Thinking about adding a jackplate

[jacksonmj]

I have an 89 Hydrasports 150VS with an Evrinrude 150XP and have been thinking of adding a jackplate. I picked one up cheap on the for sale board but was just looking at another post and someone said the HydraSports are known to have a weak transom. Mine is fine now but it's also an older boat and I don't want to create any issues since I need this boat to last two more years until my wife is out of nursing school. So for those that have added a jackplate to an older boat did it create any issues? I know that if it's installed correctly it shouldn't be an issue just worried about the extra force that is going to be put on the transom.

[Melton Jason]

Mine came with a 6inch plate on it, as long as the transom is solid it shouldn't be a problem. Just curious who told you that the transoms are weak on them? I have seen a few guys do some repairs and they sure looked thicker than most other boats I have seen.

[lilmule]

Just did a repair on the transom its a composite boat but guess they thought bulletproof.
No stringers molded in for support so cracks where transom joins splash well.
If jp has a sharp edge and you have rough water install a back plate from `/4 alum to keep it from digging in,I also added support via ski tow type bracket from transom to back of boat.My 1986 vl270 has plywood to divide and make compartments even that ends short of the transom.
If transom is solid a 4-6 in jp should pose no problem,just visually check and often.
I have a yamaha 2.6 150 hp hanging off mine.

[jacksonmj]

It was from a post on here that someone said it and I have no clue if it is true or not but just don't want to damage the transom by adding the jackplate. The transom now is rock solid. Here is a link to the post I was talking about:
http://www.bbcboards.net/zerop...86081

[lilmule]

As with any older boat a jp adds leverage,thus thrust upon it.
They were factory installed 4-6 in most likly had a certain max unknown but a small jp should pose not much of a problem for a healthy transom.
And as with any older boat one should check that transom each and every time out.
In my case we re talking about a 26 year old boat and a boat must flex a bit in order to survive and over time flex makes cracks.
Dont think mine is going anywhere even if it does recrack

Thats on a 4 in jp with a 2.6 L yamaha 150hp