I have a 2001 Pulse 185 with a Mercury XR6 150. Today I had a CMC manual jackplate with 5 ½ inches of setback installed, along with a water pressure gauge and digital depth finder. Before the jackplate, with my motor trimmed all the way down sitting in my boat garage, the skag would be just about touching the floor. Now, in the same spot in the garage, it is 3 ½ inches from the floor. My question is where is a good place to start? I don’t want to give up my hole shot, because I do ski. I want a good position for all around use. Do I just take some wrenches out and experiment? Does anyone have any advice or experience with this setup? I am anxious to get the boat in the water with the jackplate to see what a difference it makes.
-
Welcome to the Checkmate Community Forums forums.
» Interact with over 10,000 Checkmate Fanatics from around the world!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions, articles and access to our other FREE features.
By joining our free community you will be able to:
» Post topics and messages
» Post and view photos
» Communicate privately with other members
» Access our extensive gallery of old Checkmate brochures located in our Media Gallery
» Browse the various pictures in our Checkmate photo gallery
Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact support by clicking here or by using the"contact us" link at the bottom of the page.
Jackplate
- Thread starter Drex
- Start date
I have a 2001 Pulse 185 with a Mercury XR6 150. Today I had a CMC manual jackplate with 5 ½ inches of setback installed, along with a water pressure gauge and digital depth finder. Before the jackplate, with my motor trimmed all the way down sitting in my boat garage, the skag would be just about touching the floor. Now, in the same spot in the garage, it is 3 ½ inches from the floor. My question is where is a good place to start? I don’t want to give up my hole shot, because I do ski. I want a good position for all around use. Do I just take some wrenches out and experiment? Does anyone have any advice or experience with this setup? I am anxious to get the boat in the water with the jackplate to see what a difference it makes.
jkeiper
Member
Hi Drex,
I have a 2003 Pulse 185 and I'm putting on the same plate. Two weeks ago I was at the factory and talked to them about it and they said for every 1" back you can go up 1/8". With the motor mounted without the plate the cavitation plate should be 3" above the pad. I'm going to start out with the jackplate set so the cavitation plate is 3-3/4" above the pad and go from there. Let me know how you turn out. I noticed, from another post you are from sw Wis. and run the river. Where do you run on the Mississippi? We launch at either Hastings Mn. or Prescott Wi. and either go down the Mississippi or up the St. Croix. We run between Hastings and Redwing a lot or up to Still Water on the St. Croix. I was born in Winona. I like it on the river.
Regards,
Jim
I have a 2003 Pulse 185 and I'm putting on the same plate. Two weeks ago I was at the factory and talked to them about it and they said for every 1" back you can go up 1/8". With the motor mounted without the plate the cavitation plate should be 3" above the pad. I'm going to start out with the jackplate set so the cavitation plate is 3-3/4" above the pad and go from there. Let me know how you turn out. I noticed, from another post you are from sw Wis. and run the river. Where do you run on the Mississippi? We launch at either Hastings Mn. or Prescott Wi. and either go down the Mississippi or up the St. Croix. We run between Hastings and Redwing a lot or up to Still Water on the St. Croix. I was born in Winona. I like it on the river.
Regards,
Jim
Jim
Is that how they set them up at the factory, the cavitation plate 3” above the pad? If that is the case then I am probably way to high right now. When you refer to “the pad” you are referring to the bottom of the hull, correct? I guess I will adjust mine down so the plate is about 3 ¾” above the pad. Is there any trick to measuring this or do you just use a tape measure and do the best you can. Also I am assuming you take this measurement with the motor trimmed all the way down?
We are located in Potosi, WI, right across the river from Dubuque, IA. We generally run the river between Dubuque and Guttenberg, IA. At least twice a year we make the trip from Potosi to Lacrosse, WI, it’s about 100 miles and is a great trip!
Is that how they set them up at the factory, the cavitation plate 3” above the pad? If that is the case then I am probably way to high right now. When you refer to “the pad” you are referring to the bottom of the hull, correct? I guess I will adjust mine down so the plate is about 3 ¾” above the pad. Is there any trick to measuring this or do you just use a tape measure and do the best you can. Also I am assuming you take this measurement with the motor trimmed all the way down?
