New 2021 Z18 w/175.. Picked up have some question

[ike12]

HI all,

After wanting(dreaming) of a Nitro Z18 for past 20 years my dad and I finally got our boat yesterday! We come from tracker 175/185's over the years with never more than a 90HP no jack plate etc..

I have the Bobs Action Hydraulic 6" Jackplate and a Mercury 3-prop FURY


I am trying to upload a picture or two as this new boat with custom color is just awesome but in the meantime I was hoping to get some help.. Took it out just to drive it around yesterday only for about 30min but I do have some questions since this is SO different with a hotfoot than my older boats without the hotfoot or the power.

I feel overall I did awful at driving it, I felt like the motor was always TOO low in the water and the boat was "choppy" .. I never got it over 30MPH as I have to break in the boat the correct way but again I just want to make sure I am doing things correctly

I lowered the JP and the trim all the way down and would take off and manually raise Trim a little bit as it got on plane and that felt much better, however it still felt too choppy once it started hitting around 30 where on my older boat I would just trim down a little and this chop would go away that was not the case.

The Trim gauge on my dash in the past I would always run it in the dead middle and this would be great, but with this new setup if I am in the middle of the gauge, the prop is almost out of the water completely.. is this normal??

When you shift into F or R, does your Hotfoot setup move the boat F or R at slow speed even if you are NOT applying pressure to the hootfoot?

Does the hotfoot typically sit "straight up and down" ? I feel like it would be more comfortable if it was in it's default state a little bit angled forward?

Overall i just feel the motor seemed to dam low in the water, at one point the water pressure spitout was under water.

I am 100% sure I am just missing something big here and like everything it takes time but I was hoping to get some input here before my next outing tomorrow. TY ALL

[bk626]

Congrats on the new boat! The motor should be trimmed all the way down to get up on pad and then like you said gradually trim up. Half way up on trim gauge is too much. Mine runs best at full throttle between a 1/4 and 1/2 but all boats are different. I think your problem is the jackplate is too low. You want your prop to pad to be close to 3 inches below pad so I would measure this when the boat is out of the water and then remember where that setting is on your jackplate. See how that works for you and then adjust slightly if not perfect.
As for the hotfoot.... yes when you put it in gear forward or reverse the boat should move slowly just like a car would. And yes the hot should b straight up and down.

[ike12]

Congrats on the new boat! The motor should be trimmed all the way down to get up on pad and then like you said gradually trim up. Half way up on trim gauge is too much. Mine runs best at full throttle between a 1/4 and 1/2 but all boats are different. I think your problem is the jackplate is too low. You want your prop to pad to be close to 3 inches below pad so I would measure this when the boat is out of the water and then remember where that setting is on your jackplate. See how that works for you and then adjust slightly if not perfect.
As for the hotfoot.... yes when you put it in gear forward or reverse the boat should move slowly just like a car would. And yes the hot should b straight up and down.

TY for your reply! I am not sure what prop to pad means? sorry

[Fishysam]

Prop to pad http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=157208

trim gauges are just relative. Not actually standard. I would bet that at half the gauge your about to enter the tilt section. Meaning your way over trimmed for break in. Probably 1/8 up is all for break in.

when putting the boat in forward or reverse the bot will start moving because the engine is spinning 600rpm and the prop is probably a 22 pitch (in a perfect world a 22p prop will move 22" forward in one turn/ we are not perfect as it is slipping past the water unlike tires on the road) my boat idles at 3.1 mph. So coming into the dock or trailer it is not odd to go between neutral and forward to neutral to keep the speed down, just know it doesn't steer well in N

[Fishysam]

Also the motor being low in the water is good for break in, and the motor may seem extra low with no one on the bow, with shallow water anchors, this is relatively normal. After a couple more hours of run time you will lift the jackplate up to say 3" ptp and trim to say 3/8 up on the gauge. The boat will run very fast and you will have some learning to do. As far as some chop and compared to your old boat this one should do better at the same speeds. Just going to need some seat time.

If I was close to you I'd jump in with you and show you a lot. More than I could ever type, maybe stile up a conversation with another bass boat guy and if he seems cool and not in a hurry just ask him if he has any ideas for you, if he does maybe it's easier to go for a ride together doesn't take more than 5 minutes to learn 80% of the stuff

[Natedogg316]

I think the chopping you’re referring to is what most would call porposing(pretty sure I spelled that wrong) this happens on most glass boats around 30mph like you describe because the boat is barely going fast enough to stay on top of the water compared to your previous experience in a lighter/slower tracker. At this speed very little if any trim should be necessary and I would bet that if you were to go even just a little faster (35-40) most of the ride you’re complaining about would go away.

[Fishysam]

If this is true^ you will want the trim at 0% at speeds like 30mph and slower.

[Arizona Angler]

I have a brand new z-18 with 175 and yes you want 3" to 3.5" PTP. the porposing is because your trimmed up too high for that speed. breaking in with motor down is a myth. make sure to open it up in bursts. i'm getting 65mph smooth water full tourney load half tank of gas livewells full and two anglers.