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  1. #1
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    Hydro guys, need advice

    The prop saga continues. I was loaned a 27 XOB that has added cup and ran it last weekend. To my surprise I popped out of the hole (27 Promax, no dice with 2 people) so I was very excited about it...until I couldn't for the life of me figure out to get the bow up. Seems everything I tried, lowering/raising the JP, messing with the trim etc. and nothing worked. I was running about 70 and my water pressure was 8-10...kept messing with settings and couldn't get it higher and then the warning came on and had to shut her down. Didn't have time to keep messing with it because I was practicing for an upcoming tournament so I swapped back to the 26 Bravo XS and went about my day.

    26 Bravo= Great hole shot, dies out around 80 with full load and 2 guys
    27 Promax= bow up in the air and takes a long time and work to get it down or on pad with 2 guys
    28 Promax=No chance of getting on pad without someone standing on the bow
    25 Hydro (worked more like a 26)= Great hole shot and top end around 84 with full load and 2 guys
    27 Hydro (added cup)= Good hole shot, but can't get the bow up and water pressure high enough

    On all props I played around from 3/4" over to 3/4" under pad. I added the Allison.

    Boat is a XB-21 2+2 and set up with a 250 Pro XS with SM 1.62 gears, 2 8' Power Poles, Bob's 8" setback Action Jackplate, Allison foil (or whatever it's called). Weight is distributed right for the 26 Bravo.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Mike Malinao
    2010 XB-21 BasSport 2+2 250 Mercury Pro XS
    https://www.facebook.com/mikemalinaofishing

  2. Member River Rocket's Avatar
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    #2
    Take a photo of the Hydro and post. How does the flare look vs. the other props?
    Allison XB21 2+2
    Mercury 300R




  3. Member
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    #3
    Like Geoff said, look at the flair. My Hydro q4xob's had a ton of stern lift and wanted to push the nose down until I removed the 3/4" flair ring from the barrel. Not saying that's what you need to do as I don't run a Allison and all hulls are different.

  4. Happiness is a Sporty! F150owner's Avatar
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    #4
    I run a 29 XOB on my 2+2. Good hole shot, not neck breaking, and very good top end. I have good, flat lift all around. I have 1.62 gears as well. Was the prop purchased specifically for this boat/application? I've seen some Hydromotive props that were customized for Bullets that just won't do well on an Allison.

    Allison XB21 2+2, Merc 250 ProXS, 1.62 Sportmaster, Hydromotive Engineering X-OB 29
    Excel 1751 Viper F4, Tohatsu 50 4-stroke, EZ-Trac trailer
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  5. Member
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    #5
    Mike the water pressure is a concern to me. I don't like running less than 12 and try to stay at 15 or higher. Sounds like the flare is full to me. A full 1-1/8" flare will ride the stern high and push the nose down. running the motor up on the jack would account for the lower WP. Do you have wedges on the motor mount out of curiosity? RPM's when your at WOT?

  6. Member
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    #6
    I just ran the 29XOB yesterday I purchased from Johnny Maxwell (thanks!!) and it has a great hole shot (need to tweak the PVS plugs a bit)but I too realized some of the flare has to be removed. I had a hard time getting the bow up. Same reaction my 28XOB had til I had it removed by Josh from Steves Custom Props. This one is going to him too.
    2013 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro
    2023 Mercury Racing 300R
    Bravo FS 30P
    ProMax 30P

  7. Member
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    #7
    IMG_4288.jpg Sorry for the delay guys, been slammed. Yes there is a flair and Lars ordered it from Hydro for his ProSport, tested it, sent it back to add more cup to the tips to help with bow lift and he said it lifted the whole boat. Johnny, yes I have wedges and the power power bracket was custom made with a wedge on it so there is another reverse wedge so somewhat counter that angle if that makes sense. Geoff took a look at it when he was in town.

    You guys think if I took that flair off that it would take care of the non existent bow lift?

    Other options:
    Seek out a 26 Promax
    Send in my 27 Promax to try and get a great hole shot
    By another 26 Bravo and have it worked for more top end

    Thanks again
    Mike Malinao
    2010 XB-21 BasSport 2+2 250 Mercury Pro XS
    https://www.facebook.com/mikemalinaofishing

  8. Member River Rocket's Avatar
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    #8
    Yes. Removal of the flare will get the nose up. I don’t have anything with a flare so how much should or shouldn’t it have I won’t be of much help. A couple of guys here have a lot of experience with props with flare.
    Allison XB21 2+2
    Mercury 300R




  9. Member
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    #9
    My advice is to send that XOB and your Promax to Josh at Steves custom Props. He fixed my Promax to where it gets out of the hole without all the overreving and the removal of some of the flare on the XOB which helped reduce the stern lift.
    2013 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro
    2023 Mercury Racing 300R
    Bravo FS 30P
    ProMax 30P

  10. Member
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    #10
    If it has full flair it will lift nose. Just not till 75. It will plow and then the lift will come on all at once. If you know your trim number. Trim to it. Mash the pedal and hang on.....
    Or trim the flair

