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  1. #1
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    99 Pro Craft Prop Recommendation?

    Hey guys, I have a 99 Pro Craft 200DC bass boat. I recently got a new motor which is a 2006 225HP Mercury Optimax. I put the prop from my old 200 EFI on it, which is a 25P Laser 2 prop.

    Before it started getting hot out, it was turning maybe 5300 RPMs WOT. Now that it's hot out, I'm turning maybe 5100 RPMs WOT. This is also with the motor trimmed all the way out as far as it will go. Motor was put back at the same height that the 200 EFI was sitting at. I do not have a jack plate.

    Wondering if I'm too far off to get this corrected with just a prop change, or if a different prop would make a really big difference from my current one?

    Thanks for the help.

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    #2
    Need a jackplate for good tuning, but I think a good prop might help. My 2000 210 wanted a 25 or 26 tempest with the 225 opti. Can't say how similar yours is.

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    #3
    Gotcha. Yeah I'm running a 25P now so I think I might need to go down from that to turn more RPMs. Someone recommended me to try a 23P Tempest. I don't have any experience with prop tuning

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    #4
    You're going from a 1.87 gear ratio to a 1.75. Heavier motor,different power ban, and I think you may want to look at a different prop. Even the smallest of adjustable jack plates will allow you to adjust without removing the motor from the transome.

  5. Gar & Mudfish expert! :/ Mickstix's Avatar
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    #5
    Your 225 Opti won't turn a 25p Laser II but to 5100 rpm?? Somethings bad wrong..

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    #6
    Too low would be my guess. Burried in the water.

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    #7
    Yeah it was turning it 5300 RPM's before it started getting hot out. Maybe I need an adjustable jack plate or need to move the motor up another hole.

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    #8
    I just put a jack plate on the boat. Does anyone have experience with setting these boats up that knows what they generally like for a prop to pad height?

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    #9
    Run a straight edge ( 4 ft level ) from the bottom of your pad back to the motor. Measure from the top of that straight edge to the center of your prop shaft. This is where you hear guys saying you are running xx" above or below the pad.

    If you installed a manual jack plate, I would set it at 3" below the pad and go run it. There is no exact number because each boats load is different. You will have to find a happy medium between your hole shot and your top speed, cuz it will effect everything. So if your hole shot sucks but top end is good, lower it and run it again. At first I recommend adjusting it at 1/2" increments until you find where you like it then you can bump it up or down 1/4" to fine tune it.

    This is where going with a hydraulic JP allows you to have the best of both worlds, lower it for hole shot and raise it for top end.

    I am running a modified 25P Tempest A40 with my 225 Optimax.
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    #10
    Thanks for the info!! I finally got it measured and I was still 4-1/4” below pad! I moved it up to 3-1/2” and I now have another 3/4” to go up on my jack plate if need be. I am going to test this setup tomorrow and see how it goes. If I still need to come up more than 3/4” then I will have to move the motor on the mounting bolts. I have a 25p Laser 2 on it right now, so hopefully it should actually turn it now. If it does, then I’m going to find a 25 Tempest to test with.

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    #11
    Btw Fisherman, do you happen to know how far under pad you’re running? Just out of curiosity. I heard somewhere that these boats can like it as high as in the low 2’s, but that seems pretty high!

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    #12
    When I am running on top, I am 1/2" below the pad with my jack plate all the way up, I have actually tried taking off from that point and Its tricky, but I figured it out for when I am in shallow water.

    Do you have vent plugs in your Laser prop? If you do you can pop them out to allow the motor to spool up faster on take offs.
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    #13
    Wow, that’s super high. I’m really interested to see how much better my boat runs tomorrow. I will definitely report back with results. I do have all but 1 vent plug pulled out of my Laser.

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    #14
    A that height I can not turn though or I blow out. I have to drop it a couple inches for corners
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  15. Member
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    #15
    Gotcha. I’m hoping that mine will run pretty good somewhere around 2-3/4” - 3-1/2”.

  16. Gar & Mudfish expert! :/ Mickstix's Avatar
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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Fisher Man View Post
    When I am running on top, I am 1/2" below the pad with my jack plate all the way up.
    You still have water pressure at 1/2" below pad? I ran mine up to around 2.5" below one time and the WP was getting iffy. It did run good though! But I don't have an Opti or a 225, so they may like it a little different..

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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Mickstix View Post
    You still have water pressure at 1/2" below pad? I ran mine up to around 2.5" below one time and the WP was getting iffy. It did run good though! But I don't have an Opti or a 225, so they may like it a little different..
    Yea, I have the top 3 ports on the side of my case plugged and have low water pickup in the nose cone. They made 2 different hulls in the late 90's early 2000. The 205 Pro has a different step in the rear than the super pro's that allow for more lift and speed, which in turn allows me to run that setup. Now however, I can only do that on straight runs to pick up a extra mph or so on perfect glass like conditions, cuz at that point I am driving through a chine walk. I have a Detweiler Jackplate with the Dial-o-just with numbers 1-14. So I know what number works for each condition instead of having to watch for a gauge. Once I take off, I just turn it to the number I know works and away I go, not having to watch a gauge all the time.
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    #18
    Well, just a report back. I ran a 24 Tempest at 2-3/4” below pad. It would still only turn that prop 5500-5600 RPM’s, and I was getting around 64-65 mph. Water pressure still 21psi. Could make sharp turns trimmed all the way out while on pad and not even think about blowing out. Moved the motor up to 2” below pad today, going to test that with a 25 Tempest on Sunday.

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    #19
    That's is actually very respectable numbers with the rpm rang your in. Remember, going up a pitch will lower your rpms possibly.
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  20. Member
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    #20
    Yes, but I also raised the motor up another 3/4”. So it’s now 2” below pad. I’m hoping that will offset going up a pitch. We shall see. I also talked to my jackplate manufacturer and he said he can build me a taller plate so I can get a higher adjustment out of it.

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