What should the height or depth of the motor be on the pontoon?

[Rssuttle]

We purchased our first pontoon this week 21’ SSX with a 115hp Yamaha. It was mounted at a small dealer 2 hours away. The motor sits as far down as the mounts allow. Does anyone have the same set up with pictures you could share or maybe see if motor is mounted any differently. Maybe adjust your motor sonits level and take picture to see where the large fins sit compared to the toons or the bottom of middle transom. I feel as though the motor sits to deep. I’m getting a lot of water coming up at the transom.
I plan on taking it to my dealer close to me.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[The Hillbilly Barge]

Mine is 2 holes up, however so are having cavitation issues with that high setup

 

[Rssuttle]

Im not having cavitation issues. I’ve only ridden with two of us in pontoon. I can raise trim about 3/4 at 20ish mph and will get cavitation. I’m getting a lot of water coming up on each side of the transom with just us two. Feels as if I’m not fully coming to plain. with trim up just before cavitation I get no bounce in front like is light. My mount has no holes. It has 6” slot so you can raise and lower.
Saturday I’ll have 8 people on board and will see how it does.

 

[dannyleininger]

We purchased our first pontoon this week 21’ SSX with a 115hp Yamaha. It was mounted at a small dealer 2 hours away. The motor sits as far down as the mounts allow. Does anyone have the same set up with pictures you could share or maybe see if motor is mounted any differently. Maybe adjust your motor sonits level and take picture to see where the large fins sit compared to the toons or the bottom of middle transom. I feel as though the motor sits to deep. I’m getting a lot of water coming up at the transom.
I plan on taking it to my dealer close to me.
Any help would be appreciated.

I also have a SSX, mine is a 22’. My Yamaha 150 was also attached as yours was. I’ve had no problems however I do get considerable water splash at the engine. Here’s my photo. If you zoom in you should be able to see how/where the engine was attached.

 

[BigKahuna]

The cavitation plate on the outdrive is usually even with the bottom of your center tube. Check out RPM and Speed while cornering and towing tube in Technical Stuff. Vikingstaff posted an excellent picture of different motor set ups.

 

[White Laker]

Is this a pontoon? Or a Tritoon? If it’s a pontoon Does it have lifting strakes? If it’s a standard pontoon you will never fully plane off. You’ll just hit maximum speed while pushing water.

 

[Vikingstaff]

Here is the picture Daril mentioned above, but still worth checking out the thread he mentioned as there is some additional information and a linked article there about motor depth mounting.

 

[BigKahuna]

Is this a pontoon? Or a Tritoon? If it’s a pontoon Does it have lifting strakes? If it’s a standard pontoon you will never fully plane off. You’ll just hit maximum speed while pushing water.

Good question Whitelaker. I just assumed it was a tritoon.

 

[Rssuttle]

We purchased our first pontoon this week 21’ SSX with a 115hp Yamaha. It was mounted at a small dealer 2 hours away. The motor sits as far down as the mounts allow. Does anyone have the same set up with pictures you could share or maybe see if motor is mounted any differently. Maybe adjust your motor sonits level and take picture to see where the large fins sit compared to the toons or the bottom of middle transom. I feel as though the motor sits to deep. I’m getting a lot of water coming up at the transom.
I plan on taking it to my dealer close to me.
Any help would be appreciated.

The more I look the more it looks right. If what I see online is correct. Once I get 5-6 people in maybe sitting from the helm and forward may level it out. My speeds are fine 28-29mph with 2 of us in boat. I’ll know more about after Saturday Sunday. Here are pictures. I could move it up to see but gonna talk to dealer or more of you. Seems that most folks I’ve talked too all have the motor set as low as possible.
thanks

 

[Rssuttle]

Is this a pontoon? Or a Tritoon? If it’s a pontoon Does it have lifting strakes? If it’s a standard pontoon you will never fully plane off. You’ll just hit maximum speed while pushing water.

It’s not a tritoon

 

[Vikingstaff]

It’s not a tritoon

Yup, and with that 115 its going to sit even lower due to weight in back without the same buoyancy and support that the tritoon provides. I think you could drop it one whole but not sure it would make any difference with it being a dual toon. You are correct that having people sit predominately up front will help lift the back a little bit.

As for getting on plan, I don’t think that is going to happen much with a dual toon - probably not at all with much weight/people on board. Does it have lifting strakes to help out a little bit? Overall, I think its going to push through water instead of getting up on plane and gliding across the water like a tritoon.