Margay Speed Issues Desperate Need Of Help!!

[angleiron]

I own a 2018 Basscat Margay that has a brand new 150hp Mercury Pro XS four stroke, a 6" set back slide master manual jack plate and a 23p Fury Prop.

I have been getting 40 MPH out of the boat and only achieving 5100-5200 RPM at WOT. I am unable to get any bow lift the boat just PLOWS! When running the trim wont let me go any higher than just over a quarter of the way up. (At that point I already have a huge rooster tail). The motor is burning an absurd amount of gas because it is plowing!

The boat loaded up with gear (maybe 100-150 pounds worth), one person, 3 lithium batteries and 1 AGM, and full tank of gas.

I have tried moving the jack plate up 1/4" at a time and down 1/4" at a time till maxed out. No real change until the jack plate was down as far as it could go and even then only achieved 45 MPH and 5500 RPM.

I have tried a 23P tempest and 23P, 24P Fury. No change at all with different props, same results every time.


Ive had the boat to a BassCat dealer that swears they achieved over 60 mph out of the boat and I cant get any where near that.


I have been testing different things, have had other people drive it and going through this for a year and have yet to figure out what the problem is.


Im beyond sick of trying to get this boat right. Been told to many times that this is the impossible boat that cant be figured out.


Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Your boat is never going to turn a 23 pitch with a 150 4-stroke. There are larger BC boats out there with 100hp more that cannot turn a 23 pitch prop to full rpm's.

Take all of the weight out of the boat...this is the first thing to do then run the boat and see how it performs. if you have all of this weight in the front and are turning a 23 pitch that is why things are the way that they are.

Don't know about a Margay but my Caracal won't even get onto pad until I am hitting close to 5000 rpm's and that is with little to no weight in the front.

1 pitch of prop is approx. 200 rpm's so you do the math. The 4 strokes have larger gear cases which have more drag. you are over 1000 rpm's off and are not getting on pad which is where the speed comes in. Stop focusing on the amount of pitch of prop you need to run as the more rpm's the HP you make.

[1BADAIR]

Your boat is never going to turn a 23 pitch with a 150 4-stroke. There are larger BC boats out there with 100hp more that cannot turn a 23 pitch prop to full rpm's.

Take all of the weight out of the boat...this is the first thing to do then run the boat and see how it performs. if you have all of this weight in the front and are turning a 23 pitch that is why things are the way that they are.

Don't know about a Margay but my Caracal won't even get onto pad until I am hitting close to 5000 rpm's and that is with little to no weight in the front.

1 pitch of prop is approx. 200 rpm's so you do the math. The 4 strokes have larger gear cases which have more drag. you are over 1000 rpm's off and are not getting on pad which is where the speed comes in. Stop focusing on the amount of pitch of prop you need to run as the more rpm's the HP you make.

way different gears

[Nat's Dad]

I'm likely to go aluminum but the Margay was the one glass boat I've thought about. I don't know what to make of this thread. It reads like there is only one prop in the world that will bring the boat to life. Can that really be right? Certainly Bass Cat would have run into this before and had several sure thing props for you to try, no?

[llsdjv]

Only the solas scorpion and SL4 prop have I experienced with any success. I think I have heard of a razor also. But yes prop choices are extremely limited. The only thing I can really think of is Basscat must not be trying this with an ultrex, graphs up front and tackle. You may be able to get a tempest to run the boat if you don't add this stuff. It's an awesome little boat but it does have a few quirks.

[fynns]

I am curious about something, so here goes. If this boat had come from BC, what motor would they have installed on it if it hadn't been a custom build?

[ditchdiggerjcfII]

To get that boat to push 70 with a 150, I'm sure some tradeoffs were made.
Nobody knew that trolling motors would weigh damn near 100 lbs when that hull was designed. The fact that people feel like they have to mount 2 huge graphs, a 36v system, and 2 power poles doesn't help either. I guess they saved a few bucks buying that smaller rig though. Win some, lose some.

[PMantle]

My Margay ran really well with a Tempest Plus, but there were trade offs. It took longer and a higher speed to get the bow up, and any weight added just compounded the problem. There were times with fuel, wells and a partner, that it simply never lifted. The Razor XL changed all that even though I probably gave up a little top end.

