Propping a 24' Harris w/ 60HP 2cyl Bigfoot

[XB03AllyProud]

I am buying the wife a 2001 24' Harris w/ a 2cycle Mercury 60HP Bigfoot. It's a 1 owner that spent most of it days on a small lake North of Indy where it was apparently just a slow strolling floating dock. The owner has a 13-3/4 or 14" dia x 10 pitch Aluminum 3 blade. I won't be picking it up for a couple weeks but wondering if anyone has a similar setup and what prop are you running?

Since we haven't had it in water I don't know rpm's or any data yet. I would think a 13 pitch would be more in line to actually go somewhere with it. We will be using it on Ky Lake close around our cove area but would like to take it on the main lake sometimes sightseeing. I'd like to see 20 mph at min if possible at wot and that works to a 13p or so for the size of boat and the 60 Bigfoot in a perfect world by calculations. Since speed to plane and such isn't a issue I'm wondering what a 4 blade would do or even a 15-17p if motor would turn it?? Any ideas guy's? This is totally new area for me, gonna see what the local shops have in used prop selections but thought you all may have some input to get me started or shutdown, which ever the case is.

Also, what is best way or product to cut the build up on the logs? It isn't terrible but it is a hard and rough texture that I'd like to eliminate or at least reduce quite a bit if possible.

Thanks All,

[GrandLakeGAR]

The 10" pitch may be a very good match for a 60hp on a 24' pontoon. I just re-powered my 18' Bass Buggy pontoon with a 60hp Big Foot, it's a 4 stroke and a 11" Mercury aluminum 3 blade puts in right in the middle of the WOT 5500/6000 rpm range at 22mph. You are going to enjoy the new boat, I also have a XB2003/225X and the pontoon is a nice change of pace.

[XB03AllyProud]

Thanks Grand, I will find out end of week when get it in water. Just no exp yet with toon's and prop calculator not a lot of help since don't have feel for wgt and such that makes biggest difference. 10 just seems so small. Sure is gonna be a change from the Ally, but looking forward to it.

[Bamaman]

A Harris is one of the Big 3 (best) pontoons in my eyes. But the 60 Bigfoot is simply too small for that boat to perform well. If you're turning 5500 rpm's, you're going to be propped right. It's just hard to find a prop with less pitch than 10". I had a 24' Starcraft pontoon with a Yamaha 115 hp 2 stroke, and it ran great. We're now running a Bennington 24' tritoon with a F150 Yamaha, and we're seeing 40 mph @ 6000 rpm's. You might want to be looking for a 115 hp motor as I see you're into project boats.

[XB03AllyProud]

Yep I'm thinking next year I may be looking to up size. I'd like to see 20-25 mph just to be able to cover a little more water faster incase something popped up in way of bad weather or something.
Thanks all for the input, I'll see what she does this weekend.

[larryhyco]

I have a 2004 22 ft Harris with 50 hp mercury and my prop is a 12p x 24 or 25 I do not remember which

[RngrBill]

I have used a product from NAPA called Aluminum Brightener that is about $25 a gallon. It works great after power washing just spray on with pump sprayer. Start at bottom of toon work your way down the length then back across the length layering your way up the toon. Let it sit when completely covered for a few minutes then rinse off. Repeat as needed, I used a gallon on each tube at full strength. If real thick on toon you may have to try scraping first while power washing , but try not to scratch the aluminum.

[XB03AllyProud]

Thanks all for the replies. Got it home Thursday before Labor Day weekend, soaked the logs with "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner as it came suggested on a toon site and was readily available for wife to pickup. Did very litttle, but it wasn't as bad as I thought from inspection when we went up to see and buy. It will still have to be a winter project to clean fully. Got it out 2x over Labor Day, runs great but only turns 4800 rpm at 14.6 mph gps with that 10p prop. Wife loves it and that was goal, but I will be looking later to trade up to 115 or so. I'd still like to see at least 20 mph, prefer 25 or so if I can get it. Again Thanks for input.

[Bamaman]

To get to the 25 mph level, it'll require 115 hp and a 15 pitch propeller. If it's a really good pontoon boat, it'd be worth looking for a used 115 hp motor.

I'm also on Pontoonforums.com, and have never heard of using The Works. Most owners use a commercial acid based pontoon boat cleaner, NAPA metal cleaner or HVAC coil cleaner a couple of times at 5 minute intervals followed by heavy water flushing. It'll produce a cloudy finish that can be polished out with a high quality aluminum/metal polish.

Many swear by using Sharkhide to maintain the finish on polished/cleaned pontoons. I find that applying lacquer cleaner three or four times after acid washing is much more work than just polishing the toons once per year. That's what it takes before applying Sharkhide.

The best way to keeping a clean hull is to just not leave the boat in the water. Either trailer it, put it in dry storage or keep it on a lift in a boathouse. I can tell from your list of past boats that you're an experienced boat guy.

[XB03AllyProud]

Thanks again Bamaman. I will definitely be looking for a bigger motor once I get a couple other things done. Still got to build a 14x45 deck at the lake place and several home projects. The toon is rated for a 130hp so I will come up with something that will hit my target cruising speed. A old JohnRude bubbleback 115-140 V-4 we used to get alot out of them with a mild massage, different application and wouldn't need as much port work. Still be fun to see what could be built with torque to push the barge.. Anyway, I got some time to study on it before I will be ready to look for another. I've even thought of taking it to Harris for a 3rd log to be added and go to a V-6, but I think I will be happy with 25mph and saving fuel. The less it burns the more I can burn in the Allison!