115 hp on 05 700lxsc

[jonathan andrews]

i have had a dealer tell me that they will not put a 115 mercury optimax on a 2005 700lxsc. they are telling me the motor will cause the boat to pull extremly hard to the right and that it will be very squirrely. has anybody else heard this? i find it hard to believe that a boat rated for 125hp would not be able to handle a 115. please help me with this. i am considering buying one but if i cannot put a bigger motor on it i may go with another boat.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

I'd don't see why it wouldn't handle it with hydraulic steering...it might be a bear without it.

 

[TrepMan]

Jonathan - I am no mechanic, engineer or boat expert, so take this as just my opinion - "they are telling me the motor will cause the boat to pull extremly hard to the right and that it will be very squirrely. " BS!!! First, the weight difference of the 115 opti vs. the 115 ELPTO i have on my '99 700lx is only 12 lbs!! (360lbs for the Opti and 348). Second, the 115 on the 700lx is a perfect match and pushes the boat into the mid 50s easy!!



I have a 4.5 inch manual jackplate on mine, but the site owner (Rich) bought the boat w/out the jackplate and while it has improved performance and handling at the top end, I can not see any reason why the Opti would do what the dealer is describing. Is the boat already rigged with the Opti or is it a left over you are wanting them to rig with the Opti??



Sounds to me like the dealer has a better markup on what ever motor he's trying to sell ya.



Trep

 

[Kim Becker]

Jonathan, I have a 700 LX SC with a 125 hp Merc. on it. Granted it is not an Optimax, but weight would only be the real difference, and I absolutely love this set up. I can let it - make it pull to the right, but if you "drive" the boat this will not happen. Not sure who your dealer is and what the reason is for this, but if that is really what you want, find another dealer. If I can answer any other questions, give a shout.

 

[TrepMan]

Beck - hows your top end and what prop are you running? Wonder how the extra 10hp effect our boat.



Trep

 

[Marty Klein]

Gees, I thought it was a torque reason not weight. My dealer was more than willing to put a 135 Opti on my 750 and he specifically told me that hydraulic steering was not required. Live and learn. His only concern was that I would be riding a rocket which might become unstable on Big Mo and KS lakes.

 

[TrepMan]

Don't know about the opti, but at least on my '99 115 ELPTO has no issue with the standard cable steering. The only time I have any real issue with torque steer is if i'm running WOT and trim down all the way and pull off the hot foot into a no-wake zone. Otherwise the boat is a pleasure to drive. Yes on take off from a complete stop I need to keep 1 hand firmly on the wheel, but that is expected!

 

[byron cooley]

I have an 05' 640LX with a 75 Opti. The 75 Opti weighs the same as the 115 Opti so the weight is not an issue as my 640 handles it just fine. Find another dealer -- that guy is a dork.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Toruqe steer would be the only issue not the weight. Is this your first bassboat? Maybe he cares about you learning to drive. But I guess the 2 year old boat is already rigged with a 90 ELPTO and the dealer does not want to get stuck with the older engine? Just my thinking anyway....



BF

 

[Kim Becker]

Trep, I am running a Laser II 26 pitch prop. Performance is great. Good hole shot and top end is 57 on speedo. Never checked it on GPS really doesn't matter as long as it makes my hair straighten out at WOT ! I fish almost exclusively alone so I can not comment on performance in the "tournament mode" ie; two men ful livewell and full tank of gas.

 

[TrepMan]

Beck - 26 is a pretty big wheel, but i had a 26p Turbo that I had reworked to a 25p to get 200rpms more, i've got her dialed in just right with a good holeshot and i can tick 57-58mph on the GPS on a cool morning but she'll run 54mph on my GPS all day long and 52mph loaded with Dan and a livewell full!!



Agree with "really doesn't matter as long as it makes my hair straighten out at WOT !"!!



Bruce - "Toruqe steer would be the only issue " are the opti's heavier torque then the ELPTO's? I haven't noticed on mine or Dan's (640lx with the 90 ELPTO) any BAD torque steer at any speeds if its trimmed out (for WOT).

 

[Marty Klein]

Trep: You may go 57-58 on one of those tame Georgia lakes, but you wouldn't dare try that on real lakes like Lake of the Ozarks [MO] or Melvern [KS]. Your hair would stand up stragiht all right--from fear ; and by the way, you would wet your pants as your boat bounced from wave to wave and tilted more than the Titanic as it headed to the bottom==:lol:.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

I am just saying the extra few pounds won't make any differance..



BF

 

[TrepMan]

Marty - If those lakes are anything like Cumberland in the summer weekends, I agree 100%!! I don't do 50's here in the summer with the cruisers and barges either!!! LOL



Luckily Allatoona is a river lake and not very wide for 75% of it, so we don't get as many off shore boats and waves as the larger open bodies of water.



Trep

 

[Marty Klein]

Trep: Our waves are so big they carry names like High Tide, Tsunami, and Pipeline. Six Flags designed thier rollover roller coasters after watching some bass fishermen on Lake of the Ozarks. I've been down south--you guys got nothing on us. How many lakes do you have with wind warning lights mounted on giant antenna looking devices? In fact, if you look at the original paperwork, you will see that the Titanic was certified for the Atlantic, but prohibited from sailing on Lake of the Ozarks. Okay, that might be a little lie, but if those Limies had seen LOZ, they woulda dun it! :lol::lol: