My buddy has a 94 20xd with a 2005 optima with a sportscaster lower unit and a 25p trophy prop 1.5" below pad only able to run 73mph at 5200rpms. What does he need to do in order to get more speed and get the rpms up? Thanks.
My buddy has a 94 20xd with a 2005 optima with a sportscaster lower unit and a 25p trophy prop 1.5" below pad only able to run 73mph at 5200rpms. What does he need to do in order to get more speed and get the rpms up? Thanks.
Would be nice to know what motor. I also assume a Sport master lower, what gear? How much set back?
1.5 " ABOVE pad will be closer. My 20 XD with 250 XS, sportmaster, is 1-3/8 " ABOVE pad. I am running a 28 Bravo and I have 1.62 gears and 12" set back. This will give you a starting point.
it's a 2005 225 optimax sportsmaster lower. Not sure the gear ratio. Didn't know there was different ratios on sportsmaster. He says it gets too squirrely and he gets scared and backs out. I suggested raising the plate, and but he's convinced he has the wrong prop.
He is concerned that if he raises the jack plate it that it will chinewalk worse
Sounds like the majority of the speed problem is the driver. If he can’t control the chine I wouldn’t be trying to push it faster. That could end up in disaster.
BULLET 20XRD/Mercury 300 XS
Just start at 1” above and go from there until he’s more comfortable. Having the LU burried will make it drive awful. The Trophy he’s runnin will work until he learns to drive it.
BULLET 20 XRD/250 Merc Sport XS
www.ncboatguy.com
+1Originally Posted by crank68
2008 BULLET 21XD 2007 Merc 300xs
Thanks guys
Quick question though. How does raising the motor make it handle better?
I can't explain it, but it's true
In very simplified terms, the prop wants to come to the surface. If the prop is too deep it tries to lift the pad out of the water making it hard to drive. The rear 18 inches or so of pad needs to be in contact with the water. Gears could be 1.62 or 1.75. Crank 68 nailed it.
Also the numbers posted lean toward having 1.62 gears
Last edited by gehol; 05-05-2018 at 09:39 PM.
That's right^^^
Best thing he can do is find a fellow bullet owner to help. They can be extremely frustrating when not set up right and not having somebody else check it out. It usually ends up sold for a loss soon after purchase. Nobody wants to be scared of driving their boat but a poorly setup one is scary. That is a very light weight boat not meant for a 3.0L motor either so id make sure youre not running more than a 12” plate til hes comfortable. Very dangerous combo so beware.
xpress x19, 200ho G2, aluminum sawtooth cut prop, paper sack tackle storage, ugly stik pro team, color c-lector
He did tell me that his 25p trophy has been worked to a 26p. Is the trophy prop the right prop for this setup? I have previously told him to raise his plate as I've heard for the same reasons but I couldn't explain it to him and he couldn't wrap his head around how raising the plate would make it handle better. I appreciate the info guys.
The Trophy is fine for now. His problem is not the prop or even the boat he is going to have to learn how to drive a high performance hull. When any boat gets all of the boat out of the water except the pad, the rear part of the pad at that it is going to have to be kept balanced on that pad. He needs to make sure the boat is balanced port to starboard. I carry about 50# of lead under the driver's seat when running with two people to achieve this balance.
My recommendation is get his current set up correct. Raise the motor to 1 inch above pad. Check his port to starboard balance then learn to drive it. He may need to get some help in that area. Then he can start looking at props and a final dial in for max performance. One note, when the motor height is correct he will have to give up some hole shot. May require a little "feathering" of the throttle as boat breaks over.
On the driving let me add, it is a little like balancing a basketball on your finger. You have to stay ahead of it. The boat is going to want to fall off of the pad one side or the other. When it starts to the right you have to bring it back up on the pad and when to the left the same thing. This requires constant attention as the speed goes up and less and less of the boat is on the water. With enough time it will be sort of like riding a bike, the inputs will come naturally and with out really thinking about it. You can't jump in a Bullet and run it to 80+ mph without some experience.
Last edited by gehol; 05-06-2018 at 08:33 AM.
Excellent explanation! Thank you!
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