Spring-assisted jack plate for outboard motor

A boat comprising:

• a hull having a transom;
• an outboard motor;
• a jack plate disposed intermediate the hull and the outboard motor, the jack plate further comprising:
• a mounting assembly comprising a first spacing bracket, a second spacing bracket, and a transom plate extending between the first spacing bracket and the second spacing bracket, the first spacing bracket defining a first channel, the second spacing bracket defining a second channel, the first channel and the second channel opening toward one another;
• a lift plate assembly comprising a first slider slidingly received in the first channel, a second slider slidingly received in the second channel, and a lift plate extending between the first slider and the second slider;
• an actuator comprising an actuator rod operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the lift plate assembly for raising and lowering the lift plate assembly relative to the mounting assembly;
• the gas spring operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the lift plate assembly in a parallel arrangement with the actuator rod, the spring applying a biasing force in a direction defined by the actuator rod between the lift plate assembly and the mounting assembly thereby unloading the jack plate allowing for easier raising and lowering of an outboard motor mounted on the lift plate and utilization of the actuator with less power that what would otherwise be required without the gas spring.

A jack plate comprising:

• a mounting assembly comprising a first spacing bracket, a second spacing bracket, and a transom plate extending between the first spacing bracket and the second spacing bracket, the first spacing bracket defining a first channel, the second spacing bracket defining a second channel, the first channel and the second channel opening toward one another;
• a lift plate assembly comprising a first slider slidingly received in the first channel, a second slider slidingly received in the second channel, and a lift plate extending between the first slider and the second slider;
• an actuator comprising an upright actuator rod operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the lift plate assembly for raising and lower the lift plate assembly relative to the mounting assembly;
• and
• an upright gas spring operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the lift plate assembly, the spring applying a biasing force between the lift plate assembly and the mounting assembly to unload the jack plate allowing for easier raising and lowering of an outboard motor mounted on the lift plate and utilization of the actuator with less power that what would otherwise be required.