Champion 206 set up questions.

[Tyler Cole]

I have a 02 champion 206 with a 08 Merc 250 xs. My prop to pad has been anywhere from 3.5-2.5. I can’t get over 5500/65mph. I’ve been running a tempest 25p 3 blade. I just put on a 24p trophy plus 4blade, ran it at 3, and 2 3/4 prop to pad and nothing changed. Still 5500/65. The only thing I noticed different with the 4 blade is almost felt like I was hitting a rev limiter at 5500, and doesn’t have any power loading on trailer with 4 blade although hole shot is excellent. All speed is gps and the rpm is through a smart craft gauge.

[johnfortier]

see if you can get a bravo 1 xs to try , it really woke my 206 up,you will think you are in a different boat,if you have a hot foot make sure it is adjusted right

[grout-scout]

Well there’s lots of possibilities. Have you ever changed the fuel lines, cleaned the vst, plugs, checked all the coils for spark?


Checked the hotfoot to make sure it’s opening all the way?

Tried a 24 Tempest?

[Tyler Cole]

Well I bought it from duck river marine in TN. Last fall and they supposedly went through and checked everything. I have not yet tried a 24p tempest

[champ210]

4 blades don't trailer load very well. to much bite

[pmgoffjr]

Time out...
If you move your motor and get no changes, something is amiss in your motor.

[Tyler Cole]

Thanks for the reply pat. That’s what I am wondering. what do you suggest checking? The dealer I bought it from said they went through everything and is a healthy running motor. The motor runs great all around beside the top end rpms. They said I just need to switch props, which I did and didn’t help. I would think a 250 xs would push a 24 p prop over 6 grand. No alarms on smart craft either.

[grout-scout]

Nope, a 24 Tempest will get you about 300 more rpms. And when you went to a 4 blade Trophy with a 1” lower pitch, you basically did a wash of it, they run about the same. You always drop 1” pitch when running a 4 blade (exception is the fury4).

Now if you run a 24 Tempest and have no rpm change, you have a throttle cable issue or a plethora of potential issues.


I was in Bass Pro tonight and they’re rigging their 250’s (they are 4 strokes though, which need to run higher rpms) with 23’s.

[Rick H]

My 03 206 250 XB w/26 tempest worked by Mark , Prop to pad 3.5", (4) 27 series batteries, 1/2 tank of fuel, 65 degr. (f), just me and medium load, empty wells, calm slight chop pulls to 6000 GPS 75 MPH

[STLBassBuster]

I would check to make sure your throttle cable is opening her wide open. Next get a hold of a 24 tempest and see what rpms you get as mentioned above. Definitely a lot more performance in her. The newer bravos also already mentioned could be the ticket.

[harrys]

i have two questions, what type of weight load do you carry in the boat when testing like this, what type of speed do you or the rest think the 206 should be getting? I have a 2004 206 also with a 250 Pro XS, I am a 300 pound guy and have a boat load of tackle and 65 mph is my top and I was happy with that, the 206 is not a speed boat. I am running a 25P Bravo and switched to it from a 25p Tempest and the performance was night and day....the Bravo gave me a great hole shot, no loss in top end and the boat power loads very good ......Interested what others get with boat loaded as a top end? I am not trying to high jack the post I think it all relates.

[Rick H]

Loaded with heavy tackle, 1/2 tank of fuel, 2 people =430 lbs, On a 65 degr. day Planes in 3 seconds, GPS 70 MPH. On a warmer 85 degr. day I'll loose 2-3 MPH and a little to plane 4 seconds.

Difference between this post and post #9 is at least 300 lbs.
Post #12 is what the boat weighs 90% of the time. I don't run it hard much but do a speed run twice a year. As long as it jumps out of the hole normal it will run those numbers just about all the time.

[Tyler Cole]

I have ran light load and heavy load. Im not concerned with the top speed. Just concerned with getting the rpms I should be at at top speed.

[Charlie206]

Very good advice in Post #2