performance questions

[jons69chevy]

Hey Guys, I have had my boat for several years but I just got it running again after being down a couple years. This is my first bass boat but not my first boat. I have an 89 stratos 201 with a 200 hp evinrude. My questions are this:

1. How high is the rooster tail supposed to be when running wot at full trim? Mine was very high(higher than motor) so I lowered the jackplate and it seemed to help.

2. I have 2 props 1 is a 4 blade ss 25 pitch with no name on it that runs smooth but not very fast (about 57 loaded) and the other is a raker 24 pitch prop that is much faster top end (61-62) but will blow out on the hole shot. It has the holes drilled in it but no plugs. Will putting plugs in it help and where do I get the plugs?

3. the raker prop vibrates pretty bad and wont quite turn enough rpms as the 4 blade prop. The prop doesnt look damaged but can they just be out of balance without damage? In order to get a prop balanced do you have to have it blueprinted?

4. How much bow lift is enough? I havent road in other boat really and dont know how much is supposed to be there. I read posts about a prop not having enough bow lift and dont know how much is enough.

I have the jack plate set at 3.5 inches below the pad. The boat is pretty old and I know that it is never going to be really fast or anything but just want the most for what I have. Any suggestions or comments?

[DJDeron]

1. Rooster tail shouldn't really be any higher than the motor. Higher than that and your wasting energy.

2. There are no plugs that I am aware of for the Rakers like there are for the Merc props. I may be wrong about that but I've never seen them. The holes are designed to let the prop spin up rpms quicker to improve planing speed. You will hear it spin up, but it should not lose it's bite and completely blow out. The bow should drop and you should get up on plane about the same time that you hear the "blow out".

3. If you only feel vibration with the Raker I'd have it checked. A blade could be bent so little that you can't really see it but yet it will cause problems. Send it to Mark on the prop board and have him work his magic. You won't be sorry. If you felt vibration with the four blade too, I'd say check your prop shaft.

4. You should basically be able to trim that motor all the way up and run. Keep heavier item towards the rear of the boat. There really is no "golden rule" to bow lift. Each boat has it's own unique sweet spot. Higher than that and you don't gain anything. You should be able to feel your boat crawl up onto the pad at about 50-52 MPH.

My last boat was a 1988 201 PRO with a XP200 Evinrude, the same boat as yours essentially, so I speak from experience. The speeds you are running are to be expected from your rig. I tried for four years and spent a fair amount of money trying to get more out of mine. In the end I really didn't gain anything. Unless you do some major engine mods, it sounds like you pretty much have your stock rig performing at it's peak.

[jons69chevy]

When I take off from basically a stop, the prop will loose bite and shoot water up in the air and I will have to pretty much come back to idle or close to it to take off again. I cant just let off for a second (like in a car or something simular) and get back on it again to get going. I havent ever had blowout before, so I am not sure how to handle it and what to do to prevent it. It will also blow out or loose bite if I corner hard. I am going to send the prop to Mark, but I am trying to make sure I only have to send it once. I posted in the prop section also...The boat is no speed demon for sure but I am not sure how it is supposed to ride or anything. I will just use the 4 blade for the time being and get the 3 to Mark. I appreciate the input especially since you had the same boat, it makes me feel better knowing that I am pretty close to being set right. Thanks

[pickupman66]

jon,

I have an 89 201 pro. great lead sled. I run a 4 blade 27px13" shooter on mine with a 225 and have no blow out. pushed around 65-68 depending on load. HOw fast does yours get on plane? I found with mine that the farther I dropped that motor the quicker she jumps out helping prevent blowout. usually start at almost bottom of the trim gauge. as for top out trim, I run mine at just above the 3/4 mark on your gauge. this puts the tail just about engine height. any higher and she tends to walk a little and just feel loose. I have mine set at 3.5 below pad.

as for the blow out when turning, I have never experienced that. is it at slow speed? do you lose any water pressure?