[tommoorehouse]

I had no handling issues with the tempest. It just works better with the scorpion. For me both chine walk over 60. I think that's due to my lack of power steering.

[Grapela]

My 2013 margay came from my dealer with a 25 pitch tempest plus(yes 25). When I bought the boat it had from the factory a motorguide 72lb thrust trolling motor and a humminbird 519 graph up front. That boat two guy's full of fuel was a top speed of 68mph and great holshot. It wasn't until the ultrex did I have a problem when we put a third guy in the boat, also more tackle and crap was added to the center box which didn't help so now I run a razor 4 and the boat does 58 but I have more crap on the nose. Basscat has answered this before, there is just not enough torque in the 150hp to carry the nose weight when the newer stuff is added so you have to prop for it. The boat is only a couple of inches shorter than a sabre but much wider up front and the sabre really needs a 175 to truly get that boat to perform. Look at all the 17-18ft boats in the market right now with a 150hp max rating they are all between a 57-62mph boat with a spot lock trolling motor, wide deck and a 9 inch graph up front. The margay is no excpetion I think people think 17,7 and 150hp it should fly but it is a much wider boat and built much differently than say an early 90's skinny 17ft skeeter or champion. Just my experience, end of the day the boat is awesome and unmatched in it's class, no way any aluminum boat in it's class rides as nice or fishes as well or handles water as well.

[Nat's Dad]

I have both a 25p and a 23p scorpion. The pop I get with the 25p scorpion is intimidating. The first time I did it with a friend in my boat they let out a few cuss words when they felt it. That's why they call it the oh shit handle. It's really cool! It's like the whole boat just lifts up several inches and you take off. I've always assumed that's the boat getting on the pad.

I suspect the 22p will be significantly better with your 4 stroke. Now if you can figure out how to slow down the chine walk over 60 let me know!

You had an older 150 on yours I think you said. My question is if you get a new 150 and run the right prop and don't run multi graphs and 36 volt troller can you get the boat to perform and NOT have chine walk. I guess what I'm asking is can you get up on pad and back off enough to not have to drive through chine walk but still stay up on pad and save gas and have a good ride. I'd be happy if the boat did 50-55 and did not require constant driver input and just gave a good ride and saved on gas if it meant I lost 5 MPH top end to have a more relaxed experience.

[llsdjv]

You can put a 23 scorpion on a Margay and drive 55 with no chine walk with having an ultrex, graphs, 2 people, full livewells and tackle.

[tommoorehouse]

You had an older 150 on yours I think you said. My question is if you get a new 150 and run the right prop and don't run multi graphs and 36 volt troller can you get the boat to perform and NOT have chine walk. I guess what I'm asking is can you get up on pad and back off enough to not have to drive through chine walk but still stay up on pad and save gas and have a good ride. I'd be happy if the boat did 50-55 and did not require constant driver input and just gave a good ride and saved on gas if it meant I lost 5 MPH top end to have a more relaxed experience.

I can get 55 with 3 fat dudes on my boat with no issues.

[Nat's Dad]

I can get 55 with 3 fat dudes on my boat with no issues.

and no chine walking? I want the boat to be super easy to drive and I'm in no hurry to get anywhere. If it's capable of 60 with chine walk WOT will it do 55 without and just point and go? All the boats on my short list happen to pad hulls 9 glass and aluminum ) and I don't know if a boat will stay on pad at reduced throttle and assume chine walk only occurs trying to get that last 5-10 mph out of it.

[bassfisher444]

Do people put 36 volt trolling motors on a boat that small? I would think a 24v is plenty.

[tommoorehouse]

and no chine walking? I want the boat to be super easy to drive and I'm in no hurry to get anywhere. If it's capable of 60 with chine walk WOT will it do 55 without and just point and go? All the boats on my short list happen to pad hulls 9 glass and aluminum ) and I don't know if a boat will stay on pad at reduced throttle and assume chine walk only occurs trying to get that last 5-10 mph out of it.

I only get chine walk at 60+ I can't get 60 with 3 guys in the boat. It has to be very good conditions for me to break 60 with 2 people in the boat. Every boat is different, your mileage may differ. I know of other Margays that don't chine walk like mine. I run a 24v maxiuum and a single 9" garmin up front.

[Nat's Dad]

thanks