I did a search on this topic & didn't find much, so I'm asking the collected wisdom for their experience/opinions on this issue. My o/b is a 2-cycle 6 HP Yachtwin model that I believe the PO got with the original boat (‘93). I believe it's a regular shaft. There are two problems I perceive for which I’m contemplating installing an adjustable o/b bracket. 1) It just doesn't bite down far enough into the water. I can't go forward without at least a little cavitation, even in fairly calm conditions, so the Admiral and/or kids are always being tasked with deploying ground tackle or collecting the jib or other jobs on the foredeck (in itself, not a real problem 
). We seem to make good enough speed under power, but I still think the prop should be lower. We haven't yet encountered many heavy seas while motoring, so I can't really comment on cavitation in those conditions. I know I could just get a long shaft motor, but a bracket seems a heckuva lot cheaper option! 2) The o/b seems to have some forward lean to it even though it's on the pin setting furthest forward. What I mean by "forward lean" is the prop is slightly aft of the head. Even if I had an additional setting available to make it more of an upright angle, the deck/hull joint of the "sugar scoop" would prevent the prop end from moving any further forward. (I'm not really versant in engine issues, so perhaps this is the correct orientation already. Somehow I'm thinking if you get the o/b humming, the bow will plane a little, so the angle will be correct, but on the other hand we're talking a sailboat here, not a Chriscraft.) I'm formulating the notion that an adjustable o/b bracket attached to the existing wooden bracket in the engine well would solve these issues. Our last boat also had a regular shaft o/b, but it came with the adjustable bracket & it made a big difference. It would allow the o/b to get much further down & interference with the transom would be a non-issue. It could also be angled more upright. When I tilt up the o/b after cutting the engine currently, the clearance out of the water is fine. So I'm not concerned about that aspect, though I do need to turn the engine head just so to be able to get enough swing to engage the tilt lock. A bracket would alleviate that minor issue. One of the concerns the archives raised in the only discussion I could find on this topic was that the wooden fixed mount might fail -- between the weight of the bracket itself in addition to the leverage being generated by moving the o/b further aft. Another issue I’ve contemplated in this regard is if the lines/aesthetics of the boat might be impacted negatively. Thoughts? As always, any useful input will be greatly appreciated! ~ Kevin s/v Grasshopper Brownsville, VT
). We seem to make good enough speed under power, but I still think the prop should be lower. We haven't yet encountered many heavy seas while motoring, so I can't really comment on cavitation in those conditions. I know I could just get a long shaft motor, but a bracket seems a heckuva lot cheaper option! 2) The o/b seems to have some forward lean to it even though it's on the pin setting furthest forward. What I mean by "forward lean" is the prop is slightly aft of the head. Even if I had an additional setting available to make it more of an upright angle, the deck/hull joint of the "sugar scoop" would prevent the prop end from moving any further forward. (I'm not really versant in engine issues, so perhaps this is the correct orientation already. Somehow I'm thinking if you get the o/b humming, the bow will plane a little, so the angle will be correct, but on the other hand we're talking a sailboat here, not a Chriscraft.) I'm formulating the notion that an adjustable o/b bracket attached to the existing wooden bracket in the engine well would solve these issues. Our last boat also had a regular shaft o/b, but it came with the adjustable bracket & it made a big difference. It would allow the o/b to get much further down & interference with the transom would be a non-issue. It could also be angled more upright. When I tilt up the o/b after cutting the engine currently, the clearance out of the water is fine. So I'm not concerned about that aspect, though I do need to turn the engine head just so to be able to get enough swing to engage the tilt lock. A bracket would alleviate that minor issue. One of the concerns the archives raised in the only discussion I could find on this topic was that the wooden fixed mount might fail -- between the weight of the bracket itself in addition to the leverage being generated by moving the o/b further aft. Another issue I’ve contemplated in this regard is if the lines/aesthetics of the boat might be impacted negatively. Thoughts? As always, any useful input will be greatly appreciated! ~ Kevin s/v Grasshopper Brownsville, VT
