99 Stratos 285 Pro Elite- Evinrude etec 150HO E150HGLABG-6" manual JP setup help

[okstatebass]

Hey Guys,


My boat and motor are listed in the title. Currently at WOT and nearly full trim, I can only push 59-60 GPS. RPMs are right around 5600-5700 and water pressure in high teens. My prop is an original older Raker I believe 22 pitch. Anyways I wanted to see what suggestions y'all may have on increasing the speed of this boat. I obviously first and foremost want to be mindful of water pressure and RPMs but I think I've got plenty RPMs to play with to push this boat at least 5mph quicker. The tech recommended trying a new raker 2 with a 24 pitch for starters and possibly raising the jack plate a 1/2". This motor was manuf in march of 2016 so I am really hoping to get the top performance out of it. Any suggestions or prop selection and water pressure would be greatly appreciated!

[Tom G.]

Where are you at for prop to pad? Pull the prop nut and washer off and you will see the size stamped under the washer on the barrel.

[JR19]

A Raker will work on a E-TECH but the Raker II is better for longevity. The Raker II prop was designed to deal with the high exhaust temperatures of E-TECH motors. The way exhaust flows and the type material is different from the Raker. The Raker has a rubber pressed in hub. Over long periods of time it is more prone to have a hub failure because of deterioration due to E-TECH exhaust temperatures. Rakers are great for carburetor and Fichts but when it comes to something with high exhaust temperatures the Raker II is a better option for long hub life.

I have a 150 HO with a similiar size hull and I have 3 props. 24 Raker and two 24 Raker II...all three perform within a small % of each other. My 24 Raker is a tad faster but lacks the hole-shot of both my 24 Raker II's. I run a 24 Raker II. The reason I bought a second 24 Raker II was because I found a good deal on it. I had intentions of sending it off and getting it worked just to see what would happen but I have not got around to doing it.

Personally I would try a 24 Raker II at 3.5" below the pad and see what my numbers are and go from there. The dealer should have went over what the recommend water pressure at wide open throttle plus max rpm at wide open throttle when you bought the motor. Make sure you stay within the minimum water pressure limit and do not go over the max rpm limit. Do you know how to measure prop to pad. If not I can show an illustration that explains it and really make it easy to figure out.

[okstatebass]

I have not measured prop to pad before so that would be very helpful. Is there a minimum water pressure for the 150 HO? There is a local prop shop that will let me borrow a 24 Raker II and a 23 Tempest to play around with

[JR19]

On your boat/motor combo 3.5" or 3.25" is going to be very close to the best height.

Find out from your dealer what the minimum water pressure at wide open throttle is. I "think" it's 18-20 psi on any rpm above 5000. Don't take my word for it verify this with a tech. I also "think" the boat needs to be propped to turn 5500-5900 rpm when running wide open throttle. Again don't take my word verify this.

I would set the motor height at 3.5" and try the 23 Tempest first. Then I would try the the 24 Raker II next. Once I found out my max rpm numbers and water pressure with those two props at 3.5" I would evaluate the numbers and see what if anything needs to be done.

[okstatebass]

I went to the lake earlier and here are some
resukts from the 4 diff props

Ok so at WOT here are the results. 3.5" ptp, and I had a buddy with me in the boat. All numbers are full trim or damn close


1. Raker 2- 24P- barely 5400 RPM, 22-25 water pressure- about 61 gps, decent hole shot


2. Power tech 4 blade- 24P- 4800 RPM, 22-25 water pressure- 57 gps- terrible hole shot


3. Quicksilver torrent- 25P- 5100 RPM, 22-25 water pressure- almost 63 gps- terrible hole shot


4. Quicksilver torrent- 23P- 5400 RPM- 25 water pressure- 61-62 gps- great hole shot, less than 3 seconds

thoughts anyone?

[Tom G.]

Raise it and try it again. up 1/4 at a time until water pressure goes below 20.

[JR19]

I would be real interested to see what a 23 Tempest would do.

