Z7 plows water when up on plane

[muley1o]

I have a 2011 Z7 with the Mercury 150. It has a 21p aluminum prop on it. It has no trouble getting up on plane, but when I am running it wants to plow through the water. It literally feels like the nose is burrowing into the water. Today with just me and some gear in the boat I was running about 36 mph at 5,000 rpm. Right now I can get maybe 5200 to 5300 rpm max. When I am running I set the trim (based on the trim gauge reading) about half way between the 1/4 and 1/2 up lines on the gauge. At this spot I am running about 12 ponds of water pressure. If I trim up any more it drops to about 10 ponds. I am not exactly sure how far below the pad my motor is set. I am guessing maybe 4 inches or so. I know I need to raise my motor some. I have raised it about 2 inches since I got the boat and that does not seem like it has affected how the boat runs on plane. I welcome any questions you may have to better understand my issue and I most definitely will appreciate your feedback to help me make it better. I see set ups like mine on here running in the low 60's and all I can manage is 36. Please help.

Thank you in advance,

Dave

[Boat4Life]

Start with replacing the aluminum prop with stainless. Probably need a 23-24 pitch Tempest plus....

[BMCD]

Start with prop. Trim gauge means nothing. Trim until it won't go up anymore when u get on the throttle.

[d'Wayne]

Pretty sure my buddy has a 2011 z7 , and he's running a 23 or 24 Tempest. It's not a speed demon but fishes very well.

[remaly181]

Wrong prop and and your PTP is unknown. Get a 23p Tempest and put your motor at 3" PTP. Check in thereafter.

[grayline]

Wrong prop and and your PTP is unknown. Get a 23p Tempest and put your motor at 3" PTP. Check in thereafter.

Agreed....

[muley1o]

I now know what the problem is and there isn't a prop or pad to prop position that is going to do anything to make it better. I am very happy that I did not take everyone's advice and buy a new prop. It would have been a waste of money.

[plki]

OOOOKAY?

[BMCD]

No one said buy a prop. What was the verdict?

[Flippin 416]

Hooked hull...check the Hull Hook thread.

[remaly181]

No one said buy a prop. What was the verdict?

I didn't necessarily say it, but it was implied. And don't read tone into my response, Muley1o. I am truly being conciliatory. Whether your hull is hooked or not, that 21p aluminum prop will dog you to death. Mercury testing shows the Z-7 with a 150 and a 24p Tempest Plus running 61.3 at 5575 rpm. Those numbers are hard to beat without a jack plate and 45 gallons of fuel on board.

[muley1o]

I have had friends and people on the forums suggest a Tempest Plus 23p, 24p, a Tempest Fury 24p, etc. I realize that the prop I have is not the best, or even the correct one for my boat. Unfortunately I have a problem that is beginning to appear I am stuck with. With that said, there is not a prop out there that is going to get the bow of my boat out of the water when up on plane. When I said I was happy I did not take everyone's advice and buy a prop, it was not from anything other that I am glad I did not spend the money on something that at the very best, may push me to 40 or 42 mph. I am frustrated with the situation, not anyone offering advice. I truly appreciate any advice people give me. Unfortunately this round of advice is a very small band-sid on a very big problem.

[Flippin 416]

Did you purchase the boat new?

[muley1o]

Nope, there in lies the problem.

[Skeeter-14]

yeah I know a guy that had a hooked hull and the boat flipped on him twice, be careful with it.

[gwurzel]

Anyone know if muley would have any traction if this wasn't disclosed by who he bought the boat from? Pretty sure I'd be aware if my boat wasn't at least as fast as others from the same maker/engine etc? And yeah, I know, why go after the previous owner - but this should have been disclosed in my opinion.

[Flippin 416]

Nope, there in lies the problem.

NM...I just saw where you were the 3rd owner in the other thread.

[muley1o]

Yup, third owner and SOL. Too honest to sell to someone else. Doubt I will ever buy another NITRO.

[cubswin]

So you've put another prop on it to test with right? Talk with a dealer and see if they'll let you borrow a prop.

With no lift you aren't going to get above 40.