4 point or 3 point

[Chris J]

Starting my winter project. The boat I'm restoring is an old 18ft Beisemeyer that had a Jacuzzi WJ with a 3 point mounted 455 Olds (Adaptor plated bolted between bell and pump). I'm going to intall my 468 BBC in place of the Old. The BBC has a 4 point setup. I could easily adapt the BOP bell to the BBC or change the boat to a 4 point. My question is what are the pros and cons of each setup.
Thanks
Chris

[RandyH]

I have a three point but I think with a 4 point you can leave the motor alone to work on the H- Bar. Also If you want to run the motor dry you can take the H- Bar out cant you??
Plus if you are going with big horsepower you can add one of these quick release ratchets.
http://www.donspumpservice.com/pubhtml/ratchet.htm
It does cost you some room in the back seat.
If I ever have to replace the universal joints, flex plate or ever grease the U joints the motor has to come out with my bell housing.
My two cents,
RandyH

[HammerDown]

3 point here...and theres a window in the bell housing that allows u-joint greasing. However to replace the joints the motor must come out, and no I cant disconect joint to run out of water...However (again), I've never had/seen one speck of trouble runing it out of water for a few seconds on the hose.

[Squirtcha?]

Not sure what your setup looks like but when I did my mounts last time, I switched from a four point to a rail type. It took some time and a few changes had to be made, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It's much sturdier and makes it a breeze to take the motor out and put it back in. I can actually pull my motor and put it back in by myself. Not that this is a big selling point or anything. I mean it's not like we want to be pulling out motors all the time, but it does help out that aspect.
The strength thing is probably what sold me on the whole deal though. All the holes in my stringers for my four points were hogged out and elongated. I patched all those because I knew that sooner, if not later, water would get into the stringers and destroy em. My front aluminum mounting plate from the four point had also cracked on both sides. These two items alone were enough for me to make the change.
http://jetboat.homestead.com/files/leftsideblockst.jpg
This was the initial fitting and I changed some things around since then. If I had to do it again, I'd make my own rails rather than use these factory ones. That way I could make them whatever length I wanted. The ones in the picture were actually made for a BBC and were a bit short for my BBF. That's why the pillow blocks are positioned the way they are. Normally they'd both go behind the plates, not one on each side like I've got em.

[AZKC]

I hate my 3-point on my Hawaiian but that comes from pulling the motor every month My Tahiti is a four point much more maintance freindly. If you got a dependable low maintance setup I would say there about the same.
KC

[Chris J]

Squirtcha is that setup solid mounted? The reason I ask is most boats I've seen have the motor rubber mounted. I thought about the rail setup but thought it was mainly for racing. Assuming it is solid mounted did you notice an increase in vibration after switching. Anyone else run a solid setup on a non-race boat?

[AZKC]

All the jets I've had have been solid mounted. No big vibration problems.
KC

[75spectra]

My 75 Spectra is a 4-point mount and its solid, but i did cut and fit some UHMW (nylon) barstock washers just to keep the aluminum from rubbing. Workin great even with blown 454!

[Squirtcha?]

Yup solid mount Chris. The original four points are all solid mounts too. I did pick up some vibration but it's coming from my lumpy, rough idling cam. I'm not complaining mind you.

[Floored]

have 4 point in my Biesemeyer and its solid mount and i dont notice any vibration. nice choice of boats by the way.