Based on the options given number 4 looks like it had the best overall results but I still think the rpms are about 100-200 low from where most people like to have them. If you go up .25" you might gain .5 mph and possibly 100 rpm. This would put you real close to where you need to be rpm wise. When raising motor height always go in small increments. If you have a manual jack-plate it can be a pain in the butt so you may want to stay at 3.5" If you do raise the motor beware with raising the motor too high. Problems that can occur are 1.when you get too high you lose water pressure. 2 you gain rpm but lose speed because rpm gain is actually slip and not bite.

Even though 4 had the best overall performance I would be tempted to go with option 1 but have it "worked". I would send it to Mark Croxten (Mark's High Performance Propellers) and have him drill the holes so they match the size of Mercury PVS holes. (this was done on both my 24 Raker II props) I would install two large vent plugs and leave one hole completely open. If sluggish building rpms remove a plug. If gaining rpm/blowing out on holeshot add a plug. Also tell Mark your exact prop to pad, water pressure and rpm. He can get you another 100 or 200 rpm and possibly another .5 - 1.5 mph.

If you go with option 4 send it to Mark and give him all your current info and tell him you would like a couple hundred more rpm. Mark Croxten can make a good prop excellent and a bad prop good. His work is second to nobody. Do some research here on BBC. There is a few good prop guys but Mark's name comes up more often than the others.

FYI...anything over 60 with two people and I would be happy. An 18 ft/150HP boat with two people is not going to be an upper 60's ride. Mid 60 dialed in perfect at best. Most are low 60. You're right on par. All you need to do now is get you motor rpm dialed in so its reaching max performance. At 5400 your not lugging the motor but you do have 4-500 more rpm to gain before your getting close to the upper rpm limit. I like option 1 and 4 you just need to find 1-300 more rpm...your getting close

[okstatebass]

I'm going to try a tempest 23 and 24 this weekend on the current setup then raise the JP and try each prop again

[JR19]

2 and 3 I would not try even at a higher setting. Rpms are so low on 2 and 3 that raising them will not be enough. I would eliminate them and see what 1 and 4 does higher. I am interested in seeing what the 23 Tempest does. The 23 Tempest has PVS holes that can be adjusted by changing the plug configuration. If possible run it with 3 large plugs. If more venting is needed remove a plug. If too much venting install a solid plug. The 24 Tempest should need more venting on hole-shot that the 23 so you may have to pull a plug to get it to spin up on hole-shot.

[okstatebass]

I raised my motor to 2 7/8" PTP and ran it tonight. I ran props #4 & #1

WOT, near full trim


#4- ran almost 64, 5600 rpm, 25 water pressure, great hole shot


#1- ran about 61-62, 5400 rpm, 25 water pressure, great hole shot

Both started chine walking at full trim

Then ran my original 22 raker at the same PTP of 2 7/8". I got up to 6000 RPM which is the red line, however my GPS speed was only barely 60-60.5 mph. The boat had an amazing hole shot and the water pressure was at 27.

I think with the lower speed and higher water pressure, it's safe to rule this prop out of the mix.

Thoughts?

[ChampioNman]

Bring it up some more, you've got plenty of water pressure.

[okstatebass]

Is there a water pressure range for this motor?

[ChampioNman]

Yep don't let it get below 18 PSI, WFO and full trim.

[okstatebass]

WFO? Sorry still picking up the lingo

[mactlman]

wide full open??

[Bassmeister]

wide full open??

That's the nice way to put it!...

[ChampioNman]

Wide Fookin open.

[okstatebass]

#19Today, 11:09 PM

I got a 23P tempest and the prop shop worked on the prop to get the extra 200 rpms, two large holes plugged. Same PTP of 2 7/8". Ran 62 mph and close to 5700 RPM. A decent chop on the lake. Water pressure still 25

I am going to go to 2.5" and try it out. Does anyone recommend removing any plus in the prop to assist with RPMs or speed?

[okstatebass]

Plugs *