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engine height on 16' Whaler
zappaddles	#1  Posted on 10/25/10 - 4:19 PM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	I hung the 2003 70 HP Yamaha on the 16' Whaler this evening and found a couple of problems as follows: 1) In order to bolt the bottom of the engine bracket, the lowsest from the top of the transom I can drill a hole for the bottom engine bracket bolts is 8". The slot on the lower part of the engine bracket starts 10" down from the top of the transome; engine is presently bolted on the top bolt. 2) Planing plate is about 1/2" up on the transome. Is this where I need one of the transome brackets that sets the engine a bit further back and allows engine height to be adjusted while also allowing the bracket to be bolted on the top and bottom of the engine mounting area. Help and suggestions are much appreciated. Vince Zappia
Joe Kriz	#2  Posted on 10/25/10 - 4:21 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11447 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	What year is your Whaler? See this article: http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...icle_id=82
zappaddles	#3  Posted on 10/25/10 - 4:26 PM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	It's a 1970.
zappaddles	#4  Posted on 10/25/10 - 5:34 PM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	Joe, I read the article and would also prefer the through bolt method. Even if I were to lagscrew the lower bolts, I still have the situation with the engine height. What do folks usually do in this case?
Tom W Clark	#5  Posted on 10/25/10 - 8:19 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	This is an FAQ. Read the article Joe linked to. Raise the motor 1-1/2" on the transom and then through bolt the lower slot at the very top of the slot. The bolts will clear the splashwell.
zappaddles	#6  Posted on 10/26/10 - 5:29 AM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	Hey Tom, If I raise the engine on the transome to satisfy the need to have all 4 bolts securely in place, the planing plate (anti-cavitation?) plate will be 1 1/2" above the bottom of the hull. As I understand it the proper relationship is to have that plate even with the bottom of the boat. This is why I had wondered if the additional engine bracket might be needed. Thanks, Vince Zappia
Tom W Clark	#7  Posted on 10/26/10 - 7:13 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	If I raise the engine on the transom to satisfy the need to have all 4 bolts securely in place, the cavitation plate (anti-ventilation) plate will be 1-1/2" above the bottom of the hull. Yes, that is exactly where you want it. As I understand it the proper relationship is to have that plate even with the bottom of the boat. No, that is incorrect.
zappaddles	#8  Posted on 10/26/10 - 1:20 PM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	Thanks for the clarification. Just stopped by the local marine dealer and was told about the threaded hole on each side of the engine bracket where bolts are installed from the splashwell into the engine bracket.
Tom W Clark	#9  Posted on 10/26/10 - 1:58 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	Yes, those are called "blind holes." You do NOT want to use them.
zappaddles	#10  Posted on 10/26/10 - 2:04 PM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	What is the option?
Tom W Clark	#11  Posted on 10/26/10 - 2:24 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	Again, I direct your attention to this article: http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...icle_id=82 Use the existing upper bolt holes in the transom and drill two new hole in the position of the GREEN holes in Joe's drawing. When you mount the motor, use the third set of upper holes on the motor in conjunction with the top most of the lower sets of holes on the motor. This will place the motor in the "two holes up" position or about 1-1/2" above the top of the transom. Right where you want it in other words. By using those green holes you will have a hole layout in your transom that conforms to every outboard made. They all use the BIA standard now so if you change motors in the future you never again have to fool around with filling and re-drilling holes in your transom.
zappaddles	#12  Posted on 10/26/10 - 3:15 PM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	Hey Tom, If the holes in the mounting bracket on my 2003 70 hp Yamaha TLRB model engine are supposed to look like the picture in Joes article, they do not. On the top of my engine mounting bracket there are 4 in-line holes set 3/4" O.C. apart. Below that, and set closer to the centerline of the bracket, is a 2 1/2" slot that starts 10"+- down from the top of the engine mounting bracket. Other than the blind holes, there are no other bolt holes. However, if I understand you correctly, I can raise the engine to be set in the third from the top of the aforementioned 4 in-line bolt holes (thereby raising the engine 1 1/2" and then drill new holes which will allow me to use the slot that is in the bottom section of my mounting bracket. Is this correct? Out of curosity, why shouldn't the blind holes be used? Thanks for your help and patients, Vince Zappia
Geo	#13  Posted on 10/26/10 - 4:16 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 104 Comments: 4 Joined: 11/05/08	I have this model Whaler. Raise the engine high enough so that you can retain the current upper holes while drilling new lower holes. The engine will end up 1 or 2 inches above the transom. The cavitation plate will be 1.5 "" or more above the keel. Get a prop that will compensate for any potential cavitation (15 inch cupped, Stiletto). The lower holes need to be drilled so that they exit into the lower part of the splash-well where you can affix the nuts. This is not complicated, but you will need to fill in the older lower holes so you have no leaks.
zappaddles	#14  Posted on 10/26/10 - 4:35 PM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	Geo, thanks for the reply. I know it's not complicated.... It's just a brand new venture for me. I just re-gel-coated 100% of the boat and would sure be disappointed if I drilled an unnecessary hole. The root of my confusion is that I was under the incorrect impression that the anti-cavitation plate needed to be more closely in line with the bottom of the hull than it apparently needs to be. The tip on the cupped blade is especially appreciated. Thanks again, Vince Zappia
Joe Kriz	#15  Posted on 10/26/10 - 4:59 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11447 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	If you use the blind holes, you CANNOT raise or possibly lower any engine. It is stuck there. You do not want to use the blind mounting holes. It would be better to use lag bolts in the lower slot rather than the blind holes. This way you could still raise or lower any engine in the future. Yes, the lower mounting bolts have a slot on most engines. Some however do have bolt holes at the bottom just like the top holes.
zappaddles	#16  Posted on 10/26/10 - 5:04 PM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	Thanks Joe, I figured out why to not use the blind holes shortly after hitting "post reply". Regards, Vince Zappia
Tom W Clark	#17  Posted on 10/27/10 - 7:09 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	If the holes in the mounting bracket on my 2003 70 hp Yamaha TLRB model engine are supposed to look like the picture in Joe's article, they do not. No, the drawing represents the possible holes to be drilled in the transom of the boat that will conform with the BIA bolt pattern standard, NOT the holes in the outboard motor's mounting bracket. All outboard motors manufactured in the last 25 years that are 40 HP and larger use the BIA bolt hole pattern. This allows boat manufacturers to accommodate all outboards on their boats by knowing where the mountings may be. The BIA pattern was first used by OMC in 1960 and OMC also added the blind holes for situations where you could not easily reach the lower bolt holes on the motor, which is exactly the case with the classic 16'-7" Whaler. Thus it is VERY common to find a 20 or 30 year old Whaler with its Johnson or Evinrude outboard mounted all the way down using the blind holes. But as Joe points out, if the blind holes are used, then you are stuck if you want to raise the motor. Yamaha copied OMCs blind holes on some of their models. Other manufacturers did not use them at all. Furthermore, some manufacturers use five sets of holes and some only four. Some manufacturers use individual holes on the lower part of the mounting bracket and others use a continuous slot representing the precis range of the individual holes, but in all cases, any set of holes are always on the BIA bolt layout so any boat with the BIA bolt pattern in its transom can accept any outboard. The spacing on the bolts holes is always 3/4" so that is the increment that you can raise or lower a motor that is bolted directly to the transom.
zappaddles	#18  Posted on 10/27/10 - 11:29 AM
Member Posts: 478 Comments: 2 Joined: 06/03/10	Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I'll eventually be able to post pictures, of the re-build, and results of the engine placement. Regards, Vince Zappia