Jack Plate
Posted: March 17th, 2003, 3:18 pm
I have only read about them, have not been in a boat with one, Would it make a difference on fishing the Aucilla and Econfina Rivers? 
It depends on the boat, Pops. I run a 10" offset jack plate on my bass boat. The jack plate gives you the ability to raise the motor. The theory is, the further back you set the motor the higher you can run it. There might be a prop issue involved, also. You have to have a prop designed to vent, or break the water surface. Or you can have your present prop modified to accomodate venting. I'm presently running my bass boat with the prop shaft (centerline of the gear case) 2.25" below the bottom of the boat. That puts the cavitation plate about 6" above the bottom of the boat. When you install a jack plate you need to go through a setup process. Find the right height for your motor by adjusting the jack plate up in 0.25" incraments until you gain RPM, but don't gain any speed on the top end. When you reach that height, lower the motor 0.5" and let her go.
All that said, yes, a jack plate will give you a shallower draft when idling and running. That in itself could be an advantage at Aucilla and Econfina.