  11. Member
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    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by AllyFishing View Post
    My advice is to send that XOB and your Promax to Josh at Steves custom Props. He fixed my Promax to where it gets out of the hole without all the overreving and the removal of some of the flare on the XOB which helped reduce the stern lift.
    How does he do this? ?
    Allison XB21 Prosport Mercury Racing 250XS with a 1.75 Sporty

  12. Member
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    #12
    Josh does something to the blades/tips which stops the overreving. I can't give you a definitive answer because I am not a prop guy. I just know what my prop did before I sent it to him and how it was when I got it back. I had someone else install a large flare on it which gave it an awesome hole shot by keeping the bow down and shooting right out of the hole.
    the only problem was that it pushed the bow down so bad I couldn't free the hull and get any speed. I called Josh and he said no flare should ever be put on a Promax prop there are other ways to make them better.

    My XOB I sent to him was much better when he removed some flare which was discovered by Tim Powell (among other changes to the prop that I don't now) and it helped free up the bow without having to trim so high.

    I can't give you definitive answers but if you call him he may be able to give you some insight.
    2013 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro
    2023 Mercury Racing 300R
    Bravo FS 30P
    ProMax 30P

  13. Banned Cashew Chicken's Avatar
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    #13
    F150owner, I think you're talking about me. When I bought my brand new BasSPort pro in the fall of 2007, C&O included a Hydromotive that was designed for a Bullet. I damn near got thrown from the boat on my first trip out. Certainly not Hydromotive's fault.

  14. Member mittenbass's Avatar
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    #14
    Do you have a foil mounted on the cav plate? If so take it off and try it. I run a 27p XOB with full flare on my 2+2 as a fishing prop. It runs pretty flat, but lifts the whole boat up. Will run 88-89mph on my limiter (5850, 1.62 gears).

    For whatever reason, bowlift and top speed seem to be negatively impacted by a foil and this is more noticeable with the XOBs than other props. Tim Powell first posted about this phenomenon several years ago. It still doesn’t make sense to me, but I have made back to back runs with and without the foil and it’s true.

    Personally I would not cut the flare. I have run XOBs with cut barrels and the holeshot was noticeably worse...
    Brad Luchsinger

    2003 Allison XB-21 BasSport 2+2
    2004 Mercury Racing 250XS


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  15. Member
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    #15
    YOu are correct Brad with "some" of the flare removed it does alter the hole shot a bit but the gains in bow lift for me any way are worth it.
    2013 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro
    2023 Mercury Racing 300R
    Bravo FS 30P
    ProMax 30P

  16. Happiness is a Sporty! F150owner's Avatar
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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Cashew Chicken View Post
    F150owner, I think you're talking about me. When I bought my brand new BasSPort pro in the fall of 2007, C&O included a Hydromotive that was designed for a Bullet. I damn near got thrown from the boat on my first trip out. Certainly not Hydromotive's fault.
    Yes, that's the legend that I've heard about!!

    Allison XB21 2+2, Merc 250 ProXS, 1.62 Sportmaster, Hydromotive Engineering X-OB 29
    Excel 1751 Viper F4, Tohatsu 50 4-stroke, EZ-Trac trailer
    FeelFree Lure 11.5 Kayak

  17. Member
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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by mittenbass View Post
    Do you have a foil mounted on the cav plate? If so take it off and try it. I run a 27p XOB with full flare on my 2+2 as a fishing prop. It runs pretty flat, but lifts the whole boat up. Will run 88-89mph on my limiter (5850, 1.62 gears).

    For whatever reason, bowlift and top speed seem to be negatively impacted by a foil and this is more noticeable with the XOBs than other props. Tim Powell first posted about this phenomenon several years ago. It still doesn’t make sense to me, but I have made back to back runs with and without the foil and it’s true.

    Personally I would not cut the flare. I have run XOBs with cut barrels and the holeshot was noticeably worse...
    Thanks Brad, that’s a great idea! I put the Allison foil on to help get me out of the hole with the 27 Promax and can easily take it off to try the Hydro again ����
    Mike Malinao
    2010 XB-21 BasSport 2+2 250 Mercury Pro XS
    https://www.facebook.com/mikemalinaofishing

  18. Member
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    #18
    If the Hydro has the flair welded on with tack welds grind the welds and remove the flair. If it doesn't help you can always have the flair welded back on.

  19. Member
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    #19
    When I first started playing with my first Q4X-OB I added a second set of PVS holes then started working of the flair. I would mill 1/16" at a time until the flair was almost gone, then I just removed the balance. It helped the engine spool up during hole shot. I also opened up one set of pvs holes to 1" X 1 1/4" slots. This is on a Stroker not a Ally. I have a 28p and a 30p, they are my go to props unless trying for a top end no.
    Quote Originally Posted by Strokerdean View Post
    If the Hydro has the flair welded on with tack welds grind the welds and remove the flair. If it doesn't help you can always have the flair welded back on.