Jack Plate, pros and cons

Bassaholic · 07-12-2013, 11:13 AM

Hi Guys

OK so I was advised to get a jackplate for my new boat.

What are the pros and cons of fitting one. Is it really necessary or is it just a nice to have? Does it really make a huge difference

Jim_From_Zim · 07-12-2013, 11:24 AM

Boat?
Motor?
Hp?
prop pitch?

smurf · 07-12-2013, 01:02 PM

It is not 'necessary' on any boat,but certainly a nice to have in view of the fact you can run your motor gearbox in 'cleaner' water,and in some cases,but not all,you will be able to raise the motor a tad and get a bit of extra speed.Downside is that it puts substantial extra strain on the transom,and if this area is not built right,the transom will start to crack,particularly in the splashwell area.It definitely will not help to catch more fish !!

BassBaas · 07-12-2013, 05:28 PM

A jackplate makes a huge difference in performance. I have had several boats now and every time I needed to adjust the engine height to optimize performance. The trick is to get the height just right and that is not so easy.
Recently I installed a hydraulic jackplate to my current boat and even though I was getting 116 km/h before installation I can tell you that the jackplate makes a huge difference in total feel and ease of operation. I am glad that I spent the money and it is worth it, I can now adjust the height on the fly and get the bow lift and comfort I want for the conditions on the day.
Sometimes the water is rough and then a deeper setting helps but mostly it needs to be lifted for performance.
(just remember to keep an eye on the water pressure....it's easy to fry the motor if it's lifted too high)

Bassaholic · 07-13-2013, 04:50 PM

Thanks guys, makes some more sense now.

Ianversfeld · 07-14-2013, 07:23 AM

Hi bassbaas

What brand plate did u install? I have a jp on my boat, but looking to replace it with a hydrolic version. They are pricy, so don't wanna buy the wrong thing. Lekke

BassBaas · 07-14-2013, 09:13 AM

@ianbass,
I installed a CMC jackplate which I managed to buy second hand. It is not the high speed version but it moves up and down fast enough for my liking. The setback is 5,5 inches and it moves from the totally down position to totally up (5 inches) in about 8 seconds. It came with a gauge and that helps a lot to get to the required height without having to look backwards at the setup while driving, so once you find the sweet spot height, the gauge makes it easy to set it again.

griff · 07-15-2013, 07:24 AM

Bassaholic Wrote:Hi Guys

OK so I was advised to get a jackplate for my new boat.

What are the pros and cons of fitting one. Is it really necessary or is it just a nice to have? Does it really make a huge difference

What boat. I say this as on mine it made matters worse. Check with other people with the same boat to ensure it does help and also what step back are they using. Ask Ask Ask everyone you can before handing over cash.

BassBaas · 07-15-2013, 07:51 AM

Whow Allen, that is the first time I hear that a jackplate worsened the situation. I am not saying it aint so as every boat is different, just that on all the installations that I heard of before it helped to get that sweet spot for the setup.

griff · 07-15-2013, 08:34 AM

BassBaas Wrote:Whow Allen, that is the first time I hear that a jackplate worsened the situation. I am not saying it aint so as every boat is different, just that on all the installations that I heard of before it helped to get that sweet spot for the setup.

Crackleback 500 10". The built in setback on the boat did not like the plate on there.

Brenden · 07-15-2013, 09:35 AM

I had a Rebel 532 without a jack plate when I purchased it. I then put a new motor on with a CMC hydraulic jack plate and it made the world of difference to the performance of the boat. It became way more responsive and felt cheeky if you know what I mean. the boat runs further back on the pad and is more loose. It also moves the cabling further back leaving a little less clutter on the back end. I have a jack plate on my ranger and can really say it makes a huge difference even with the built in set back on the transom.
I recommend it.

BassBaas · 07-15-2013, 03:16 PM

griff Wrote:
BassBaas Wrote:Whow Allen, that is the first time I hear that a jackplate worsened the situation. I am not saying it aint so as every boat is different, just that on all the installations that I heard of before it helped to get that sweet spot for the setup.

Crackleback 500 10". The built in setback on the boat did not like the plate on there.

I heard that Neil built the Crackleback 500 "NOT" to need a jackplate....I definately learnt something today. Have you ever tried one with less setback?

griff · 07-16-2013, 12:57 PM

Never did. After that scare I have opted to stay far away from top end runs.

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Jack Plate, pros and cons