Hi, new to board although I've been watching for a while. Just bought a new to me 228G. Been working on it since Feb 1 every weekend. Doing lots of mods. Anyway, I have a Yamaha 8 HP high thrust that I want to mount on the boat. What is the view of mounting it directly on the swim grid on the port side? There are some great mounting brackets out there that I think will work perfectly. But, from a safety perspective and weight will it be ok? That swim grid manages to handle my weight no problem, and, i'm a lot heavier than a 105 lb kicker (believe me). I feel it'll work, but, would appreciate some input from the experts. Also, last question, I would like to add a large fish box midship between the chairs in front of the fuel tank. There is a ton of room and depth in particular. Is there any risk in effecting the integrity of the boat doing this? Has anyone done it? Comments suggestions would be appreciated....
Mounting a Kicker
- Thread starter Matador
- Start date
Wow, thanks for the plethora of responses. Thought this would be a good place to find out info on a Grady. Was I wrong?
OK, I'll bite.
Although pictures would be nice.
Is the kicker power tilt? Is kicker for trolling or just emergency backup?
I put a T8 with power tilt on my Escape 209 by purchasing a welded aluminum custom fit bracket from a guy out west.
I'll find his name if your interested.
Although pictures would be nice.
Is the kicker power tilt? Is kicker for trolling or just emergency backup?
I put a T8 with power tilt on my Escape 209 by purchasing a welded aluminum custom fit bracket from a guy out west.
I'll find his name if your interested.
By swim grid, do you mean the plastic platform with the SS ladder and SS tubing?
Are you going to control kicker remotely or tiller only? Or EZ Steer rod?
Are you going to control kicker remotely or tiller only? Or EZ Steer rod?
I've got a 1984 228G (used to be a 222 or 226 but the transom was reworked, filled in, and a stainless marine swim platform/bracket that spans the entire width of the boat was added). I've been wondering the same thing about adding a kicker bracket, given the swim platform spans the whole boat. Also, regarding the space between the pedestal seats... from my understanding that is where the auxiliary fuel tank was located if the boat was purchased with that option. My was not and I started thinking along the same lines, that is a huge space! I was more interested in creating storage space for bumpers, ropes, beach anchor etc. as well as adding a fresh water system. I a put a 20 gallon freshwater tank all the way forward in that compartment, took up about a 1/3 of the space. There was already a fill hose and vent line run for the aux fuel tank so i added a water fill port right next to my gas fill port and used those hoses for my water tank. Also mounted the water pump there then ran the water hose over the top of the main fuel tank to the bilge area and the put a spigot by the transom. Wiring for the pump was an easy run from there up to my switch panel. Then I cut in a 12"x30" deck access hatch to access the other 2/3 of the space and built decking to make the floor of the space level from pressure treated lumber. Also gets the stuff up off the bottom of the boat so it will stay mostly dry as bilge water passes through there. Had to move one of the 2x4 and plywood supports for that deckplate all the way to the aft of that space, but it just screws into the walls of that compartment, no biggie. Space is at a premium on a boat especially for someone like me who weekends on it and man did that really create some priceless storage space. In regard to turning that into a fishbox... some companies make deck access hatches with drop in liners. That might be an option for you. You would want to figure out a way to insulate it though. The bigger problem is figuring out a way to let it drain. The bottom of that liner is going to be below the water line so gravity is not an option. If you design it so the liner can pull out then you could just pour it out. Whatever you don't block that ports at the bottom that let water move from compartment to compartment. If one bilge pump fails you want that water to be able to move so it can be pumped out.
The 8 HP Yam is a power tilt and I connect it to my main engine. I use it for trolling purposes. It gets a lot of hours put on it (pulled off my previous boat) to reduce low rpm hours on my main. I want to use the swim grid that spans the entire beam of the boat to mount the kicker. There are several brackets on the market that allow mounting kickers direct to transom. I can find one without issue. My ask really is from an engineering perspective, will the swim grid be able to manage the weight and continued motor torque over time?
Enic- you really get what I'm talking about re that space cavity. I don't have the optional fuel tank and that space is huge. I stuck my hand into it from the access bulkhead and could barely touch the bottom of the hull. I want to use the space some how. Maybe not for a fish locker, but, general storage as you suggest. Maybe that is the better suggestion as I don't want to get into a drainage issue. If I kept it for simple storage of bumpers and lines, I would be ok I assume to simple have a drain into the bilge right? Not that it should get any water in that area as its covered by the hardtop.
