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  1. #1
    Member
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    May 2010
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    Lumberton, Texas
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    How shallow have you ran?

    Just curious as to how shallow some have run when going 60+...On my 721, I can see the top of the cavitation plate when running mid 70`s...Just wondering how shallow of water they will actually run thru without messing the lower unit up. Watched several vids of guys running boats wide open in the shallows of Florida and it got my mind turning...
    Jimmy
    Phoenix 721
    12" Bobs Hydro Plate
    Mercury 300 Xs
    Dave Bush Racing Kit
    28.5 Bravo

  2. Member Jasonrs's Avatar
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    May 2009
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    Wixom Lake, MI
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    3,087
    #2
    Not sure how shallow i can run, but i know i only need 3.5 fow to take off from a stop. Probably could run in 2.5 feet? Fishing shallow with the trim up is still impressive after a season of use, have been in a foot of water without dragging bottom.

  3. Member
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    Sep 2020
    Location
    Schoolcraft, MI
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    252
    #3
    Going 60+ about 2.5'. As far as fishing, I've been down to about 11".

  4. Member
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    Nov 2011
    Location
    Cedar Falls, Iowa
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    9,639
    #4
    Not that this has any bearing on your Phoenix specific question but I’ll chime in. I’ve got a lot of shallow water in the rivers I fish around here. Last couple of time out I’ve actually touched bottom while running. Running 50mph on plane and you can start to feel the bottom. It’s not a great feeling because you know you can’t let off the throttle. You just pray you don’t hit anything hard. This is with an 18’ Sabre with a 150 Mercury. It would definitely be too shallow to idle through

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Mooresburg, TN/Lake Placid, FL
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    #5
    A lot depends on where you are. In FL where the bottom is usually sand I have regularly run 65+ in 2' of water. On TN lakes were the bottom usually has rock I won't run hard under 4' unless I know the area.


    George Brock

    2015 920 Pro/XP
    2015 Mercury 250 Pro/XS
    Twin 8' Powerpole Blades

  6. Member
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    Jan 2014
    Location
    Cincinnati Metro
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    3,942
    #6
    fishing Okeechobee several years ago in my 618 I was able to run on plane without issue to about 18 inches. the electronics showed 2.5 ish but when I set down the motor hit the bottom very quickly. Unclear how much further I could have gone.

    No getting back up required that I idle for almost 1 mile then have my father set on front deck while I tried to get on plane
    2024 Phoenix 818
    2024 merc 175 pro xs 3B411947

  7. Member
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    May 2010
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    Lumberton, Texas
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by GBhoss View Post
    A lot depends on where you are. In FL where the bottom is usually sand I have regularly run 65+ in 2' of water. On TN lakes were the bottom usually has rock I won't run hard under 4' unless I know the area.
    There is a vid in the Phoenix Boat Owners group on FB with 2 birds running in some shallow stuff, but a soft muddy bottom. He said they had the JP all the way up, and trimmed up as well..once the camera turned around, you could see the mud flying..there was one boat in front of him but to far away to see that roost...I think he said it was like 2ft deep where they ran
    Jimmy
    Phoenix 721
    12" Bobs Hydro Plate
    Mercury 300 Xs
    Dave Bush Racing Kit
    28.5 Bravo

  8. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    Suffield, CT
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    916
    #8
    I don’t look down