I joined the power pole fan club

[tritontr21]

Saturday afternoon did have a little pucker factor clearing the cove!

[JOEALLY]

So, some of you guys are running 1" to 1.5" above the pad with XB21s?

I'm not sure how I've missed that, I thought 3/8-1/2" was about the limit.

If I'm understanding you correctly, I've got some room to go up for sure. I've been running about 3/8" above.

[River Rocket]

I'm running 10.5" of setback with the old pad or put differently, the lip is not shaved like the new boats.

I think Johnny is referring to trim when he says 1.5 over neutral.

[JOEALLY]

I'm running 10.5" of setback with the old pad or put differently, the lip is not shaved like the new boats.

I think Johnny is referring to trim when he says 1.5 over neutral.

My boat is a 2010 so it should be the old lip as well. I'm still learning the 21' hull and I feel like my boat needs a little more on the plate height but I DO NOT want to swap ends so I'm cautious. I've got my 16 year old with me most of the time anyway so I don't push past what I'm comfortable with.

[River Rocket]

I always ran .5” on mine when I was at 8”. My kid is with me most of the time as well. I always run mine at a safe height as well.

[tritontr21]

My boat is a 2010 so it should be the old lip as well. I'm still learning the 21' hull and I feel like my boat needs a little more on the plate height but I DO NOT want to swap ends so I'm cautious. I've got my 16 year old with me most of the time anyway so I don't push past what I'm comfortable with.

3/8" above with 8" setback and old pad is pretty safe. I run 1/2" above solo with a few props safely and have run as high as 5/8" above with no issues with worked P4's but pressure starts to fall fast at 11/16" and 3/4" I do not have enough water pressure to safely run. I am running a stock sportsmaster case and 8" of setback for now. I know a few have gone with 10-10.5" and run at the 1" above the old stock pad. I have no testing data personally on the new pad or shaved pads but in theory they should allow more engine height. The rule of thumb is 1" of setback allows 1/4" more height. All this is contingent on load prop driver skill/comfort level and so forth. With higher engine heights you will not be able to use as much positive trim and keep it hooked up.

[Strokerdean]

Jay, I don't want to start anything as I don't have a Alli but how did you arrive at 1" setback allows 1/4"more height? If I understand correctly that would mean the difference between 8" and 10" setback would allow for an additional 1/2" higher on the plate. Again I'm just trying to understand, I have much more setback and run the motor much higher than what any of the Alli folks have stated which would be the difference in pads etc. I've spent a afternoon driving a 2+2/250xs, not sure about setback but I'm thinking 6". The rig was a dream to drive but I was very cautious on trim and engine height based on everything I had read about the long keel etc.

[hooken203]

I have 10 inches of set back and can run 1 inch above as long as I stay on the throttle I have good water pressure. 20 plus. This is on a 21 Pro with the new lip profile. Now with a stock pad 8 inches of set back I could only run 1/2 inch above and still have safe water pressure.

[Tim Powell]

Old pad and 8" setback will not run as high as it will with more setback. I have the old pad and 10" setback and can run at 1" above no matter what the speed is.

[River Rocket]

Dean, Jay's numbers are pretty close from what I have seen. Obviously not an exact science, but probably a good starting point. If we look at it from a drive-ability standpoint it works out on my boat. When running 8.5" of setback at even with the pad my boat was a handful. It became less at 1/4" over. At 1/2" it was a dream. I never tried higher and regret that. The same was true for when I shifted back to 10.5". At 1/2" over its a handful. When running 3/4" it is manageable. At 1" no issues. Water pressure follows pretty close as well. At full throttle I'm mid to low 20's. I do think at slower speeds and trimmed out my pressure is slightly lower running 1" over on 10.5" like stated above. I now run tucked under more at slower speeds when trimmed. On the plus side I do not use as much trim. So I run closer to even than I did before.

I have 12.5" of setback ready to run. I just didn't want to go that far when I was adding the poles and didn't know if things might change. By spring when I'm comfortable with this configuration I will swap spacers and go to 12.5" and see how that works. Honestly, right now I really don't have a reason to do it. I'm not sure what it gets me, I have zero complaints or issues right now. My boat handles extremely well. I really don't want to change something when all I think it might do is allow me to run over triple digits when I rarely want or need to at the chance it may take away the performance in the zone that I use the boat in most.

