Adding a jackplate to 18' HPX-V?

[fishman2006]

Looking at the possibility of adding an Atlas micro jack plate to my 2016 18" HPX-V with a 115SHO. Anyone have one or experience doing this? Advice? Pros/Cons?

Ideally I'd want it for being able to jump up slightly shallower than my current setup

[dotschaser]

I would also like some feedback from someone who added a plate to their 18 hpx.  I also have one with the sho 115.  Would love to get up shallower.  When in plane boat runs super skinny.  My hesitation is that I have heard by shifting weight back further could create porposing issues.  I know tabs can fix this.  I have also heard that speed is affected when adding the setback.  I am probably going to try it and see.  If not satisfied then sell the plate.  Sure would be nice for some real world info from someone though. Someone has to have tried this.  

[NLW352]

i just purchased an 18 hpx (2011) with an atlas plate. running a 21p 4blade prop, im seeing 42-43ish (2010 yamaha f115). This boat does not like plates.....I can get maybe 1.5'" of lift before losing too much water pressure. It is however, super nice to idle flats without trimming the motor way out, you can also get on step a little shallower as well. I used to run an HPXT and was accustom to running very shallow and using a plate often, this has been a tough adjustment for me with 2x the boat and 2x the motor. If you add a jack plate, you will want a low water pick up, that will be my next addition. Just my .02.

[finbully]

I think a jack plate on this boat is a waste of money. I'm on my second HPXV18 (2012 & 2020) and have never had a situation where I've wished I had a jack plate. Yamaha 115's on both (non SHO and now I have a SHO) When in very shallow water I am not on plane so I simply trim the motor way up to where it is still getting water for cooling. In this configuration, the hull is the depth limiting factor, not the motor.  I have a jack plate on my bass boat and it is good for that to get the last few rpms out of the motor while running fast on plane. For me, that is the reason I use a jack plate. More stuff on the boat means more weight and more things that can break. Keep it simple as the boat is intended to be.

[jason p]

Real world experience... not worth it unless you want to idle In the shallowest water possible. These were TLRs not SHOs so take this for what it’s worth. 
My neighbor and I, identical HPX18s (other than year, mine 2010, his 2011) side by side in Florida Bay, Whipray basin in the sand to be exact. I gave him my spare so both boats were running a PowerTech PTR418. Not the fastest prop in the world but you can trim it as high as the cooling system can handle. Both boats ran on plane in the same depth, no advantage with the JP. The issue, as stated above is water pressure. Something else to consider, the JP added .5” of draft sitting still, with nobody on the boat. Maybe not a big deal but adding draft to an already substantial poling skiff isn’t worth it in my opinion. 

[On Island Time]

I've guided out of five Maverick HPX's over the last 10 years; two 17's and three 18's.  I didn't put a plate on any of them.  IMO...there is really no need to for a plate.  Light enough where if you are shallow you can trim up and idle through really anywhere. And if you're that shallow you would just pole yourself through anyway.  I always thought of it as one more thing to go wrong or have a malfunction. 

[El Hydro]

Bringing this thread back to life.  I'm currently working on downsizing from a 2009 150 Yamaha to a 115 Merc Pro XS.  I've also been curious as to the benefits of a jack plate.  I'm not looking for more top end speed, but more looking at being able lift the motor up and idle quicker across some of the large flats we fish (like @fishman2006).

W/my 150, as soon as I trim the motor up, the transom squats even more.  I also need a solid 2-2.5 feet of water to jump up on plane without scraping bottom.  Could be that the move to a 115 is all I need.  I'm working to simplify the skiff and pull as much weight out as I can (already pulled the old minn Kota talon saving ~40lbs)--even considered dropping all the way down to a Yammy VMAX 90 until I realized the Merc 115 Pro XS is only 6 lbs heavier than the Yamaha 90.  The drop from the Yammy 150 to 115 Pro XS will save 120 lbs on the transom.

I'm not opposed to spending the $ on a jack plate if it brings added benefit, but after reading thru this thread (and a few others) it seems that the price of a jack plate may be better allocated to transitioning to lithium batteries.  I'm currently running 2xOptima Blue Top D34s (87 lbs) up front for the 24v TM setup.  I haven't really dug in and done a ton of research on the lithium bats, but I see lithium pros makes a 24v TM battery at only 32 lbs.

Curious what you OGs think.

[Headhunter]

Just got a 2021 18 with an atlas plate, SHo150 and two power poles. She sat on her butt at rest big time so moved all of the batteries up front (1 AGM and 1 ion). Starting to learn the boat and found at least 2 clicks of tab to stop the porpoise up to about 4200 rpm. I can run it pretty shallow with the tabs all the way down and the jackplate +3 but the prop blows out in any sort of turn. Hole shot with the 150 is instantaneous but she does squat at first. Going to start messing with props before I do anything drastic.