I find that my copperhead does not shoot low enough on my transom. I have a 1442 aluma craft, and I feel that the motor should sit about 2" lower. I always have to put weight to the back, the best kind if plows forward, there us no rooster tail at my best rpms, and worst of all, when trimmed all the way down, the prop us not low enough when I get in mud. I really don't want to cut the transom, and wondered if mounting this "mini jacker" upside down would work?

http://m.basspro.com/MiniJacker-for-Cla ... t%2Fnot%20 provided

Worth a shot?

If your motor was too high wouldn't it make the motor want to blow out of the water? The higher your prop is out of the water the higher rooster tail you will have. Well then again maybe your angle is wrong. Maybe adding a wedge in back would help. It could be a few different things. Them motors act funny on smaller boats sometimes. I had to add a bigger trim tab on my old 23.

In my brain, which is a scary place, I'm thinking that if the motor is too high, in order to get the right amount of prop in the water, I have to trim down more than normal, which changes the angle at which the prop is pushing against the water. To me, I would think that it is pushing up somewhat on the rear of the boat, and keeps the nose low.

By dropping the motor, the motor would need to be trimmed a little higher to accomplish the same amount of prop in the water, however, this would change the angle at which the prop is pushing at optimal RPMS. It would be angled slightly more upward.

Maybe I'm chasing something that just aint there.

However, those wedges do look like they would help in the mud (5*?). Not sure exactly what it would do to overall performance by changing that angle.

Thanks, I'll try it out.

Ordered this to try.

Would I have to drill through the transom to mount my motor with the wedge, or would I still be able to use the clamps?

Have you measured your transom? That would be the tell tale sign as if its too high.

Supposed to be 15, it measures 16.

16 is pretty standard. You measuring straight up, or against the transom?

16 is standard, what rpms and speeds are you running?

By myself and with no load: 3870 - 3940 RPMS
Speed - about 26

2 guys, a dog, and a light load - 23 RPMs steady 3870


With no load or anything, it rides really flat, almost nose low, without any rooster tail. If I get much rooster tail at all, I lose speed.

One of my friends that has a GTR noted that the motor didn't go very low when trimmed all the way down. I noticed it when I got "temporarily Immobilized" and couldn't get enough prop in the mud.

ETA: measured against transom.

Trimmed all the way down the top of the prop should be level with the bottom of the boat. See what yours is at and go from there. You are getting good speeds, rpms could be a little higher unloaded. But this could be from you trimming down to gain speed

Also the boat is supposed to be flat riding with these motors. They do not ride like an outboard. It is designed to slide over mud. Your RPM's and speed sound right.

I'll check it when I get home. I don't think it was that low though.

I have seen a few other folks that with the same hull are getting around 29 mph with similar hulls.

I know its only a couple MPH, but fast is good. I'll bump 27 occasionally, but more consistent on 25/26.

ETA: Out of water RPMs have been about 4000/4050. I just had my carb adjusted a little and have BPS Exhaust coming in on Monday. That may give a few more RPMs, but I doubt I will notice much difference

New motor? You may need prop work to get that speed you are seeing everyone else get. Copperhead doesn't make their own props.

Also if the angle is wrong on the motor, you can change it by messing with the knuckle joints that is between the trim bracket and steering bracket. If you back the top one out (toward the belt housing) and tighten up the bottom one(towards the transom), you can add more angle to the motor without messing with the boats transom.

My top knuckle is just about all the way out and the bottom one is all the way in. I can trim my motor down about 10 below the transom.


Look at this pic and see if yours is the same. The knuckles are what the pivot bolt goes through.

Thanks cmiller. It's got about 50hrs on it (new in September). Not sure how fast these props get eaten up, but I only had it in mud real bad once since it was new. About 25 minutes in really soft mud. Never in sand or hard bottom.

I will look at that when I get home tonight. I never noticed it, but that doesn't mean it aint there.

If I can't figure it out, I'll take a picture and post it.

ETA: I see what you are talking about, im 96% sure mine is the same way.

Where are you at in SE Louisiana?

Thibodaux.

OK cool. I know we chatted about hunting PAC a while back. Holla if you need some more help.

Hahaha

Looks like mine is already set with the top out, bottom in. Not sure if the top one will go out further.

Also when trimmed all the way down. The prop is lower than the hull by an inch or so.

Roll with it! You are getting good speeds, good rpms, just trim up a little if you want a rooster tail. If your prop was worn id think the revs would be higher, trimmed up I run 4050 with a new prop and down itll run 3950

You mean top of the prop too correct?

Yes. With prop vertical.

Think it would be worth trying the wedge,or not worth it?

Id say screw it, your performance is great with that motor. Play around with weight a bit to see if itll go a little faster. Or if you really want more, start saving to have heads worked, cam, and carb

You think I would have to bolt through transom to mount this:

http://www.amazon.com/T-H-Degre-Positiv ... B0000C6I2T

Or could I just use the clamps?

redfisher ive wondered the EXACT SAME THING. My 1442 alumacraft runs fastest with all the weight in the back because it plows. I know trim up, trim up, but i start losing speed. the Motor hauls ass (~29mph) but i gaurentee if my transom was 2" shorter i would go over 30. This motor pushes this boat hard but it runs out of performance because it plows. i havent measured my transom but a copperhead dealer said it the correct transom size for my motor. i think it sits too high but i really dont want to cut down my transom cuz of backwash over it when coming to a stop. please let me know what you end up doing cuz it kills me leaving easy performance on the table.

Flat front?

You can build or for cheaper. Hell I might even still have my old shim in my shed that you can have on da house.

Its funny to read this i was wondering the same thing i also have the 23 copperhead with a 1542 and i ended up cutting down the transom and was amazed that cutting it dropped the prop a few inches ,, if you read the instructions when copperhead sent motor it said that the top of prop should be at bottom of boat and in the instructions told you how to adjust the motor.. my motor came maxed out on adjustments so i decided to cut it .... haven't ran motor yet but before experienced everything you described

Wedge I bought was too big and did not fit. I'll return it to amazon.

Ran my boat Saturday and Sunday. Got stuck a little on Saturday. Boat ran great after getting a little work done (carb and belt tension).

Sunday, I had 3 man load (180lbs, 300lbs, and 150lbs) 2 dozen decoys, full hunt load + fishing gear and an ice chest. I was running 22-24 in shallow water and steady on 22 in deep. Ran steady at around 4000 RPMs in the water.

I think I just need to accept the limitations of having a jon boat with a 23 on it. For what I have into the boat, I doubt I could ask for any better. It hauls ass with 1/2 people and moves at 20mph+ completely loaded down. I might try to make some type of wedge one day, but it seems like no matter what anyone has, everyone is searching for something just a little better.

WhoDat i hear what you're saying. I just think power is wasted trying to lift the back of the boat out of the water. I would rather all my power be pushing directly forward. Im not saying the transom height is wrong because Copperhead knows their stuff however I still would prefer it to be 1-2" lower.

Im gonna leave it as is because it runs well and dont have any great ideas. thanks for the advice whodat

I ordered a 161/2 inch motor transom and my boat transom is a 17 inch and i don't know if I ordered the motor transom to long