Tomcat Engine Transom Brackets

B

Bad Boy

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Joined
Aug 29, 2007
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C Dory Year
2008
C Dory Model
255 Tomcat
Hull Identification Number
CDO25592F708
Vessel Name
Cat Fever
Does anyone have any experience with the newer transom brackets installed on the Tomcat? Older version were manufactured by Armstrong. The newer ones are from PDR Marine. Supposedly Northwest Marine had PDR design a new bracket to help raise the transom, which also helps the cockpit drains to work better.[/img]
 
There is a recent thread on some problems with paint on one boat with this type of bracket. That is about the only thing I have seen--
 
Yes, I did see that thread about paint problems. I am interested to see if the different design actually worked to raise the transom and helped with the drain issues.

I do a lot of tuna fishing and find it annoying to have the fish blood and rinse water puddle up 1" and it won't drain until I get the boat underway.
 
The reason they switched brackets is due to economic reasons about 2 or 3 ownerships ago. Armstrong didn't get paid .
Pooderbuilt Aluminum in Bellingham got the job with the new owners . They are both good products
Marc
 
Marc,

Could you tell if they held the transom higher on the water than with the Armstrong brackets? Looking at the profile of my Armstrong design, it looks like it tapers up and away from the waterline. The PDR brackets looks like it is more parallel with the waterline and helps with the buoyancy of the transom.
 
I have TC255 Triton Hull # 0001 (now that was optimistic thinking, wasn't it?) with a Pooderbuilt (prior name) bracket that angles up just as much, see Pic #30 in my album. I had some paint blistering resulting in an $800 sanding/paint job I'm sure is due to Pettit Ultima (good paint, but 55% copper and should not have been put on the aluminum bracket even with Intercoat epoxy coatings under it).
I'll defer to Marc, but I think your issue is the deck scuppers are so close to the waterline at rest. Don't change brackets, they have little to no effect at rest. Keep the boat.
Interesting, I have never seen another TomCat with no NO cockpit railings, and mine was previously the only one I've ever seen without boarding railings (custom installed 2 yrs ago).
Happy Boating!
John
 
I was able to look pretty closely at the new Tomcat drain canal at the Seattle boat show. I was excited because I use my fish holds as storage and water seems to always find its way in even with a complete camper back. When I looked at the deck drain it did not seem to have much of a fall from the deck inlet to the outlet on the side of the boat. I mentioned this to one of the factory guys who was there and asked if it would really work based on this observation. His explanation to me was that the new design motor mount would raise the boat enough so it would work. That did not completely make sense to me but I did not push it because I had no way to measure the differential.

I think the only way we will find out for sure if there is a difference, is for someone to go on the boat in the water, and pours a little water on the deck and see if it drains while at rest. It should obviously work while underway and hopefully raise that back of the boat a bit.

The only way I could tell the difference between my 2007 Armstrong mount and the new one was that there is now a center hatch cover on the new one. there is a picture in my photo album under 2017 tomcat that shows the new mount pretty well so you can compare it to yours.
Hope this helps.
 
John , I think you nailed it . The boat hull provides the gorillas share of the buoyancy and the scuppers were likely a bit low You have a limited mounting height adjustment on the brackets as they are 25" Motors . Probably need to see if the bracket is dry inside as well . They usually have drains and zincs on them .
Marc
 
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