Thoughts on jack plates

Hey guys getting a new 1756 crestliner jon and am looking for input on putting a jack plate on it. Pros and cons are what I,m looking for and what company makes the best one. Looking to run some pretty shallow water if it stops raining.

Thanks from Jeff.

Are you thinking a tiller? If so, I would make sure the jackplate still makes the motor comfortable to run as the handle will be so many inches farther back. If is a console, you won’t have to consider this.

FDR

I dont think a jack plate will help any more than what trim can do for you in shallow water. Jack plates are primarily used to adjust the motor up or down, to get the highest efficiency out of your motor at high speeds. Reduces drag.
Another thing to consider is jack plates put a lot of torque on the transoms and many 18ft and under boats are not built for jack plates. Jack plates on smaller boats the benefits are not much if any IMO.

Have you considered a jet outboard or getting an aftermarket jet lower unit for your existing outboard?

A jack plate is more about boosting top end performance than it is for shallow water running. Yes, it will minimize your outboard’s draft, but what that gives you in real terms might be only a few inches of reduced draft.

Grouse

I have a jack plate that came on my Ranger 618VS, and it gives me about 3mph on the top end, but as far as shallow water running it helps a little bit. I can deffinately get into some skinnier watter for sure compared to what I could before, but I’m gonna be limited due to the hull shape and the size of my prop I run a big stainless prop and I’m pretty leary about getting to shallow with that thing.

I can vouch for a jet. On that boat the Merc 40hp jet would rock. A little story, I went up to a friends cabin who runs a Ranger bass boat. We took a cruise in my Alumacraft 1648 mod-v with 25hp Merc jet and ran accros “stumpy bay”. I did it on full plane at 20 MPH, he sat and cringed on the deck of the boat bracing for impact. We scooted a cross unaffected. We then returned at a slow cruise where the submerged stumps gently nudged the motor from time to time. He was astonished. Jets hate weeds, but on an outboard you just reach down and pull them off.

http://www.outboardjets.com

They help more with high end speeds and performance as other have said. I know every Bass pro has one on their boats. They seem to think they help and there on the water for a living.