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  1. #1
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    New to the board, just to say hi.

    Just wanted to come on here and introduce myself. I'm from knoxville, tn. Bought my Gambler in October and it has been a struggle. This is my second boat, first is a 92 tracker. Totally different world. Its a '97 209 TE with a fresh 225 promax on the back.. Can't break 65 no matter the prop or engine height. Still got a few issues to sort through. This has been a learning experience, and hope to find more answers here over time.

    Not sure if this was the proper place for an introduction, but this is the forum is where I'll probably where ill spend most of my time.
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  2. Member low slung cruiser's Avatar
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    Jul 2008
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    LKG, LITTLETON, NC
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    #2
    pretty ride and welcome
    Sterling 22XS / Mercury Pro XS V8

  3. Member RANGER487's Avatar
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    Sep 2004
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    Cortland, OH
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    #3
    Welcome and enjoy the ride here

  4. Member
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    Dec 2017
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    Cato MO
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    #4
    Do the RPMS vary or do they stay pretty much the same?
    Wash your hands and say your prayers, cause Jesus and germs are everywhere.

  5. Member
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    Jun 2020
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    Knoxville, tn
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    #5
    Thanks for the welcome.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ben Danbleume View Post
    Do the RPMS vary or do they stay pretty much the same?
    Yes, the rpms are the only thing that's changed by the props. Well, and the hole shot on the 26p bravo as it doesn't have any vent holes... yet. The other 3 or 4 props I've tried had little affect on hole shot, no affect on top speed. Only variance was rpms about the amount you would expect.

  6. Banned
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    May 2007
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    Greensboro, NC
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    #6
    Pretty boat!

  7. Member
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    Aug 2008
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    Charleston, SC
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    #7
    Welcome to the board!! Did you ever get a new tach or a way to get RPM readings that you are confident in? I think you mentioned waiting and getting an entire new set of gauges or something like that on FB. Any updates?
    - Heath

  8. Member stasiuk1000's Avatar
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    Mar 2010
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    Huntsville, Ontario
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    #8
    Welcome aboard! Very nice rig you have! Lots of good people on this board - way more knowledgeable than myself. Prop to pad height will be a good thing to measure. Also verify that the throttle is reaching full open on the motor. Seat time is also very important IMO.

  9. Member
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    Knoxville, tn
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by H.Murphy View Post
    Welcome to the board!! Did you ever get a new tach or a way to get RPM readings that you are confident in? I think you mentioned waiting and getting an entire new set of gauges or something like that on FB. Any updates?
    Not yet. Thats next on the list but work has hit a lull so that's showing down things. But I've gotten a pretty good feel for what the tach is showing to know how things are going on the water til I can verify with a prop slip calculator when we stop.

    But so far I've been through a 23p trophy +, 24p tro-4, 25p lazer, 26p turbo, and a 26p bravo. All 3 4-blade props have topped out at 65mph, 6000, 5800, 5400rpms respectively on the tach, 100% trim up.

  10. Member
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    Jun 2020
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    Knoxville, tn
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by stasiuk1000 View Post
    Welcome aboard! Very nice rig you have! Lots of good people on this board - way more knowledgeable than myself. Prop to pad height will be a good thing to measure. Also verify that the throttle is reaching full open on the motor. Seat time is also very important IMO.
    thanks. Im working on the seat time as much as I can. I get out 3-4 times a week, some running, some fishing.

    As for prop to pad, I've been from 4" - 2" below. Same speed, very little rpm change, some handling characteristics change. 2" is my limit for water pressure. Right now I'm sitting at 3 1/4 below with the 24p tro-4. I've verified wot, my builder said the compression and timing are spot on. Gonna call him after a few more hours of tinkering and see what he thinks. Maybe try to get him to trade me out for a used 250xb. Lol

  11. Member low slung cruiser's Avatar
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    Jul 2008
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    LKG, LITTLETON, NC
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    #11
    My 209 had a manual jack plate and the angle on it was wrong...
    i replaced it with a bobs hydraulic and it changed the entire boat... I was never Even getting trimmed out enough prior to the switch...
    Sterling 22XS / Mercury Pro XS V8

  12. Member
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    Jun 2020
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    Knoxville, tn
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    #12
    I'm running what I think is the factory Gambler jackplate. 10" with 2" bobs spacers. Ive got plenty enough trim to air the boat out. I know they make wedges also to adjust the angle of the motor, but i still think that atleast one of those props would have pushed past 65 even where the motor is right now. Im thinking its gotta be in the motor, either in the ecm or its loosing fuel pressure or something but it just seems like the motor is a little lacking in the upper rpm range. Idk, but thats about all I can think of that left. That, or this motor is simply not enough for the boat, which I've heard from others that this is not the case.

