Thread: Z8 Setup

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  1. #1
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    Z8 Setup



    I have never been able to get my Z8 dialed in for my speed. I am looking for advice on what direction to go or what to try next. My setup is a 2010 Z8 with a 200 Pro XS. I have a 10" Bobs Hydraulic Jack plate and a tempest plus 25 prop with 1 plug removed and the other two are the hollow plugs. I have dual power poles and 4 batteries in the rear. I have read and searched quite a bit and my boat doesn't react like I expect it to based on what I have read should happen. Currently, tournament load I can maybe hit 63.5 mph at 5200 rpms (based on the tach in the dash.) Prior to me installing the poles I would get about 64.5 mph but most of the time would come back to almost 63 mph cause It would start chine walking pretty good around 64 to 65 mph. As far as my pad to prop height. When my jackplate is all the way down is when my boat is fastest. It has always done this, before my poles, and even when I ran a 25p fury. I can get my boat going as fast as it can with my jack plate all the way down (approximately 5” prop to pad,) as I start raising my jack plate slowly I can watch my speed drop. I’m not losing water psi. This just contradicts everything I have read about prop to pad adjustment. Its not that I am all about speed (I do like it.) Its more of the fact that I want my boat (that I paid all this money for) to be running and setup as good as I can get it. It bugs me knowing I can’t figure it out. I tried running a 24p fury at one point in time and I can’t remember what my rpms did. I do remember I lost about 3mph when I went to it from the 25p fury. Appreciate any help/advice.


  2. Moderator Fishysam's Avatar
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    #2
    With my z8 p2p similar to yours my boat is fastest with max trim. Now. If you raise your motor 3 inches you probably don't want max trim at all. As far as chine walk you need to learn to drive through it. To go faster than 65, but full load with anchors 65 is probably all it has.

  3. Moderator Fishysam's Avatar
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    #3
    Also I have nothing in the bow except rain coats and rods, all plastics and heavy things must be in the back

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    #4
    Mine will get faster the more I trim it too. I just don't understand why when I raise my motor I lose speed. I really haven't tried trimming down when raising my jack plate. Or at least paid attention to what happens when I do that. I can drive through the chine but usually I don't fight it I just slow down.

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    #5
    I might be wrong but a Z8 is a bit underpowered with a 200? I have a guy in our local tourneys who has the same setup and bought from bass pro as it was standard with the 200 Pro-XS and he didn't upgrade to the 225 and with 1 power pole and with 2 guys best he has got is 63-64 and by himself 65-66. 24P fury set at 3.5" P2P

    That Z8 fly's with a 250 though
    Last edited by tzx200; 10-16-2017 at 10:18 AM.
    ~ 2010 Skeeter 20i Class
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  6. Moderator Fishysam's Avatar
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    #6
    Try to use much less trim as you get your plate higher, no rooster taller than the top of the motor. By excessive trim it actually pushes the transom down cutting into the water making more drag, so if the bow has lift and you control chine walk before it happens and less trim making for a flatter pad see what you get

    my z8 250 with full load two/3 people and full fuel no live well water is good for 70-71 add livewell water were looking at 68. me alone and lower fuel I've hit 76.2gps. Another thing to think of it your not making huge runs on big lakes don't fill the 68 gallon tank. Easiest way to gain speed. Water is 8lbs a gallon fuel is close to that.
    Last edited by Fishysam; 06-06-2017 at 08:57 PM.

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    #7
    I'm at 61-62 5800 with tournament load, both live wells full, half tank of gas and two 8' poles. 68-69 5800 solo with live wells empty, half tank. I have a 225 and dual consoles, run a 25p Tempest plus. I would try and talk to a prop guy and see if they can give you some advice.
    Nick Frazer
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    #8
    I agree it is a bit underpowered. I just swear I have read of people getting into the high 60’s and low 70’s with a 200 on them.


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    #9
    Yeah I have talked to one before. He recommended the 25p tempest over my Fury. I really need to get him to drive the boat and go from there. Also I need to invest in a vessel view so I can get some accurate RPM readings. I don’t trust my tach on the dash, it bounces up down randomly at idle but seems to work fine once I start driving. I know for a fact I can run 61 to 62 with two 10 ft poles, full fuel, full livewells, and my is a DC too. You have a bigger motor though so that doesn’t make since. I know every boat is different I just want to dial mine in as best a I can get it.


