# Short Shaft Motor and Transom Height Question



## tonyf (May 24, 2008)

I have a bass tracker and need a long shaft motor for it but have had the hardest time finding one. I have found a bunch of short shaft motors and have been thinking of a way to make one of them work. Does anybody know if I install this bracket and mount the motor to it if I can adjust the height enough to make it work on my boat? 

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...r=37067&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults


Thanks for your help!
Tony


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## GeorgeWBush (May 24, 2008)

I sent you a PM. Please give me a call on my cell phone.


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## Cypress94 (May 24, 2008)

What H.P. motor do you have?  You'd be better off inverting a jackplate.  Or, you can usually buy an extension kit from the manufacturer.  Good luck!


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## MudDucker (May 25, 2008)

tonyf said:


> I have a bass tracker and need a long shaft motor for it but have had the hardest time finding one. I have found a bunch of short shaft motors and have been thinking of a way to make one of them work. Does anybody know if I install this bracket and mount the motor to it if I can adjust the height enough to make it work on my boat?
> 
> http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...r=37067&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults
> 
> ...




Not really designed for that, its designed for an auxiliary motor, but it might work with a small horsepower engine.


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## lake hartwell (May 25, 2008)

I have never seen a bass tracker that called for a long shaft?? I have owned four of the 18 foot models. Prop shaft at 2 inch below bottom is considered "low' in water.


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## Nautical Son (May 25, 2008)

Tony, are you sure it's a long shaft transom????

Only saltwater boats typically have a long shaft requirement.

Meaasure from the center of the boat at the top of the transom to the very edge of the bottom. 15" is short,20" is long" 25" is an x-long.

If it is indeed a long you can absolutely invert a hydraulic jack plate and it will work.


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## Lawnmowerman (May 25, 2008)

*How long?*



TGattis said:


> Tony, are you sure it's a long shaft transom????
> 
> Only saltwater boats typically have a long shaft requirement.
> 
> Meaasure from the center of the boat at the top of the transom to the very edge of the bottom. 15" is short,20" is long" 25" is an x-long.




Gotta agree with Gattis,, Hard to believe it's 20". My 18' Seabreeze is. At the most I would think an 18"'er. Took me 2 years to find a 20" shaft with electric start and cable steering. Had to drive to Hazelhurst to get it. It's hard to find a small hp with a long shaft.


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## tonyf (May 25, 2008)

Well, since so many people were questioning it I went back and measured it again. From the center of the boat at the top of the transom to the bottom of the boat it is 20". This would mean I need a long shaft motor.

Lake Hatwell....I dont know which models you have owned but mine is a Pro Team 17


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## Lawnmowerman (May 25, 2008)

tonyf said:


> From the center of the boat at the top of the transom to the bottom of the boat it is 20". This would mean I need a long shaft motor.




Yep,,  Wow,,  That would be a long shaft. Shoulda known better than to question an aircraft simulatorist,,,,


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## lake hartwell (May 25, 2008)

20 inch is not a long shaft. 25 inch is a long shaft.


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## tonyf (May 25, 2008)

*Lake Hartwell*

Lake Hartwell please go to this site and take a look.

http://smalloutboards.com/shaft.htm


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## Lawnmowerman (May 25, 2008)

*length*

Lake Hartwell,,,  Told you, this guy flies aircrafts,,,, 

Sorry for questioning you tony,,,

Tony,I looked at a few of the Trackers and saw a few that did look looong. 

What size hp are you looking for?


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## lake hartwell (May 25, 2008)

15 inch is a kicker motor or for jon boat types
20 inch fits most fresh water boats, bass, ski, pontoon, etc. etc.
25 inch fits most salt water boats with extended freeboard transoms.
Trying to help but you can mount about anything on anything.


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## tonyf (May 25, 2008)

lake hartwell said:


> 20 inch is not a long shaft. 25 inch is a long shaft.



lake hartwell....i am confused about your last reply. you were saying that 20 inches is not a long shaft but 25 inches is. according to that website 20 inches is a long shaft. am i missing something??? now are you saying you can get anything to fit anything???? i could put a short shaft motor on my boat, of course, but it is not the correct one.

LMM....i am looking for a 9.9 but i may have found one. still waiting on the pics from the owner.


