4 Ways Owning Jack Plates Make Boating Life Easier

4 Ways Owning Jack Plates Will Make Your Boating Life Easier

If you are a boater or fisherman whose water time is spent trolling the shallows in your skiff or bass boat, you know that drag does not only increase fuel consumption, it also puts a damper on your boating enjoyment. It does not have to be that way.

If your boat has a fixed engine mount, and you troll in skinny water, your arms get a workout from constantly lifting your engine. It is also stressful to constantly maintain your outboard to avoid hitting bottom and/or getting the propellers tangled in debris and vegetation. Electro-hydraulic jack plates are essentially aftermarket brackets, that solve this problem by providing additional adjustability to your outboard. With jack plates, your outboard can now easily be re-positioned straight up or down. Mounting your outboard to a hydraulic or electric-powered jack plate affixed to the transom of the boat allows you to lift your engine vertically rather than change the angle of thrust. Your arms will thank you.

Fish Where Others Cannot

What this means to your boat’s performance is that your propeller and skeg, which hang below your hull, can more easily be moved to accommodate a shallow water environment. Without jack plates, the outboard would have to be inclined, which is not the best position to prevent engine damage. Also, for some outboards with longer skegs, the slant would not fully resolve this issue, and may create additional safety concerns as well.

Wholesale Marine stocks a broad selection of both manual and hydraulic jack plate models including the T-H Marine Hi-Jacker Jack Plate JP-1A-DP, and CMC Hydraulic Power-Lift Transom Jack for V8 Motors. Whichever kind you opt for, the dividends pay off in increased fishing enjoyment, as you’ll be able to fish in waters those without plates cannot, and arms that aren’t stiff and achy after a day of fishing. Have questions as to which jack plates are right for your bass boat? We’ll be glad to help. Just give us a call at (877) 388-2628.