'04 lowe 180w a dog at top end.... (part 2)

[badbub19]

since i lost this thread in "the big change" i'm gonna repost it cause i never had a chance to read any of the replies...

i have an '04 lowe 180 w with a 115 merc elpto. right now my best speed with 2 guys and tourney load is 43.6 (gps). i have an aluminum 19 pitch prop set from dealer at 6" below pad. turning 5250 rpm's which is the max recomended. no jackplate....

my plan is to add a 5.5" cmc jackplate or a 6" vance, raise the motor to 3.5"-4" bp, and a new stainless prop (hoping to turn a 22 laser II). this would obviously be my rough starting point and would play with it from there. i know i'm not going to turn this thing into a rocket ship, but i know it has to have more in it than i'm getting currently. i've seen people list speeds upwards of 58 mph with this boat and motor. i'd atleast like to crack the 50 mph barrier.... any suggestions?

[ep72]

A JP may or may not help ya. First get a SS prop and go from there. Your speed isnt all that bad.

[Mark Weare]

Cracking the 50 mph mark is possible but not a guarantee. My brother had one and there are still lots of them around here but they are all about the same, high 40's.

The jackplate is nice as you can raise and lower the motor but being fully honest, that transom is not huge and cannot really handle a jackplate very well, keep any eye on it if you put one on and only go with a 5" max.

If I remember correctly, he had his best running at about 3.5" below on that, turning a stainless 3 blade in that 21 or 22 pitch range. Best speed was 50 mph on the GPS with average of 48 to 49, and 46 with very heavy tourney load. Boat needed a dophin fin to maximize hole shot and keep the boat stable in rougher water, without it, the boat would dart some when running in a little rougher water.

Great boat, very fishable and could go anywhere with it, espcially in the back waters. Enjoy.

[badbub19]

Your breaking my heart guys.... I just can't understand how these other guys are listing mid 50 speeds, and I can't get over 45 mph.... the boat even feels like it should be going faster, almost like i'm dragging a parachute behind me.

[Mark Weare]

Sorry, just going on first hand information.

As far as some people's numbers.....well.......don't always believe everything you read. I hear guys locally who talk speeds that I know that they can't achieve but they use their speedo and when I question that they swear their speedo is accurate. Most of my speedo's were generally accurate up to about 50 or 55 but after that they introduce error exponentially.

Good luck but with lots of experimenting you can hit 50 because like I said, I did it in my brothers 180 but that was the best I could get.

[cyclops2]

I do 50 MPH GPS for 1 month. May.. Then the slimeie stuff in St. Lawrence grabs hold. September 15. Dog Do Do. 45 GPS

[pmgoffjr]

I sold enough of those exact rigs, 50 with a light load is all it's ever going to get you. Don't believe the junk people put up here, it's just not true. Get a good prop, and go fishing, enjoy it for what it is, rugged, dependable and solid, don't shoot it for what it isn't.

[badbub19]

well, o.k. guess i'll just proceed with the carpet job, recessed foot pedal and new storage boxes for the rear deck. thanks for the info guys. i guess i have enough work to do to her anyway. a boy can dream though, right???

[Stl196]

Get rid of that aluminum prop and put a 22P Laser II on it and you'll be suprised.

[badbub19]

if i don't raise the motor with a 22'' prop i'll only be turning about 4500 rpm's, and that's not going to help anything.... if i'm gonna raise it, it's gonna be with a jackplate.