1997 Stratos 285 Pro Elite setup

[plugneck]

A few months ago I purchased a 1997 Stratos 285 Pro Elite with a Johnson 175 Fast Strike and 25p Renegade prop. Previous owner had installed a whale tail. The boat would jump out of the hole good but would not get over 4600 rpm's. My first thought was that the boat is over-propped but after looking at some of the owner setups on this board it seems like I should have not had a problem turning this prop and figured it was a mechanical problem and wanted to deal with that first before wasting a lot of time messing with the motor height and spending money on props. I found a couple things on the engine that needed fixed and feel mechanically it is running good but I think now there is a prop/setup problem. Took it on a test run today. Boat jumps right out of the hole at about 4000 rpm's and will make it up to 4600 trimmed down. When I start to trim up it gets to a point the rpm's jump up to 5000 but it shoots a rooster tail about head high. I think that if I could get it trimmed on up the rpm's would come up. When I first got the boat prop to pad was about 4 1/2 inches. I raised it to 3 1/2" and that is all the adjustment the jackplate has without changing mounting holes on the engine. Will the hydrofoil cause the rooster tail? Should I take it off while dialing in the setup? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[mdtritn21]

Have you tried a 24" Raker on it. That 25" Renegade turns about the same as a 26" Raker. I'd take the tail off and drop to the 24" Raker and try it.

[Marinadan]

Try pushing the key in and out to give it more fuel. If the rpm's pickup, you may have a high
speed fuel problem. I have a 150 Intruder and had a rpm problem. It was a bad carb float bowl.

[Les Young]

Have you checked compression? If so are you sure your tachs right? You won’t have any problem turning the renegade or a 24 Raker original if motors right. What kind of gps speed are you getting? No reason it should need the fin period if she’s right.

[drake322]

Take fin off. Find a 24 Raker and try it. If you do not get 56-5800 rpm at WOT trimmed all the way up, there is an issue. I have a 25 gade on mine now and only get 5200 rpm out of it. Raker on mine here in the summer is SLOW out of the hole. I am going to send this gade to Holeshot in LA to turn it down to a 24 this spring.

Jrisco, where are you?????????????????????????????

[J Risco]

Take fin off. Find a 24 Raker and try it. If you do not get 56-5800 rpm at WOT trimmed all the way up, there is an issue. I have a 25 gade on mine now and only get 5200 rpm out of it. Raker on mine here in the summer is SLOW out of the hole. I am going to send this gade to Holeshot in LA to turn it down to a 24 this spring.

Jrisco, where are you?????????????????????????????

haha, sorry bud I dont always see thses.

I would take the whale tail off and set prop to pad at 3.5" and go run it... if you cant see 60 mph gps or really close to it then there is another issue, could be as simple as the prop is getting no bite, or could be engine issue. I didnt mention RPM cause those stock OMC tachs are often off. 25 Gade def isnt over-propped though, but it also shouldnt be throwing a huge tail at 3.5 under unless it's getting no bite. How does bow lift feel when trimmed up? What jackplate and how much setback?

[plugneck]

Jack plate is a 6" pro high-jacker. The boat didn't have a fish finder on it but I have one to put on this week so I'll be able to see gps speeds. I also have a 24 raker ordered that should be here tomorrow. I'll pull the whale tail off and double check prop to pad, try it with both props this weekend and report back. Thanks.

[gaboy]

if it is shooting a rooster tail head high it sounds like it is over trimmed.

[J Risco]

if it is shooting a rooster tail head high it sounds like it is over trimmed.

Normally I would agree, but on these hulls with a Fast Strike you cant overtrim as long as you have a good prop that stays hooked up. I would start trimming immediately after holeshot and would just hold it til I knew it was topped out the trim range (it shouldnt be able to push up into TILT range under power) if running it for top end.

Plugneck, sounds good, report back when you gt a GPS speed. Also pay attention to bow lift, it should be flying high and you def have to drive these hulls over 60!

[SCOTT196]

My friend had this same boat and motor, no jackplate and he ran a 24 raker , it was a mid to upper 60's boat with one person. Get a 24 raker and have motor checked out.

[plugneck]

There was some fuel seepage around the carbs so I put new bowls and kits in them. I also picked up a 24 raker, put it on and removed the whale tail. I double-checked the prop to pad at a more level location and it is at 4 inches. The engine is mounted on the top mounting holes and to raise it further, since the jack plate is topped out, I would have to change mounting holes. Anyhow, it went right on plane and I could trim on up without a rooster tail. Max rpm's were a little over 5600, two grown men (I am 260), and a full 40 gal tank of fuel. I didn't get the echomap units on with all the weather we've had so I don't know how fast we were going. Will it make enough difference to be worth moving the engine mount holes up to get to 3 1/2" below pad?

[Ed R]

There was some fuel seepage around the carbs so I put new bowls and kits in them. I also picked up a 24 raker, put it on and removed the whale tail. I double-checked the prop to pad at a more level location and it is at 4 inches. The engine is mounted on the top mounting holes and to raise it further, since the jack plate is topped out, I would have to change mounting holes. Anyhow, it went right on plane and I could trim on up without a rooster tail. Max rpm's were a little over 5600, two grown men (I am 260), and a full 40 gal tank of fuel. I didn't get the echomap units on with all the weather we've had so I don't know how fast we were going. Will it make enough difference to be worth moving the engine mount holes up to get to 3 1/2" below pad?

Just my opinion.......

5600-5700 is about perfect for that FastStrike, book is 5500, but they make HP to about 5700. Being able to jack the engine up should allow you to run the 25 Renegade or 25 Raker.

I ran a 97 18' 6" Champion with a '97 150 FastStrike, 5.5" CMC JP, worked 25 Renegade by DAH-> 3-3/4 below the pad, 65-67 mph all day everyday depending on load.

[J Risco]

Just my opinion.......

5600-5700 is about perfect for that FastStrike, book is 5500, but they make HP to about 5700. Being able to jack the engine up should allow you to run the 25 Renegade or 25 Raker.

I ran a 97 18' 6" Champion with a '97 150 FastStrike, 5.5" CMC JP, worked 25 Renegade by DAH-> 3-3/4 below the pad, 65-67 mph all day everyday depending on load.

Yep, the 175 is happy living at 5700. I turned mine higher than that sometimes, but 5700 is a good number to shoot for

I would raise the motor one hole (or two) just so that I didnt have to run my jackplate topped out, and also so that I have some more adjustment room for other props like Ed said.

Glad you hear you got that thing rolling good!