Motor setup southbay

patrick mccarthy

patrick mccarthy

Active member
Hi
More southbay questions.
My first boat, not sure on the proper setup for the motor position.
I have a 20hp efi suzuki i'm running on it. I know it's big but If I need the power I'll have it.
I raised the motor mount up to 16".
On the test drive my friend said the bow was coming up to high.
My friend in the front 275lbs 1/4 throttle and it comes up 12-15".
I am at the last hole and still need more negative trim.
Can I use wood shims between the motor bracket and transom to change the angle? Do I need to make a new motor mounting board with a different angle?
Thanks
Pat
 
Patrick~

I've never owned a South Bay - but here is a motor board I made for a friend's. He runs a 9.9 Johnson (2-cycle) and is happy with it. I used a clear piece of treated 2x10 - and put 2 coats of epoxy on it before painting.

IMG_9054_zps97d550cf.jpg


It's interesting that your bow comes up so quickly - because most guys I talk to tell me South Bays do not rise into a head sea - but put their noses through instead.

If you make a new motor board to get more rake to your transom, the spacers can be tapered 2-by stock. (This is how I made mine for my Sneakbox - but I do not have a photo.)

BTW: The cutout in the bottom gives access to the drain plug and can serve as a lifting handle - when there's no motor on the boat.

Hope this helps,

SJS
 
I have owned a south bay for 30 years, only complaint I have it does ride bow high if weight is not balanced. I have moved my gas tank forward to the bow, also have a throttle extenion as to steer boat standing center. Heavy motor plus hunter = a high bow.
 
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My southbay rides bow high with a 15. Moved gas tank and battery under the bow which helps. You can't sit on the combing as it sits stern deep. Use a short extension handle and when powering up go into a wide turn to get up on a plane. I'm not a lightweight and it works for me.
With the 15 it gets scary full speed...
 
Thanks. I was sitting on the combing when Operating the boat.
I will see if I can find an extension handle. I was going to put my decoys under the bow. Each bag weights about 50lbs. I know it's alot of motor for the boat. I hunt the niagara river, current I would guess on average 10-12 knots.
Some say up to 27 knots. Do you want the boat bow high in that strong of a current?
 
Sitting on the gunnel can be risky also, I kneel while under power. Weight distribution is vital to plane off. Now is the time to play with that. Dog also gets used to the ride. I put my decoys along the sides, as I only use 6-8 decoys. If I hunt big open water, I use decoy bags stowed forward and tied.
Take it out for a ride and move the gear around for what works for you. Take the rod and check out some fish and maybe a new hunting spot.
Have fun with the boat... We try to hunt with another boat or tell someone where your hunting. Cell a must or marine radio [should be on sale now].
 
All the Southbays I know run high in bow. As mentioned, put the load forward. I added flapboards to the bow that fold up to hold decoys etc. and down to hunt. Here it is, (15-hp and a dozen cork birds on the bow) how it has always run. I don't know if it should be running differently but I don't think there's a problem and handles fine (I'm open to suggestions). My boat does have a bit of a twin rooster-tail with water coming up on either side of the outboard that I haven't seen on other SB's. I don't know what that is about.

View attachment Thomas running boat resized.JPG


Tom
 
The bows ride high. You need an tiller extension in addition decoy racks on the bow really help adding weigh to the bow and give you additional room.
The boat by design does not ride well as compared to a barnaget. Notice how narrow the stern is. If you put to much power you porpoise, not enough you do not plane off.
I am not sure about the 16'' board, I have tried many different heights and found 4 1/2'' about the deck works for me.
 
Just bought a South Bay earlier today. Can wait to take it out on a test run. Mine has a 20hp on it, and there is a tiller extension that telescopes. The boat is in beautiful shape. Can't wait for the LI season to open so I can put it to the test.
 
Thanks for all the great info. Not many sneakbox type boats here for me to go see and use for reference.
Any close up views of the decoy racks you built for the bow?
Do most of the Long Island hunters have a SB in their fleet of duck boats?
 
Just bought a South Bay earlier today. Can wait to take it out on a test run. Mine has a 20hp on it, and there is a tiller extension that telescopes. The boat is in beautiful shape. Can't wait for the LI season to open so I can put it to the test.
Click to expand...

Congrats. This will be my first year with the SB or any boat.
Hopefully the silverbacks will be early this year.
 
Patrick~

Here is the forward stool rack I built for my first Grassboat (circa 1981). The 3 pieces stowed under the foredeck when not in use. There was no hardware - the sides engaged the front piece with slots in both pieces. I had no dodger on this boat so it also kept errant seas out of the cockpit.

I had first built a rear stool rack like traditional Barnegats have - but found that the room needed for the outboard tiller made it impractical.

On the other hand, in my later boats, I simply stored my bagged decoys up forward - either lashed on the foredeck or in the forward end of the cockpit.

Grasboat1-stoolrack_zpseb06ec84.jpg


Finally, a tiller extension is a virtual necessity for any small powered duckboat, in my opinion. In addition to enabling you to adjust the boat's trim, the combination of the long tiller and the dodger - as a handhold for your right hand - make it safe and easy to stand at the helm. This is very helpful once in shoal waters so you can see the bottom. And, idling long, enjoying the world after a satisfying hunt - it's just one of those sublime feelings.....

SSWAAugust2011-SJSinSneakbox_zpsacc2a573.jpg


For safety's sake, I usually knelt (before my knee replacement 2 years ago) amidships when going fast or in a heavy sea.

Two-manGrassboat-SJSatspeed_zps45fd837f.jpg


All the best,

SJS
 
They are plywood with oak grass rails. I mounted wood blocks to the deck then used a belt sander to level the top of the blocks so the hinges work. A spliced rope ties them to the dodger grass rail board to limit how far they open. If I did it again I'd make them larger, so when lowered each would be just less than half the bow deck (like some other SB owners did). Then the sides would be higher when open and I would not need to grass the deck with them down.


View attachment Flap Boards 2.JPG

Tom
 
Just bought a South Bay earlier today. Can wait to take it out on a test run. Mine has a 20hp on it, and there is a tiller extension that telescopes. The boat is in beautiful shape. Can't wait for the LI season to open so I can put it to the test.
Click to expand...


Congratulations Bill, good luck with it!

Tom
 
I'm gonna watch this post for I'm new to the southbay duck boat & am rigging up one now.But i've replaced alot of rotten wood on boats so whenever i can use something else I'm gonna & i used palstic wedges( used for tree work) on a don warren 14' to give it some much needed neg transom angle.I also place my decoy bags right on the bow with the bow line over them and like the way they ride. i've had 3 full bags on my 12' don warren and when returning to the ramp had people waiting to see what i was, bags with a head popping over once in a while.
 
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