drill guide to cut them perpendicular to the 12 degree deadrise so half the diameter is above/below the deck level.

[Capt. Bob]

Well you won't have that inevitable 1/4" of standing water.

What's the plan for the thru hull itself?