Garelick motor mount for kicker

colbysmith · Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 12:14 pm Post subject:

Ok, here is some photos. I have the Mini Jacker held in place with clamps. As you can see, it sits fairly high on the transom, and I'm just touching the trim tab piston in the lower right corner. I'm thinking this may work if I add some spacing material between the jacker and the transom. I think an inch would do it. Any recommendations on what to use? I'm thinking plywood possibly, or some hard acrylic plastic material. Have others needed to space the Jacker out some? Also, with it in this location, how do I access inside the transom to get to the bolts holding the jacker on? Have others found it necessary to remove the fuel tanks? The clearance between the main will be very tight in turns. Same with the clearance between the transom and the front gear selector on the Kicker. Colby

Sunbeam · Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:04 pm Post subject:

Okay, I see what you mean now. Couple of comments:

It looks like the Lenco arms are comparatively long and vertical (they attach to the transom higher up), so that's the source of the clearance problem. With the Bennetts, the top of the actuator arm enters the boat below the splashwell molding (and it does enter the boat because there is a hydraulic line), so at first I didn't get what you meant. Because of that, I didn't have any problems mounting the MJ as low as I wanted to - I only had to make sure to clear side-to-side with the actuator.

I mounted the MJ where I had seen others mount it, which was pretty much just snugged up against the underside of the black transom cap molding. This gives about a 3" rise over a direct transom (kicker) engine mounting (what I had before I added trim tabs). With this mounting, and a slight gap between the top of the MJ and the underside of the engine U section, all fit just fine (but I see why you may have to go higher or further aft or a combination of both.

So... it's not the plane you have to clear, but the actuator arm. Hmm, so a pad on the aft face of the Mini Jacker would not help (my first thought).

On the fasteners: I mounted the upper ones so they come in above the splashwell. The lower ones come below the fuel tanks. I have my fuel tanks out, so I was able to through bolt those no problem. However, I could also see using lag screws for those lower fasteners, since it seems the thrust on the lower part of the MJ should be inward... right?

My kicker was mounted (when directly transom mounted) closer to the main than to the side of the splashwell "wall" (the surface the motor cables come out of from the boat). I think the theory is that the main will be turned (or can be turned) when you are using the kicker but the splashwell wall cannot. Still, I moved the engine slightly towards the splashwell wall so as to work out best with the trim tabs. It's still closer to the main than the "wall" though.

I cut off the bottom half of that "quartered" plywood filler that comes with the MJ. Both my motor clamps and the motor attachment bolts fall well into the top section, so the lower section just seemed like dead weight. Since it was about 65% end grain, I then epoxy coated it and painted it (used grey bilgekote which I mixed to match the aluminum more-or-less).

Sunbeam

colbysmith · Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:36 pm Post subject:

I think if I could get my MJ (mini jacker) flush against the top transom cap, it would be in the right position for height. I've got some hard white plastic acrylic that I'm going to cut to fit between the MJ and the transom. Two of those should be enuf to allow me to drop the MJ to the position I want it. I agree with you about cutting the bottom half of that plywood pad. When I'm not using the kicker, I'll leave it tilted all the way up. I need to move it far enuf starboard, to give me room for full turn on the Main. But I also need to clear the splash well like you said. I don't know about just using lag screws on the bottom attachment holes. They would probably suffice if I got some good bolts going through also. With where I'm placing the MJ, even the top right bolt may be above the fuel tanks but behind the spash well.

Sunbeam · Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 9:02 pm Post subject:

colbysmith · Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 10:28 pm Post subject:

I finally got the Mini Jacker (MJ) installed. I ended up using some hard white acrylic material as spacers. The clearances will be tight between the kicker and the main, the kicker and the trim tab, and the kicker and the side of the splash well. I've also only got about 3/16" between the bottom inside corner of the MJ and the trim tab piston. But I think this will end up working out. I'll put some photos here of just the MJ installed. Also including a shot taken on the inside of the splash well to see where I ended up placing the bolts holding the MJ on. Those bolts are actually in the first, third and fifth dimples from the top on the MJ. The bottom right bolt is in the corner of the splash well. Next step, get the Kicker on.

[img]
The bottom starboard nut is right in the corner of the splash shield and kind of covered in the 4200 sealant. The bottom two bolts on this side I had to place from the MJ, with the nuts on the inside, as the holes were too close to the side of the splash well, which is somewhat angled in as you go forward, to get the bolt in from that side.

colbysmith · Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:34 pm Post subject:

Ok, got the kicker on now so that installation project is pretty much finished. However, I'm curious now as to the height others have set their kickers at, and what height they found best. As I have mine now, the cavitation plate sits about 2" below the bottom of my boat. Should this be a good heigth? It's all pretty much in line with my main. Colby

Spike · Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 6:37 pm Post subject:

The height of your kicker looks fine. In fact it sits lower than mine and I don"t have any problems.

colbysmith · Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:20 pm Post subject:

Thanks Chuck. Actually after staring at it for a while, I decided that it should be a little higher. I figured maybe the cavitation plate on it should also be even with the bottom of the boat. Just wanted to make sure that the little exhaust holes in the back of the shaft stayed out of the water. So I raised it 2 inches. I'll have to add more photos to my album here later. Now, both the main and the kicker is at a height that puts their cavitation plates even with the bottom of the boat. I still haven't gotten it in the water this season yet. Hoped to today, but spent most the day continuing to fine tune the kicker mounting, and working on the storage in the V-berth. Colby

Spike · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:03 am Post subject:

Colby As long as the kicker is out of the water when you have it tilted and are running on a plane I think I would leave it as is. It darn sure won't hurt it.

colbysmith · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 9:17 pm Post subject:

Too late.

Already raised it. Here are some photos of the final position I mounted it. Guess I'll find out when I finally get it launched this season how it works. Also, to better secure it to the boat, I drilled a couple of holes through the little plate along the bottom of the Kickers mounting bracket. I can also leave the lock and cable I currently have installed on it, but not sure I want to do that when I'm using the boat. How do others secure their kickers? Any problems with the mounting screw posts coming lose? Colby

The next image shows the two machine screws I drilled holes for and installed through the little bracket on the kicker, and the mini jacker mount. That little bracket is right along the bottom of the Kickers mounting bracket.

thataway · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 11:09 pm Post subject:

If I am staying on the boat, I leave the kicker on its bracket. If I am leaving it in a storage lot etc, I will take the motor off and secure it below. I do use some 3/16" cables covered with vinyl, but they are fairly easy to cut. I also use the motor screw locks--but those are also fairly easy to cut off.

In your case, your several extra screws are some extra security. If you want to use these as security you might want to peen the bolt threads over the nut.