Guys, thanks for the input. You have renewed my faith in GreatGrady
Enic- you really get what I'm talking about re that space cavity. I don't have the optional fuel tank and that space is huge. I stuck my hand into it from the access bulkhead and could barely touch the bottom of the hull. I want to use the space some how. Maybe not for a fish locker, but, general storage as you suggest. Maybe that is the better suggestion as I don't want to get into a drainage issue. If I kept it for simple storage of bumpers and lines, I would be ok I assume to simple have a drain into the bilge right? Not that it should get any water in that area as its covered by the hardtop.
Guys, thanks for the input. You have renewed my faith in GreatGrady
IMO if the swim platform will hold you and/or a 400+ lb outboard creating a lot more torque than an 8hp then yes. However, be careful in how you mount the bracket to the platform, this is where you could run into trouble. If you're through-bolting the bracket to the platform, make sure to use a backing plate. Make one out of Aluminum or Stainless Steel angle. I would like to see the brackets you're talking about. The transom mount brackets are designed to mount to a vertical surface and if your swim platform looks like mine, you would be mounting the bracket to a horizontal surface. If you have any pictures of the bracket you're thinking about or your platform please share. Anyone else out there ever mount their kicker to a swim platform?
In regard to the storage space, letting your "stuff" drain into the bilge is fine. I don't think bumpers and lines will ever have that much water on them. However, expect that area to hold water at times even with a hard top and expect it to always be damp down there. That small amount of water that your bilge pump can't quite totally pump out will likely find its way up there. That's why I built the decking. Also, anywhere a screw penetrates fiberglass is a potential location for a leak. So the screws that hold the bow rail, rub rail, etc. are potential locations for leaks. For example I was getting water in my cabin when I first bought my boat. Checked the windows first obviously, but finally tracked it down to the screws holes for the rub rail. Took my rub rail completely off and re caulked every screw, and there are a lot of them! Solved the problem.
In regard to the storage space, letting your "stuff" drain into the bilge is fine. I don't think bumpers and lines will ever have that much water on them. However, expect that area to hold water at times even with a hard top and expect it to always be damp down there. That small amount of water that your bilge pump can't quite totally pump out will likely find its way up there. That's why I built the decking. Also, anywhere a screw penetrates fiberglass is a potential location for a leak. So the screws that hold the bow rail, rub rail, etc. are potential locations for leaks. For example I was getting water in my cabin when I first bought my boat. Checked the windows first obviously, but finally tracked it down to the screws holes for the rub rail. Took my rub rail completely off and re caulked every screw, and there are a lot of them! Solved the problem.
Heres the link the the vendor for the vertical transom mount kicker bracket. Its designed specifcally for a swim grid application.
https://www.adventuremarine.net/product ... &do=detail
They sell a backing plate which I would purchase and install on the underside of the swim grid. The 8 HP Yam weighs in at 105 lbs, so, I agree with your assumption of the load bearing capability of the swim grid. I stand on it at 215lbs and it seems very stable.
https://www.adventuremarine.net/product ... &do=detail
They sell a backing plate which I would purchase and install on the underside of the swim grid. The 8 HP Yam weighs in at 105 lbs, so, I agree with your assumption of the load bearing capability of the swim grid. I stand on it at 215lbs and it seems very stable.
Is the swim platform through bolted? The forces a kicker will put on the platform in a turn are a lot different than someone climbing on and off it.
Pictures would certainly help.
Assuming the main engine is mounted to the bracket, I think the kicker may be too low if you use the bracket you linked to. Wouldn't want to swamp the kicker.
I used an aluminum transom bracket similar to one shown on Adventure Marine and mounted it so my cavitation plate was even with boat bottom where the kicker was mounted.
I assume you're controlling throttle speed from the tiller arm?
PM me if you have trouble posting photoes.
Assuming the main engine is mounted to the bracket, I think the kicker may be too low if you use the bracket you linked to. Wouldn't want to swamp the kicker.
I used an aluminum transom bracket similar to one shown on Adventure Marine and mounted it so my cavitation plate was even with boat bottom where the kicker was mounted.
I assume you're controlling throttle speed from the tiller arm?
PM me if you have trouble posting photoes.
If it is, I'd remove the SS tubing and have a bracket built that will mount kicker at proper height, bolt to both transom and swim platform.
The centerline of the bracket would go right about where that SS tubing is.
There's a guy in Vancouver, BC that can do it.
This guy:
http://pages.pacificcoast.net/~bitemetoo/
The centerline of the bracket would go right about where that SS tubing is.
There's a guy in Vancouver, BC that can do it.
This guy:
http://pages.pacificcoast.net/~bitemetoo/