First ride/impressions

Wow it seems like forever but I finally got the boat on the water! As many of you know I purchased a new XB21 this fall and rigged it with a 250 SHO/sportmaster combo. I used this board as a valuable research tool when deciding my purchase and I want to give back to the people here and future Allison owners by documenting my experience and learning process. Any way my first impression was wow I got a lot to learn about driving this boat! I know it has been said here many times but I can't express enough about how different this boat is than the avg bass boat (in a good way). Although my driving skill needs some work I can already testify to the ride quality, everything you hear is true. My partner was with me with my old skeeter and I drove both boats on the same water and the Ally is smooth and comfortable while the skeeter is busting my balls!

I put on a stock 27 trophy and will learn with it and get a baseline before I start playing with props. I took it to about 77 but I'm still learning to keep it balanced, coming off of pad seems the most difficult but I'm learning that trim is my friend. Unlike the old boat I can't just chop the throttle whenever I want.

Anyways I plan on keeping this thread gong and updating as I go along so feel free to everyone to give feedback,opinions, etc...

Do you remember what your RPM was at 77? When I get my trailer I'd like to get together and do some prop testing.

Take you time Nick, it took me between 10 to 15 hours of seat time. The best feeling is when you trim and throttle enough to get up on pad the first time. When the hull clears the water and only the pad is touching there is no other feeling.

Manny
BasSport Pro
300XS

I bought my BasSport Pro brand new almost 4 years ago. It wasnt the first Allison I owned but I still had to take it slow until I learned the characteristics of the hull. After awhile, driving the boat at or near its potential will become second nature. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/USA1.gif

Kyle,

wasn't really paying attention cause I didn't hold it at that speed for any amount of time I only got to drive her about 10 minutes. I want to get together too in fact I would like to talk to you on the phone and discuss some other issues you I will pm you my number.

One thing I found with mine was there was a certain trim angle that my set up doesnt like. My bullet I had I would trim slowly and bump the trim slowly till top speed. The Ally has an area just below neutral or so that gets the bow hunting. I found it best to trim the smart craft gauge to about 7 to 7.5 and let her eat. I can balance it a lot better this way. It still takes some seat time to learn this hull. I've had two bullets and all had their learning curves.

Just an update,

Had the boat out today after re rigging my gauges and fixing some shifting problems. I actually took a trip down the lake and drove her for a while all the time being more impressed with everything about this boat. I should have some trolling batteries and fishing gear in befoere the weekend and we will see how she fishes! I know everyone is dying to know how the yammi/merc combo runs but I need a little more seat time before I can give any top end numbers however todays trip was very pleasing and the I'm feeling it much better. I will say this, it will hit 85 in a heartbeat with way more left! I'm just running a stock trophy right now too.

One question...I'm sluggish out of the hole until the prop starts slipping it will rev to 3000 then bam slip to 5000 and come out like a rocket but its taking too long to start slipping at least thats what it feels like. Any thoughts?

I ran a trophy tonight and noticed the same thing. I think a through hub prop might work better with the sho. I assume the smaller diameter and blade cavitation makes it slip way more than the sho needs. I like the way the hydromotive X OB comes out way better than the trophy.

As a side note I think the exhaust/cavitation coming around the prop was messing with my side imaging transducer. I had a lot of interference idling around with the trophy that I didn't have with the X OB

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by ndh78 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

HadOne question...I'm sluggish out of the hole until the prop starts slipping it will rev to 3000 then bam slip to 5000 and come out like a rocket but its taking too long to start slipping at least thats what it feels like. Any thoughts?</td></tr></table>

Thats just a Trophy for ya. It will bog then vent/slip and take off. Mine does the same thing.

See http://www.mercuryracing.com/b...ments

The SHO does not need the prop ventilation to spool up, as it has monster torque. The Bravo 1 XS props are very quick. I run a 26 with the SHO on a 21 Yellowfin. You could easily spin a 28, I bet. The B1 XS has ports, but do not seem to be a problem.

Well at this point I'll have to disagree...unless something is going on with my motor it bogs at 3000 and won't come out of the hole until the prop slips.

Just to add another update I got to run the boat some more this weekend despite getting married saturday lol. We actually got married on the lake and took off in the ally!

I finally put my trolling batteries in and topped off the tank. I was surprised how much the batteries slowed it down it really feels different. I am starting to keep it up on pad at 80 plus mph now so I can start getting a feel for what direction I need to go on my prop pretty soon.

It seemed like I was over trimming this last time out although the more trim I gave it the faster I went but I was putting a lot of water up in the air so I'm not sure my setup is where it should be.

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by ndh78 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
I finally put my trolling batteries in and topped off the tank. I was surprised how much the batteries slowed it down it really feels different. I am starting to keep it up on pad at 80 plus mph now so I can start getting a feel for what direction I need to go on my prop pretty soon.
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I was curious to see what would happen when you actually started to load it down. You probably told me on the phone but what batteries did you put in? I've got 3 group 31 optimas in mine. I think you'll like my hydromotive 27 OB, I've pretty well decided to make it my full load fishing prop.

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by ndh78 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">........ We actually got married on the lake and took off in the ally!</td></tr></table>
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<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by ndh78 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">........I am starting to keep it up on pad at 80 plus mph now........</td></tr></table>

Congratulations, .....on both accounts.

I put 31s in the front (regular continentals) but I'm not sure how they weigh compared to the optimas I do know they are heavy! So far I have all my rods..about 12 I think, batteries, misc. jackets rope and other gear, very little tackle, two bags of shot which with a partner I think I can take out, I should note I have a fortrex tm. I thinks thats it short of the rest of the tackle. I know this is a go fast boat but speed is second to fishing for me so I won't trade weight for the gear I need or am comfortable with besides I can always take it out for some speed testing. If I need more speed I will find a way to make more horsepower lol. I think the potential with this motor is tremendous. I do think that the xb21 will sell to guys that wouldn't normally run an A or B type boat so the loaded numbers should really be the most useful benchmark don't you think?

You'll have to see what all I have in mine. I think I have 18 3700 boxes full of various baits. Plus a soft bait binder and deep 3700 full of senkos. I have the same fortrex as you plus a minimum of 10 rods at once.