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  1. #1
    Member OBT's Avatar
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    Bass Boat Set-up Service anywhere in or near N.Y.

    Anyone know of any one/place "good" that will set up a bass boat properly? I've made progress on my own, but I may need "expert" help to get it dialed in, set-up 'right'.

    Hole Shot and WOT Speed and RPMs are good but the boat just doesn't "seem" right on the top end, more specifically, just before reaching top speed, the back end of the boat "kicks out" (the only way I can describe it) before the prop grabs again and continues to its top end. Scares the crap out of me sometimes.

    2008 Triton 18 Explorer, 2018 Mercury 115hp Pro XS 4-Stroke in the second hole (Was in the third). 21" pitch Laser II prop, 51.6 mph at 6325 rpm. Considering a 4" manual Jack Plate
    Last edited by OBT; 09-16-2018 at 04:55 PM.
    No one can be wrong that often so it has to be deliberate.

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    #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Old Bass Tard View Post
    Anyone know of any one/place "good" that will set up a bass boat properly? I've made progress on my own, but I may need "expert" help to get it dialed in, set-up 'right'.

    Hole Shot and WOT Speed and RPMs are good but the boat just doesn't "seem" right on the top end, more specifically, just before reaching top speed, the back end of the boat "kicks out" (the only way I can describe it) before the prop grabs again and continues to its top end. Scares the crap out of me sometimes.

    2008 Triton 18 Explorer, 2018 Mercury 115hp Pro XS 4-Stroke in the second hole (Was in the third). 21" pitch Laser II prop, 51.6 mph at 6325 rpm. Considering a 4" manual Jack Plate
    looking at your numbers not sure how much more that has in it for a 115.

  3. Member OBT's Avatar
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    #3
    Looking more at fine tuning not more speed.

    The back end of the boat kicking out while climbing to wot worries me. It used to happen with the old motor, also a 115 but not to this degree. Also top end seems right on the edge which is good I guess and dropping the engine to the second hole helped a lot with that problem but the prop still blows out a bit (maybe this is normal) and perhaps the jack plate would help with both problems by getting the engine into cleaner water.

    I just need someone with the knowledge to run the boat and get it right. I know there are shops down south that can do this. Don't want to drive all the way down there though. Just wondering if there was some one closer.

    Here's a video of the boat (Turn down the volume unless you like wind noise) that I made before dropping the engine a hole and before dropping the prop pitch to 20". The 30 second mark 28 to 31 second mark just barely shows the back end "kick out" or "wiggle", (look at it a few times and you''l see me correcting) which is much more pronounced now by about 3X.

    The rest of the video is just showing the now solved problem of the prop blowing out and the engine shaking. Like I said those problems are solved.




    The whole point is, I don't want to end up like the guy in that old video that cross's the wake of the camera boat and looses it, almost killing himself in the process.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=RE2Pz8k8TUA
    Last edited by OBT; 09-17-2018 at 09:33 AM.
    No one can be wrong that often so it has to be deliberate.

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    #4
    have you gone over all the bolts on that are they good and tight look like it has alot of unusuall vibration

  5. Member OBT's Avatar
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    #5
    Thanks for the reply. The vibration problem was solved. Prop blow out and the engine was a hole to high.

    The problem now is that wiggle, which you’ll see at around 1:30 on the video. It 2-3 X worse now. Not sure what’s causing it and it only lasts for a second or two before it just continues on as it should.

    I plan on making another video showing it but with my laptop is down and out I can’t get the video on you tube... once I make it... new machines coming this week end and I’ll post it then. You’ll see what I mean.
    Last edited by OBT; 09-17-2018 at 06:58 PM.
    No one can be wrong that often so it has to be deliberate.

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    #6
    That’s crazy how tha motor shakes... I’ve seen this before .. lucky you didn’t brake off..


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    #7
    As far as speed goes that’s about all you’ll get out of it. My boat with a 115, full live well 65deg air temp and 3mph tail wind I can get 50.6gps with a prop that deff needs a sharpening. If anything a pro mechanic that knows how to set up bass boats might be able to get you 1mph more out of it and you’ll be spending a ton of money for him testing it. The motor shaking is what I’d be more concerned about. Seems like the screws aren’t tightened down properly or the transom is weak in a spot that is causing it to bounce. I take my boat to Matt Whaley who runs north shore marine in Bernhards Bay, NY out of his shop on his property. Matt is a certified mercury marine master tech, and also works full time at a boat shop in brewerton. He might be able to help out
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  8. Member OBT's Avatar
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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by ECobb91 View Post
    As far as speed goes that’s about all you’ll get out of it. My boat with a 115, full live well 65deg air temp and 3mph tail wind I can get 50.6gps with a prop that deff needs a sharpening. If anything a pro mechanic that knows how to set up bass boats might be able to get you 1mph more out of it and you’ll be spending a ton of money for him testing it. The motor shaking is what I’d be more concerned about. Seems like the screws aren’t tightened down properly or the transom is weak in a spot that is causing it to bounce. I take my boat to Matt Whaley who runs north shore marine in Bernhards Bay, NY out of his shop on his property. Matt is a certified mercury marine master tech, and also works full time at a boat shop in Brewerton. He might be able to help out
    Like I mentioned above, the shaking was solved. When that video was made, the engine was still up in the third hole and the old 21" pitch prop was blowing out. That caused the shaking. Transom and bolts are fine, and I'm happy with the speed.

    The only thing I want to solve now, is the back end of the boat kicking out like it does (See the video at the 1:30 mark) In the video its hardly noticeable, but you can feel it in the seat of your pants, and now its 2-3X worse. Happens again when I throttle down.

    It only happens for a second or two and just a few seconds before I'm running at WOT, (51.6 mph) where there are no longer any problems. It worries me some because I think it's a control-ability issue and I don't feel like getting thrown from the boat if something goes wrong.

    Matt Whaley sounds perfect. Thanks! You happen to know which boat shop in Brewerton?


    I fish Oneida often enough and its not to far away. Its a place were he can take it for a test ride and see what he thinks. Hopefully he has knowledge of Bass Boats and their handling characteristics. I'll be giving him a call.
    Last edited by OBT; 09-19-2018 at 06:43 AM.
    No one can be wrong that often so it has to be deliberate.

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    #9
    I would try a different prop, sounds like the kicking out is a prop issue to me.

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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Old Bass Tard View Post
    Like I mentioned above, the shaking was solved. When that video was made, the engine was still up in the third hole and the old 21" pitch prop was blowing out. That caused the shaking. Transom and bolts are fine, and I'm happy with the speed.

    The only thing I want to solve now, is the back end of the boat kicking out like it does (See the video at the 1:30 mark) In the video its hardly noticeable, but you can feel it in the seat of your pants, and now its 2-3X worse. Happens again when I throttle down.

    It only happens for a second or two and just a few seconds before I'm running at WOT, (51.6 mph) where there are no longer any problems. It worries me some because I think it's a control-ability issue and I don't feel like getting thrown from the boat if something goes wrong.

    Matt Whaley sounds perfect. Thanks! You happen to know which boat shop in Brewerton?


    I fish Oneida often enough and its not to far away. Its a place were he can take it for a test ride and see what he thinks. Hopefully he has knowledge of Bass Boats and their handling characteristics. I'll be giving him a call.
    Matt works at RC Congel Boat Sales on Brewerton Rd, he’s one of the mechanics there. The shop phone number is (315) 669-2144. I’ll pm you with his personal business card info. We’ve been having him work on our boats since 2010 and I have him winterize, shrink wrap and store my bass boat at his place Ever since I bought it. He fixed an issue where my boat would bog down when you hammer on the throttle to get on plane and the previous owner had 3 other mechanics look at it and couldn’t diagnose the problem. He mostly works on recreation boats but is a genius when it comes to mercury motors and can give you advice for bass boats set ups.
    1995 Ranger 481v
    1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp

  11. Member OBT's Avatar
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    #11
    Thanks ECobb91
    No one can be wrong that often so it has to be deliberate.