Ok guys How much setback on my 08 bassport ?

[Jeremy]

I have a 250xs now however I plan to put a 300R on it in a year or so..my CMC actuator is out and I plan on putting a seastar (detwiler) on it now but before I order should I stay with the 8" of setback I currently have? I hear that Key in Dallas rigs his xb 21's with just 6" CMC for rough water handling so im contemplating just putting a 8" back on it? I don't chase big number I just fish and like performance and I'm in rough water a lot

THX guys

[xb03fs]

10”

[AllyFishing]

So does Key in Dallas remove the 4" set back spacers from a new boat that he receives? They come from the factory with a set of 4" set back spacers and a 5.5" CMC (either static or hydraulic). And since Mercury is done with the 2 strokes any boat getting a Merc is going to be a 4 stroke. Not sure there's a difference in weight between a 4 stroke 225 and a 300 so I would have to assume that the standard 9.5" of setback would be right across he board/ Only Tim Powell can answer this question properly. I'm just speculating

[River Rocket]

Get the custom Seastar Tim is selling. That way you can change the side plates if you want to change.

I went out on Lewsiville in Dallas right away after switching and I noticed going from 8-10 quickly. The lake was rough and I could feel the lower catching weird. It took a few outings, but the pickups were worth it to me and after that I got a little carried away and went more and more.

i also think 10 is a good number. The negative side effects start to come along after that number from what I have seen. Plus I think the R likes to be closer.

[Cashew Chicken]

My 08 came from the factory with 2" spacers and 2 degree wedges. The CMC was 6". I kept that setup for 9 years. I fished more than anything else.

[fishnfireman]

I hear that Key in Dallas rigs his xb 21's with just 6" CMC for rough water handling

Can some one school me as to (why) less setback would be better in rough water ?
I've ran my prosport for many miles in rough water. Never noticed any difference in rough water handling going from 8" to 10"
If anything I feel the prop makes a lot more difference.
I don't think you could trim the motor on my Prosport high enough to trailer with only 6" setback.. It hits the cowl and pinched the rigging hose with 8"..The nosecone would also hit the skid plate at 8" with the jack plate down and full trim.

[hooken203]

Yeah I want to go to that class also. I am thinking about going to 12 inch set back. Just to see if I can get some more bow lift out of it and perhaps some mph.

[Johnny Maxwell]

My 2018 has 9.5" setback thanks to the factory 4" mount and 5.5" from the CMC. I think there is some misunderstanding or miscommunication as to the rough water handling topic as it relates to setback. This is all my opinion so don't look in the redbook or anywhere you think it may be found. It comes from my experience and my thoughts alone. First, I absolutely believe that on a XB21 hull you are going to be better off in rough water with more setback. Why? It is a known fact that the hulls on these boats handles waves better than anything else due to the fact that the hull rides flatter and bridges the waves. That sounds pretty straight forward on the surface. The hull knifes through the waves instead of having the waves pound against the bottom. But if no setback or little setback is on a XB21, the boat would still bridge the waves that fit between the front of the boat the the prop, but waves with a greater distance than the length of the boat would still cause a rough and wet ride if driven hard in them. So, setting the motor back a reasonable distance like mine which is 10" or going to 12" etc. may have benefits or not on hole shot etc., but the boat would be in effect longer and thus able to bridge a little wider gap in wave tops. To be really honest I can't see setting the motor back a couple inches if all it was for was rough water rides. These boats ride great as it is and that extra 2"-6" would only help in some wave situations and not all. Remember, this is opinion before the shots start flying. LOL

[River Rocket]

For me I couldn't say if more or less is better in any certain water conditions. Mine just felt different when switching from 8.5" to 10.5". I got comfortable with it and didn't look back. The motor felt spongy/springy when in the rough stuff. I think my issue was the allison jackplate, 2" extensions, and potentially a foil. I don't recall feeling the same way when I went to 13.5" from 10.5". The feeling also didn't change when I just went from 13.5" to 11.5". Both of those swaps had very rigid plates. Honestly the boat didn't feel any different so it may have just been the Allison Jack plate.

I think 9" to 11" (or so) is a good number on XB21's for an OPTI or R. I like a little further back on the Opti if you are going for extreme speeds. 13.5" did allow me to get over the 99mph hump with a stock 300XS. I could do it with 10.5", but it was extremely condition dependent. If I didn't have the right ripple on the water the back of the boat would slide all over at 99mph because of the amount of trim needed. The motor didn't have the power and trim was used to get the RPM up. With 13.5" less trim was needed and the boat took a firm set at 99 and above. I didn't see this issue anyplace else it was just 98/99 and above with less setback. After adding DBR I probably could have went with less setback. Right now at 11.5" the R is running up to 104 without an issue.

What I can say is not having a hydraulic jackplate has severe disadvantages when running extreme amounts of setback and high motor heights. Clifton proved that to me this year. I think my boat acted like a submarine 4 times coming back down a bad stretch on the river and those with hydraulic plates (that used them) came back dry.

I agree with Mike, the props very much have a different feel and are much more noticeable.

[fishnfireman]

What I can say is not having a hydraulic jackplate has severe disadvantages when running extreme amounts of setback and high motor heights. Clifton proved that to me this year. I think my boat acted like a submarine 4 times coming back down a bad stretch on the river and those with hydraulic plates (that used them) came back dry.

They can make a huge difference in rough water..

[fishnfireman]

Johnny -- I made the comment once how I felt the old 14" setback on a 2003 was--- IMO like having a foot longer boat when it came to spanning waves.
One of the head board members on another Allison site told me i was a dumb SOB. That was right before he banned me for personal threats in a PM.
At least that was his story.

[Cashew Chicken]

^ he banned me too :)

(assuming you're referring to "RA")

[Johnny Maxwell]

Johnny -- I made the comment once how I felt the old 14" setback on a 2003 was--- IMO like having a foot longer boat when it came to spanning waves.
One of the head board members on another Allison site told me i was a dumb SOB. That was right before he banned me for personal threats in a PM.
At least that was his story.

LOL! There is always some extremely smart genius's out there that know more than anybody on the planet. Most of the guru's or midnight wanders as we used to call them, have very little real world experience driving and setting up boats.

[atcje]

If Key is using 6 inches of setback it's because he is cheap. His knowledge of the 21 foot boats is about what mine is of brain surgery onboard the space station. He may have been the man on the smaller boats but that knowledge doesn't translate to the 21 foot boats.

[fishnfireman]

Speaking from experience and those of friends ----
I figure it's more like -- That was the story he told at the time to sell a rig that for what ever reason only had a jackplate.
That gentleman will do anything to make a buck.

[AllyFishing]

Well, if Key is buying new boats and sending them out the door with something other than a set of black 4" setback plates and a 5.5" HD CMC with Allison side plates then he is going to a lot of trouble removing stuff from the factory. I'm told a boat can't leave the factory without a CMC plate on it.

[hooken203]

Mine left the factory with no plate on it.

[tritontr21]

I have ran 8" of setback with no real issue. I have also tried 12" and currently run 11.5" and both seem to work with the Opti and the R's. I am running a 2+2 so I sit further forward than the Pro model. I personally think it depends on your load, driving habits, skill, and what works best for you personally. With my 250 Sport I ran 95.7 mph with 8" and ran 96.3 mph with 11.5" with cool air, water, and chop. I think the further back you go can possibly effect holeshot and midrange negatively.

[AllyFishing]

Kevin that's contrary to what I was told. Maybe cuz it was going to Lee is all I could think of