Possible stupid idea?

[AndrewM-Fishing]

I'm about 2 years off from getting my new X19-Pro/200sho but in the meantime I've been contemplating how I can get a little more out of my Tracker PT170. Currently running a Merc 90 3banger 41mph @ 5100 21p 3blade ss. 2 people full well down to 38. Re-powering with a 4 cylinder won't be an option as with the jp and raptors she's pretty ass heavey. I've been looking into how to get more and it comes down to reducing wetted surface. Over on scream n fly and various other sites there are a ton of threads on adding pads to existing hulls. Not so much on bass/mod-v hulls but obviously more small race platforms.

There isn't a formula out there for length/width based on the dimensions of the hull so I think just welding on whatever could be a gamble. So my thoughts are use a 10x2 composite deck board, rip a "v" to match the deadrise, taper it towards the keel and epoxy it on. Long term the epoxy would fail but it should be good for some test runs. This way if I find it needs to be a bit wider/narrower I can knock it off and make adjustments before putting it back on. Worse case is I need to spend and hour or two with a sander cleaning the epoxy off the hull. If it does work I've got a few contacts with fabrication backgrounds that can copy the dimensions with aluminum and tig it on. Definitely going to need to reprop if this does actually work. 24p 3 blade based on the current slip numbers will get me to 51mph but with the hull change (pad) I don't think I can really predict anything. I can blow out the 21p-3 and a 19p-4 if I punch it solo so I believe I can spin a 24 out the hole with some venting.

SO the question is... Could this actually have the possibility of working or am I just out to lunch? Bass season up here doesn't open till June so I've got months to play around with this.

[Almag6]

I think I'd concentrate on making some jigs/rods and cleaning reels.

[bpicinc]

I've these on a lot of tin boats to increase speed and hole shot! They look to be about 10" x 10" x 12" H tig welded on.

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

I'm about 2 years off from getting my new X19-Pro/200sho but in the meantime I've been contemplating how I can get a little more out of my Tracker PT170. Currently running a Merc 90 3banger 41mph @ 5100 21p 3blade ss. 2 people full well down to 38. Re-powering with a 4 cylinder won't be an option as with the jp and raptors she's pretty ass heavey. I've been looking into how to get more and it comes down to reducing wetted surface. Over on scream n fly and various other sites there are a ton of threads on adding pads to existing hulls. Not so much on bass/mod-v hulls but obviously more small race platforms.

There isn't a formula out there for length/width based on the dimensions of the hull so I think just welding on whatever could be a gamble. So my thoughts are use a 10x2 composite deck board, rip a "v" to match the deadrise, taper it towards the keel and epoxy it on. Long term the epoxy would fail but it should be good for some test runs. This way if I find it needs to be a bit wider/narrower I can knock it off and make adjustments before putting it back on. Worse case is I need to spend and hour or two with a sander cleaning the epoxy off the hull. If it does work I've got a few contacts with fabrication backgrounds that can copy the dimensions with aluminum and tig it on. Definitely going to need to reprop if this does actually work. 24p 3 blade based on the current slip numbers will get me to 51mph but with the hull change (pad) I don't think I can really predict anything. I can blow out the 21p-3 and a 19p-4 if I punch it solo so I believe I can spin a 24 out the hole with some venting.

SO the question is... Could this actually have the possibility of working or am I just out to lunch? Bass season up here doesn't open till June so I've got months to play around with this.

I'm not trying to dampen your enthusiasm to improve your set up but this is my two cents. I've owned a Lowe 17' pad hull HP17 with a 90 merc optimax 2 stroke since 2013. I've messed with engine height and many, many props. My hull is a true pad hull and the best I can do with just me and a normal fishing tackle load is 43 or so gps speed. The limiting factor in a tin boat in my opinion is how the weight is distributed. Shorter hulls tend to have the driver sitting further from the stern (the pad on a hull with a pad) than longer boats. This is just natural so that the back deck is long enough to handle an angler. Our mid range engines just can't lift the nose of the boat with the weight (center of gravity) so far forward. That's why tin boats have such a tendency to porpoise and won't take much trim. In my opinion your plan sounds like a lot of work that won't really pay off, not to mention what cosmetically you might do to your hull. There is no substitution for a longer hull with the center of gravity more toward the stern and the higher horse power that comes with a longer hull. I think you would be much better off to just concentrate on enjoying your boat as it is and save as much money as possible to make your upgrade to a longer more powerful hull happen sooner rather than later. Good Luck!

[mdtritn21]

Find out if you can get the ECM flashed to 115 hp. I know guys were trying to do it a few years ago and it worked.

[alanhore]

Find out if you can get the ECM flashed to 115 hp. I know guys were trying to do it a few years ago and it worked.

Had mine done a few years ago, but Mercury put the hammer down on them and they dont do it anymore.

[wareagle24]

I'm about 2 years off from getting my new X19-Pro/200sho but in the meantime I've been contemplating how I can get a little more out of my Tracker PT170. Currently running a Merc 90 3banger 41mph @ 5100 21p 3blade ss. 2 people full well down to 38. Re-powering with a 4 cylinder won't be an option as with the jp and raptors she's pretty ass heavey. I've been looking into how to get more and it comes down to reducing wetted surface. Over on scream n fly and various other sites there are a ton of threads on adding pads to existing hulls. Not so much on bass/mod-v hulls but obviously more small race platforms.

There isn't a formula out there for length/width based on the dimensions of the hull so I think just welding on whatever could be a gamble. So my thoughts are use a 10x2 composite deck board, rip a "v" to match the deadrise, taper it towards the keel and epoxy it on. Long term the epoxy would fail but it should be good for some test runs. This way if I find it needs to be a bit wider/narrower I can knock it off and make adjustments before putting it back on. Worse case is I need to spend and hour or two with a sander cleaning the epoxy off the hull. If it does work I've got a few contacts with fabrication backgrounds that can copy the dimensions with aluminum and tig it on. Definitely going to need to reprop if this does actually work. 24p 3 blade based on the current slip numbers will get me to 51mph but with the hull change (pad) I don't think I can really predict anything. I can blow out the 21p-3 and a 19p-4 if I punch it solo so I believe I can spin a 24 out the hole with some venting.

SO the question is... Could this actually have the possibility of working or am I just out to lunch? Bass season up here doesn't open till June so I've got months to play around with this.

I think you have quite the imagination. I'll stop short of calling it a stupid idea though.

[kllr bee]

Simply move your trolling motor batteries to the front. A jack plate will hep lifting the nose.
Richard aka Kllr Bee

[mdtritn21]

Get Lithium Batteries