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    #10
    Next time I’m out, I’m definitely going to try less trim with my plate higher and pay attention… Now that I think about it. I have always started with my plate as low as it would go, accelerated, started trimming up till I reached my maximum speed, then tried raising my jack plate. Tonight I will mark my plate at 3.5” and 3” and try taking off from those points and see what happens. I try not to add unnecessary fuel, for the weight reason and to keep it as fresh as I can. Thanks


  11. Nitro Boats Moderator BMCD's Avatar
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    #11
    I am thinking u got too much prop. a 23p or 24p tempest would be better. U need your RPMs to be around 5800 at Full throttle.
    Bryan McDonough
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  12. Moderator Fishysam's Avatar
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    #12
    Yeah my 250 with 25 tempest plus pushes 5850-5950 69-76.2 less slip when it's empty apparently. I am excite to see how your next trip goes keep us posted

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    #13
    Yeah. Once I can verify my RPMs are accurate I am definitely going to search for a lower pitch to try out.

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    #14
    I definitely will. I just need to find someone that has a 23 tempest or 24 tempest I can borrow...

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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Fishysam View Post
    Yeah my 250 with 25 tempest plus pushes 5850-5950 69-76.2 less slip when it's empty apparently. I am excite to see how your next trip goes keep us posted
    So I finally purchased Vessel View Mobile. I was out this weekend fishing a tournament so I really didn’t have much time to play with it. With the tournament load, ¾ tank of gas, a co angler, I could hit 62.5 mph at 5200 rpms. Originally when I tested one of my livewells was full and I could only get it to 61 mph at 5130 rpms. I have the 25p tempest + with two vent plugs removed. It’s slow out the hole whenever I have a full tank and co angler. I want to get more rpms but I worry dropping in pitch will kill my hole shot even more. I was even thinking trying a 24p fury 4.

  16. Moderator Fishysam's Avatar
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    #16
    Supposibly the fury prop doesn't lift as well. I would look for a 23/24 tempest plus, or a 25 bravoxs with o s plugs, reason I say 25 bravo is because the fins are smaller but 4 bladed, and most people I have read about went 25 tempest plus to 26 bravo with no real rpm change. If you find a 24 tempest that works, you can have your current 25 rebuilt by croxton to a 24 or even a 23.5
    Mercury 250 proxs 2B115089

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    #17
    I think dropping your pitch is the answer. This will actually give you a better hole shot since the prop will be turning faster and it will also increase your RPM's. Good luck...lots of trial and error when working on your setup. How did you like the Vesselview? Been thinking about getting one for my Z8.

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    #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Fishysam View Post
    Supposibly the fury prop doesn't lift as well. I would look for a 23/24 tempest plus, or a 25 bravoxs with o s plugs, reason I say 25 bravo is because the fins are smaller but 4 bladed, and most people I have read about went 25 tempest plus to 26 bravo with no real rpm change. If you find a 24 tempest that works, you can have your current 25 rebuilt by croxton to a 24 or even a 23.5
    I have tried a 24P Fury 3 blade and I actually saw a decrease in mph. This was before I had my poles and was running a 36v trolling motor. I also really wasn’t paying attention to anything but top speed. I have a friend that said he will let try his Fury 4 24P. Hopefully I can take him up on that offer here in the next week or so.So I do have another question. I want to be consistent when testing to ensure my data is accurate. Is it better to test fully loaded, or somewhere between ½ and ¾ loaded? In tournaments when I take off typically I will have my fuel tank ¾ to full. I have to make long runs. But, if it’s a good day Im filling my wells pretty quick in the morning. I guess what my I’m trying to get at, is it better to set up the boat heavy or somewhere in between? I imagine you will say wherever you think you’re at the most or a happy medium. Thanks for all the advice.

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    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by jlittle1274 View Post
    I think dropping your pitch is the answer. This will actually give you a better hole shot since the prop will be turning faster and it will also increase your RPM's. Good luck...lots of trial and error when working on your setup. How did you like the Vesselview? Been thinking about getting one for my Z8.
    I thought I had read the opposite. The higher the pitch the more torque/hole shot and less top end. I am a car guy so I compare it to rear diff setups. Like 4.10 gears versus 3.27. The 4.10 will make you lift your front wheels off the line but hurt your top end. The 3.27 will let you run 140 mph top end but will suck coming out the hole. Hopefully I will be testing a Fury 4 24p out soon and will post an update
    As far as the Vesselview. I actually was able to get one from a member on here. So I saved about $50. I’m not going to lie, I am a little disappointed. I was hoping I could look at water psi on it. It allows you to look at mph, rpms, fuel level, engine temp, and hours. I guess I was just hoping it would allow me to look at more things. So pretty much all I will use it for is RPM, Temperature, and if I get an alarm.
    I almost wish I would have just bought the smart craft gage. I plan on getting one of our older smart phones and buying a nice mount and just leaving it on the boat just to keep that displayed. Or I need to research to see if the new HDS’s can connect and display it. If so, I plan on upgrading my graphs here soon, I’ll just get one that is compatible.

  20. Moderator Fishysam's Avatar
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    #20
    30 pitch prop in jello will move 30" forward in one revolution, (3.27 rear end) a 23 pitch will go 23" (4.10)
    Mercury 250 proxs 2B115089

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