islander216

Hello. I just picked up what I thought was a complete Land and Sea stern jack for my alpha drive. Turns out the included trim cylinders are not the required extended cylinders. Disappointing but not to big of a deal I can extend my cylinders. Major problem is that the coupler that hooks the drive to the shaft in the jack extension is also missing. It fits the universal joint on the drive and has an internal spline. The jack is useless without this coupler, big disappointment for what looked to be a complete setup. Anyone out there with a coupler, or any ideas where I can get one? Thanks in advance for any help I can get on this.

SB

iTrader: (1)

I have the whole Alpha Sternjack set up with new bearing installed and extended trim rams. Not willing to break it up. $700.00

Figured I'd just throw this out there.

Too Stroked

If you want some honest advice from somebody who's been there and done that, cut your losses and skip the whole project. The Land & Sea Stern Jack was an intriguing idea that quite honestly didn't work anywhere near as well as was advertised. (Why do you think nobody picked up the product after Land & Sea went belly up?) Even installed correctly, you will find very little usable increase in top speed and your mid-range fuel consumption will go up due to increased drag. Worse yet, the increase in leverage on your steering system will wear all of those components out at a scary rate. Everybody I know who installed one on their boat eventually removed it.

Just my 2 cents.

islander216

I just paid $550 for this and thought it was complete. I wanted to try one out and thought I was getting a decent deal. Too Stroked I think I will take your advice and just move on but I have to make it complete or take a big hit on what I just paid for it. If I can find a coupler and resell it as a complete unit I will, I just don't want to screw the next guy on this thing. I was going to raise my motor/drive to gain performance but saw the jack and thought I would give it a try. I am still hopeful that the seller will work with me on this but I know how that goes.

islander216

SB, did you run the one you have for sale? If so why did you remove it?

SB

iTrader: (1)

The particular boat (small and light) has a weight balancing issue. Just moving the batteries back 1 ft makes the boat skip around on it's arse. Having over 1/4 tank does he same. I believe the tank was mounted to far back. So, just moving the drive that far back did the same thing. I new it would, but no Alpha SS's where available then and figured worth the shot as the SternJack's where selling for a constant $700. If it didn't work, then back up for sale for the $700. No big deal.

Do some googling as a lot of people used them up to about 10yrs ago. A good amt of people liked them on the smaller boats with small blocks and Alpha's. The bad rap came from the big block crowd, although many that had one reported good things - google Crownline , as Bob Lloyd in TX at his FTM shop installed a good amt. Or atleast his customers did.

Anyway, an Alpha SS was secured and that was the end of that.

Too Stroked

Raising your drive - unless you're running over about 80 MPH - won't do much except cost you money.

SB

iTrader: (1)

Same for going from an Alpha to a 2.5" shorter Alpha SS ?

Too Stroked

Yupper. A friend of mine tried that swap on a 21' or 22' Chaparral Villian. The boat still went 62 MPH. There just isn't enough difference in hydrodynamic drag at those speeds to make a difference in top speed. At best, all you'll get is a warm fuzzy feeling.

SB

iTrader: (1)

Sorry, I was setting you up on that question to see what your answer was.

On most all 60+mph small sbc/alpha boats , will gain 5+mph with a simple swap to an SS.

Boat I'm tweaking now, gained 7mph, and it is now over revving the engine by 700rpm with same prop that was on the regular Alpha. So, we are exxpecting more when repropped. 65 to 72.8 so far, conditions per conditions. Just drive swap.

Regular Alpha's really start needing improvements in the 60's. Schit, I've even had Alpha boats respond with Hydromotive nose cones when running in the 50's.

I had a Alpha boat gain 2mph when 1/2 the skeg was broken off from a rock.