I've got a 99 sprint with a 200 merc efi mounted on a jack plate. I don't know off the top of my head what size JP it is. Anyways, when I bought the bought, it took forever for it to plane off. So I got on here and did a few searches to see what the issue was. I measured my pad to prop shaft and I was about 2.5 inches. I lowered the JP and got it around 3.5. Took it to the river and the hole shot was a lot better the first time but then when I went to let off the throttle, it stuck. I had to kill the engine. I got it home and it looked like the throttle cable was getting stiff so I put a new one on. Went back to river and now when you give it throttle, itll go back down but gradually build rpms sitting at idle on its on. I looked under the hood and the throttle is not closing all the way. I can move it back manually each time it does it but the cable won't. Its a new cable. Is it possible that lowering the jack plate put the cables in a bind? My boat has a 2" or so tube that the cables are running thru to the motor.
Also, the hole shot will be good when you first get there but it seems the more you crank and move the worse it gets.
19.5' Sprint 200 merc efi 23 pitch fury prop