[tritontr21]

Jay, I don't want to start anything as I don't have a Alli but how did you arrive at 1" setback allows 1/4"more height? If I understand correctly that would mean the difference between 8" and 10" setback would allow for an additional 1/2" higher on the plate. Again I'm just trying to understand, I have much more setback and run the motor much higher than what any of the Alli folks have stated which would be the difference in pads etc. I've spent a afternoon driving a 2+2/250xs, not sure about setback but I'm thinking 6". The rig was a dream to drive but I was very cautious on trim and engine height based on everything I had read about the long keel etc.

As Geoff said its not an exact science as there are always variables that contribute but in my testing on multiple boats over the years I have found this to work on my old Lasers, Triton, and both my Allys coupled with a couple others as well.
Trim is another animal for sure and you definitely have to watch what your doing and conditions, weight, prop, heights all factor in. For example on a certain p4 I ran my best speed at 5/8" above the pad with the trim at .8 above neutral on my merc monitor and a nearly identical p4 ran best at 3/8" above trimmed to 1.4 above neutral. The latter wheel was .3 slower at 5/8" above and required to be trimmed to 2.1 above neutral to reach that speed in similar conditions. It is testing in progress.

[JOEALLY]

This past Saturday at Lake Martin I had my son (165#), his partner (150#) and myself (180#), full fuel, 3 people tournament load, 12 bottles of water, water in livewell and all our cold weather gear. The water was kind of choppy so I dropped the plate to about 1/4" above and ran 83.3 mph without trimming out the last few bumps. I wasn't going to do that in the chop with the teens on board. But it ran extremely smooth up to 83.

I need to try 1/2" above when conditions are right.

[tritontr21]

This past Saturday at Guntersville I had my son (165#), his partner (150#) and myself (180#), full fuel, 3 people tournament load, 12 bottles of water, water in livewell and all our cold weather gear. The water was kind of choppy so I dropped the plate to about 1/4" above and ran 83.3 mph without trimming out the last few bumps. I wasn't going to do that in the chop with the teens on board. But it ran extremely smooth up to 83.

I need to try 1/2" above when conditions are right.

If it doesn't lift well do not push it to hard. I did run a 28OT4 that high with lots of lift but not all props act the same with each different load.

[fishnfireman]

If it doesn't lift well do not push it to hard. I did run a 28OT4 that high with lots of lift but not all props act the same with each different load.

Especially when hauling more weight than normal.

[tritontr21]

I have ran 1/2" high with my Promax with a passenger and good water but always try to drop it to 3/8" or lower if conditions are not right. When carrying 3 or 4 I always drop my engine to even or 1/4" below for safety as well. Just me 2 cents worth.

[A7T3C]

Beautiful setup!

[fishnfireman]

I have ran 1/2" high with my Promax with a passenger and good water but always try to drop it to 3/8" or lower if conditions are not right. When carrying 3 or 4 I always drop my engine to even or 1/4" below for safety as well. Just me 2 cents worth.

I need to change my gauge or switch or both.
Still using the original's--------- I'm lucky if the jackplate stops in the same place twice if you compare what the gauge shows against the actual plate measurement. I have the plate marked and hope to get within half inch. Normally I try to do it by feel then look at the plate measurement when I stop..

[tritontr21]

I need to change my gauge or switch or both.
Still using the original's--------- I'm lucky if the jackplate stops in the same place twice if you compare what the gauge shows against the actual plate measurement. I have the plate marked and hope to get within half inch. Normally I try to do it by feel then look at the plate measurement when I stop..

I also have the original gauge. I have multiple color marks on my JP to know my premeasured height. My gauge is not consistently repeatable or trustworthy in my book. I do not practice adjusting on the move unless I drop water pressure then I might bump it down a tad. I tend to adjust it when I arrive at the lake and unless prop testing I tend to leave it be!

[fishnfireman]

Thanks -- I thought maybe there was some better stuff than what I have.

[River Rocket]

We are all either using magic marker or scribing lines. I have zero trust for that gauge. Luckily 1” above is max up for me now so I never have to look. Just raise it till it stops.

Steve G showed me the Hydrodynamics setup and that looks accurate. Powell is running it and says it works. He trusts it.