  13. Member
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    Aug 2008
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    Charleston, SC
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    #13
    JPed, can you "over" trim currently? By this I mean when you're running full out can you trim the motor to the point where you start loosing speed? If not then there's no way to know if you're actually able to reach the sweet spot for your setup, and there's almost certainly some performance left you're currently not able to reach.
    - Heath

  14. Member
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    Charleston, SC
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    #14
    If you are able to over trim, then I agree that there may be something going on with the motor.
    - Heath

  15. Member
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    Jun 2020
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    Knoxville, tn
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    #15
    My gps speed has been coming from my phone since the boat didn't come with working graphs, so I can't really watch my speed as I'm running. Just look at the max speed recorded for each run once I set the boat down. So I'm not sure if I loose speed when trimmed out, but I can trim to the point where the boat becomes unstable and I gotta bump the trim down once or twice to get the boat back under control. Basically, I can trim up and gain another 200 rpms, but no gain in speed. I've been able to steer out of chine walk bit still not gain anymore speed and stay right on the verge of walking.

    I know I don't have enough proper equipment on the doat to dial this thing in, but until I get the funds to add on graphs and replace gauges, this is what I got to go by for the time being and have enough of a feel for it to know something isn't right. Whether it's, setup, driver error, or motor issues, that has yet to be determined, but I've tried just about everything with the setup except wedges to change the angle of the motor.

  16. Member
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    Jun 2020
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    Knoxville, tn
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    #16
    I guess the big thing thats raising a big red flag is hearing about many other people with the same hull and motor combo running much better than mine, with just about the same equipment. Like set back, motor height, props, and no one mentioned having to add wedge spacers to their jackplate. It has me grasping at straws and running short on patience. And unfortunately, until work picks up, I spend most of my disposable income right now on fuel for the boat.

  17. Member low slung cruiser's Avatar
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    #17
    my suggestion is find a local TN guy thats on here...
    several are members here...
    hook up with them one day, in person... some driver input/extra set of eyeballs will help a ton...
    you are gonn have some folks say, OH ITS WATER LOGGED, i dont buy that shit...

    #1 you need a KNOWN WORKING TACH
    #2 gps at the fly would be great, but you prolly are ok with the phone...
    #3...seat time is the normal problem...but if you aren't getting a little squirrely, i still say your not getting up to the final pad, which is HP + lift + air...
    Sterling 22XS / Mercury Pro XS V8

  18. Member
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    Knoxville, tn
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    #18
    Quote Originally Posted by low slung cruiser View Post
    my suggestion is find a local TN guy thats on here...
    several are members here...
    hook up with them one day, in person... some driver input/extra set of eyeballs will help a ton...
    you are gonn have some folks say, OH ITS WATER LOGGED, i dont buy that shit...

    #1 you need a KNOWN WORKING TACH
    #2 gps at the fly would be great, but you prolly are ok with the phone...
    #3...seat time is the normal problem...but if you aren't getting a little squirrely, i still say your not getting up to the final pad, which is HP + lift + air...
    Thanks. I've tried finding someone in the knoxville area that knows these boats but I think its almost like a unicorn in my area, dominated by norris crafts and bullets. Everyone knows about them, but not many have seen them and even less have been in one. That seems to be the biggest obstacle right now as no one around here knows much about them. My builder is an Allison guy and knows norris crafts but in 20 years or so never hung a motor on a gambler. He is under the impression that since this boat weighs as much as a triton, its gonna run about as fast as one with this motor. I can air the boat out, and it will really get to walking. Like a wide walk sometimes. I've steered out of it a few times but only for it to come right back since the boat will not power through and gain anymore speed.

    I have a new friend in FL that just bought a boat from up north and I was hoping he was driving to pick it up. I was gonna try and convince him to stop by and drive my boat, but he ended up getting the boat shipped.

  19. Member
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    May 2013
    Location
    Hudson River, NY
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    #19
    I agree with Low Slung Cruiser especially # 3. You mentioned you trim it up till it gets a little unstable and then back it back down. I went through the exact same thing when I first jumped in my Gambler. Over time though for some reason that unstable point was at a little higher speed. I was never able to break 65 and thought the boat hull was defective..lol.. Now it flies.. Two guys with tourney load 78 mph, lone boater and i touch 80. Never changed a prop or did a thing except seat time. I guarantee if I pulled an experienced boater out of most any other brand they'd never be able to break 65 in my boat today. Not to mention I'd be scared to death to ride with them. Again to echo Low Slung I think your just missing the Air.. Good Luck and keep us posted.

    PS.. If it is indeed seat time, remember when it gets squirrly on ya and you need to back off the throttle, don't just drop right off slowly back down and let the boat settle easily on the water. I found out early on that the ride after it drops onto the water at a high speed chine can be a scary one for sure.

  20. Member
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    Windham,NH
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    #20
    Welcome aboard.

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