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## lake hartwell (May 25, 2008)

They make basically 3 shaft lengths, (as above), if you are buying a motor for a small jon boat type boat probably needs a 15 inch shaft like 10 hp motors use. They make longer shaft (20 inch) small motors that are designed for sailboats or "kicker" motors for walleye type applications. AT LEAST 95 % of motors for regular fresh water FULL SIZE boats, 25 hp and up (bass , ski, pontoon, etc.), use 20 inch shafts.  25 inch shaft motors are used of tall freeboard boats like salt water BUT some very large fresh water boats may use them. You can mount any motor on any boat but it will not perform at it's best. If your transom is 20 inches as you previously stated, then you almost certainly need a 20 inch lower unit motor.


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## tonyf (May 25, 2008)

ok i understand what you are saying but that still gets me back to why were you saying that a 20 inch motor is not a long shaft? i have been asking around for a 9.9 long shaft and it seems like you are saying i have been asking for the wrong motor?


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## lake hartwell (May 25, 2008)

No!!!!!!!! It sounds like you are putting a very small motor on a full size boat, I guess??? If the transom is 20 inches tall it will take a 20 inch lower unit motor. A regular 9.9 hp comes with a 15 inch shaft. It will cavitate and not get water to prop nor water pump when underway. I think the misunderstanding is regular motors and little kickers have different references.


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## tonyf (May 25, 2008)

i dont know where the confusion is but i have spoke to several people that have 9.9 long shafts (20 inch shafts). do you not think they don't make 9.9 with 20 inch shafts?


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## Lawnmowerman (May 25, 2008)

tonyf said:


> i dont know where the confusion is but i have spoke to several people that have 9.9 long shafts (20 inch shafts). do you not think they don't make 9.9 with 20 inch shafts?




I've got a 9.9 , 20"


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## tonyf (May 25, 2008)

LMM....are you rubbing it in or are you telling me it is for sale?


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## lake hartwell (May 25, 2008)

Uncle, I give, I have tried! They make 20 hp and below engines in 15 inch and 20 inch shafts. These are considered kicker motors or jon boat motors. ANY regular size motor (25 hp to 300 hp) will come in short shaft 20 inch or long shaft 25 inch.


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## Lawnmowerman (May 25, 2008)

tonyf said:


> LMM....are you rubbing it in or are you telling me it is for sale?




C'mon Tony, not you dude. I'm rubbing Lake Hartwell. 

Everything I've got is for sale,,,,


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## JarheadDad (May 25, 2008)

A 20" shaft is called a long shaft Tony. A 25" is called an extra long shaft. Your Tracker needs a long shaft. So do a whole bunch of boats 16' and up. Mostly because they are generally rated for 25 hp and up which requires a deep 20" transom to handle the weight and torque.

And you better not get near me at the ramp in the dark or you may find your new motor missing. But you won't have far to go to find it!


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## tonyf (May 25, 2008)

*JarheadDad*

The "pro" has stepped in and settled it.  Thanks. I dont know why this was being made into such a long discussion. I knew that I needed a 20 inch shaft motor and that was a long shaft motor. I dont know why others were trying to convince me otherwise.

By the way JarheadDad....congrats on that 3rd place finish. I bet you thought I did not check on you. You were out "poled" 2 to 1 and still finished 3rd.


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## JarheadDad (May 25, 2008)

Thanks Tony. If I wouldn't have fished Lanier Friday night and fallen asleep on Sat I might have got those guys! I woke up in a cove and made it back to the ramp with 1 min and 20 sec to spare! And they were countin' too! Heh!  

I only weighed 1 fish on Horton Sunday. Caught 4 shorts and trust me, I was real proud of that 1 I did weigh! HA!

The Rock without a gas motor next. You have no idea how much I'm lookin' forward to that!  

I get what Hartwell was saying but it is confusing when you're discussing different types of motors. In "big" motor lingo a 20" is a short shaft and a 25" is a long shaft. Problem is you were asking about "small" motors with the classifications of short, long, and extra long. What Hartwell calls kickers. That probably doesn't make sense either but well, there you have it!  

BTW, you CAN invert a jack plate and make a short shaft work. But your arm will be out of the socket from trying to steer that booger all day long!


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