optimal prop for 206 with 200 merc

hello,
i am shane broussard and have recently purchased a 92 gambler 206 with a 2001 mercury 200. i have a hydraulic jackplate which is about 5 or 6 inches. the boat pulls hard to the right. i have taken it to the shop to get a total service and compression check done. it will take awhile for their guru to take a ride with me due to medical conditions. they tell me i need to change the prop, which is a factory 3 blade and put a trim tab on the skeg. i want to get out of the hole fast, and i'm not concerned with top ends over 80 mph. i have not been able to lose water pressure jacking up the motor over 70 mph and i don't want to go faster than that until i get the skeg trim tab put on. can anyone tell me "off the top" what prop i should use? and would a different prop take out that right hand torque?

thanks very much,
shane

hey Shane

IMO, if the steering in that boat is original, it is starting to get up in years. I know Sea Star pro hydraulic steering is expensive, but it will be much nicer to drive, and will get rid of the steering torque. Let me tell you a little story. When I sold my Gambler, the wife and I took it out for one last blast, on Als lake actually. We went out and ran the boat all day, and had a couple friendly races with some other bassboats. I brought the boat home and started removing the motor because the guy only wanted the boat. When I unhooked the steering, one of the cables was broke. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/eek.gif My 206 was a 1993 and if that other cable would have let go, my wife and myself would have been in a ton of trouble, and maybe hurt others on the lake also.

No prop will eliminate steering torque, so if it were me I would give my steering a close inspection and consider buying hydraulic.

thank you very much for the info. i do have a sea star hydraulic steering system that is a 2001 model, same as motor. it has been totally serviced recently also. when i first got the boat, i had to steady make rotations to the left, just to hold it straight. now since the service, i only have to hold it to the left, not rotate. the tech that did the job said that it was installed incorrectly. i will definantly look further into the steering after your comments. thank you again.

shane

try a trophy 24P or try a hydromotive quad x. both run well on the boat.

thank you, i will get one and post the difference.

shane