We are located in Potosi, WI, right across the river from Dubuque, IA. We generally run the river between Dubuque and Guttenberg, IA. At least twice a year we make the trip from Potosi to Lacrosse, WI, it’s about 100 miles and is a great trip!
supergenius74
Member
I to am doing the same thing right now, not the same boat or jackplate but I am slowly raising my engine height on my new jackplate. I thought it really had more to do with the water pickup than anything else. I'm more worried about loosing water pressure and burning up the motor than how many inches up I started at. Before I put on the jackplate the center of my propshaft was 6.5" below the pad, rather deep, and after installing the jackplate and moving the slider up about 1 inch i measured the top of the water pickup to about even with the bottom of the pad. Ran and everything is fine, we even did a visual while it was running at full speed and the water line is about even with the cavitation plate so that puts my water pickup about 2+ inches below the surface. I am installing a water pressure guage next week and that should allow me to push it right to the edge. At it's current height its about 2-3 inches higher than original but I have not noticed any differance at all. It still porpouses pretty bad and the take off and top end are the same, no loss of hole shot at all. Maybe I need to go rally high and put a low water pickup on before I see any benefit from this jackplate. just my .02$
jkeiper
Member
Drex
I use my 4' level as a straight edge. Place the top against the pad (bottom of boat) then measure from the level to the cavitation plate with the motor at neutral trim. I always used to measure to the center of the prop shaft, but Mike at Checkmate told me to use the cavitation plate.
Regards,
Jim
I use my 4' level as a straight edge. Place the top against the pad (bottom of boat) then measure from the level to the cavitation plate with the motor at neutral trim. I always used to measure to the center of the prop shaft, but Mike at Checkmate told me to use the cavitation plate.
Regards,
Jim
JUPITER PULSARE
Well-known member
HEY SUPERGENIUS, YOU NEED TO GO MUCH HIGHER THAN WHERE YOUR AT. IF YOUR WATER PICKUPS ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE GEARCASE THEY CAN STILL BE ABOVE THE PAD AND STILL PICKUP WATER. GET THAT WATER PRESSURE GAGE INSTALLED AND CRANK IT UP ON THE JACK PLATE. YOU SHOULD LOSE YOUR PORPOISEING, IMPROVE YOUR TOP END AND HANDLING.
supergenius74
Member
Gotcha, Thats what I thought but was trying to be safe, the last thing i want to do is ruin the motor before the boating season offically gets going. I even heard you could plug the top 1 or 2 water pickup holes in order to go even higher, has anyone tried this before?
JUPITER PULSARE
Well-known member
HEY SUPERGENIUS, YOU CAN TAPE OFF THE TOP WATER PICK UP HOLES ON THE GEAR CASE. AGAIN, THE WATER PRESSURE GAGE IS A MUST, A TEMPERATURE GAGE WOULD ALSO BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.
JUPITER PULSARE
Well-known member
A CAVITATION PLATE IS THE HORIZONTAL RIB OR BLADE ON YOUR GEAR CASE ABOVE THE PROP. HOLE SHOT IS HOW QUICKLY YOU JUMP ON PLANE FROM A DEAD STOP.
Thanks for the insight on where to go. I am soon going to re-install my engine to the transom I just built. It still had the original transom plate attaching motor to hull. The "hole shot" (hope I am saying this right) was awful. I'd have to bring everyone to the front seats to plane off, and it usually would take me a few tries to plane. I ran at 80-82 though with my Enchanter when everything was said and done. Will a jackplate w/ setback effect my top end speed, improve hole shot? Any suggestions?
JUPITER PULSARE
Well-known member
A HYDRAULIC JACK PLATE WILL ALLOW YOU TO RUN THE ENGINE DEEP IN THE WATER FOR GOOD HOLESHOT. AS YOU INCREASE SPEED YOU RAISE THE JACK PLATE FOR LESS DRAG AND CLEANER WATER FLOW TO THE PROP. THIS WILL IMPROVE YOUR TOP END. BY HAVING SET BACK (MOVING THE MOTOR AWAY FROM THE TRANSOM) YOU GAIN CLEANER WATER TO THE PROP. WHEN MOVES ACROSS AND LEAVES THE BOTTOM OF YOUR BOAT IT BECOMES TURBULENT AND ALSO WANT TO MOVE IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION. THE VIRTUE OF HAVING THE JACKPLATE IS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS UPWARD AND CLEANER WATER FLOW. HOPE I DIDN'T CONFUSE ANYONE!!
JUPITER PULSARE
Well-known member
THE HYD. JACKPLATES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE ($600-$1200) BUT ARE WELL WORTH IT. THERE ARE A FEW GOOD QUALITY JACK PLATES OUT THERE; BOB'B MACHINE SHOP, DETWEILER, CMC, ETC. THE NEWEST JACK PLATES HAVE THE PUMP MOUNTED WITHIN THE PLATE SO THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO PLUMB IS THE POWER TO THE PUMP. THE OTHER PLATES HAVE A REMOTE LOCATED PUMP WHICH REQUIRES YOU TO RUN HYDRAULIC LINES THROUGH THE TRANSOM FROM THE PUMP TO THE RAM.