I recently purchased a 97 201 with a 2003 Yama 0X66 225.....The previus owner put a 5" Hydro Jackplate on the boat and said he would have taken it of it he kept the boat. With the Jackplate set where I feel the boat rides best it runs 69 - 71 with a 27 pitch prop.
Is this normal for this boat or is it alittle slow? Should I remove the jackplate or leave it? Also would a longer setback help?
Thanks so much. THis is my first boat and I'm very new to everything.
- J.T.
The 27 is too much for the 225......25M would be better. The engine needs to be 3.75" pad to shaft with a 6" plate. It's a 72-73 mph boat when everything is right.
Thanks Todd.... I aprreciate that..... Now as for the prop pitch, I've heard the higher the pitch the better top end but less hole shot. I'm getting around 53 to 5500 RPM's running with the 27M. My buddy with a 225 OX66 on a ZX225 skeeter runs a 27M at 5600. My other buddy runs a ZX195 Skeeter with a 25M on a 200 ox66.. How will my boat perform compared to those two boats? Also, the previous owner of my boat said that when he put the jackplate on my boat, he lost "5mph"??? He would trim the jackplate down so the top of the plate was even with the transom. I raised the JP up to 2.25 inches and run around 70. Should this boat not have the JP? Sorry for all the questions I'm just learning. Thanks for your time.
Todd already answered most of these questions on the first answer, but I will take my turn...
The boat needs a jackplate, Todd recommends a 6" plate, I ran an 8" plate on my '96 201 and liked it a little better, but this boat definetely needs a plate to perform.
The "higher the pitch prop, the better the top end" only works until it starts to hold the rpms below the correct operating rpms where the engine can make its full horsepower. Should probably run best with a 25, but I would make sure you get the engine raised to the right spot first, before you spend the money on the prop. Engine height will effect engine rpm's.
You should never loose speed with a jackplate, so the prior owner never had it set up correctly. If he would drop the plate all the way down, then he had the motor buried and it needs to come up. You need to set the plate to the place where the prop shaft is 3.75" below the pad. To do this, you can follow the instructions listed at the top of this forum in the sticky's. 3.75" may not be the perfect spot, but will be a good starting measurement and you can adjust it up at 1/4" increments until you gain rpm with a loss of speed, or you start to loose water pressure. It seems like you may have the motor too low at the height you have it right now.
The boat will run comparable with the zx225, but will probably be a tad bit slower, until the water get a little choppy, then you will leave any skeeter bouncing in the waves. You will know when the jackplate is right, not only by the speed, but the handling and ride will become better at the correct setting also...
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