Tracker PT190 set up

[Frdtrtnfx4]

I have a 2017 Tracker PT190 with a mercury 115 4 stroke on the back. Currently running a 19p 4 blade Mercury aluminum prop and top speed is 50 with 1 person and gear, 49 with 2 people on board. Boat gets rather squirrely at top speed and I've been told the motor needs to be raised up. It's currently in the top hole as it was from the factory. I tried a 3 blade SS 21p prop today and lost top end and hole shot but it handled so much better. My question is what can I do to get some more speed and gain better handling or am I at the top end of what I should be getting with this motor and boat combo?

[jprovencher80]

I believe you sacrifice control for speed. To create speed you need to decrease drag (get more of the boat out of the water). This loosens the feel. To create control, the bow needs to be more in the water. I normally run full trim and loose till conditions dictate I trim down. I trim down before taking a sharp turn to cut into the water more. Speed drops but control increases. I then trim back up and gain speed but at the cost of "control". Even full trim you should never be so loose that you can't control your boat.

How were your rpms with the 3 blade? Stainless or aluminum? What model prop? Water pressure?

The decrease in speed and increase in control is probably due to decrease lift vs the 4blade prop. More of the boat is wet.

[Lape0019]

My older PT190 was set the same as yours from the factory. The guy I bought it from had it moved to the second hole. I never touched it because the handling was great where it was. Now, mine had a 75 on it so I wasn’t looking for speed. But by raising the motor, you’ll be reducing some drag.

[Frdtrtnfx4]

Rpms with the SS 3 blade 13x21 prop were 4900 @ 45 mph. I had no problem getting to 5900 rpms with a little more trim but the prop just seemed to lose its bite after 4900rpms. You would think that with another 1000k rpms to go I'd pick up more than 2 mph but that wasn't the case. The upside was the improved handling in 1ft chop which I'd never run at 47mph with the 4 blade aluminum. With the SS prop the boat felt it was in the water more and the bow didn't point upwards as much

[Frdtrtnfx4]

I was getting 4800 rpms from the SS prop at 45mph but had no issues getting to 5800 rpms. The issue was it seemed like the SS prop lost its bite after 4800 rpms and I was only able to get another 2 mph. You would think I'd get more speed with another 1000 rpms but no such luck. The boat did seem to be in the water more and the bow not pointing up as much compared to the 4 blade prop. With the 4 blade prop it feels like the boat is almost completely out of the water. No water pressure gauge so I'm not sure what the pressure was and the 3 blade prop was an Appolo 13x21 SS and the 4 blade prop is a Mercury spitfire Aluminum 12 3/4 x 19p

[jprovencher80]

do you have 2.07 or 2.38 gears? pro xs or regular 4 stroke?

[Frdtrtnfx4]

2.07 gears and regular 4 stroke. Not the Pro XS

[jprovencher80]

im not familiar with the Apollo prop. perhaps it lacks cup? cupping helps create lift. people have had good success with the merc laser ii prop on the 115 four stroke. maybe try and find someone local to you that has a 22p laser you can take for a spin? check out the mercury prop selector on their website. not a horrible idea to get a water pressure gauge too.

[Frdtrtnfx4]

Test run complete after raising motor one mounting hole and the handling is soooo much better. Ran 48 with a considerate chop and it handled it like a dream. Wouldn't run more than 45 before when it was choppy because the rear end would get loose