New Prop "I'm Confused" Conclusion Hopefully

[Jimmy Easterling]

Refer to previous post "I'm Confussed**JP vs Prop" Installed the 23p today and took it to the local small lake for a run, big lake is 1.5 hours away. Full gear, 1/4 tank gas, empty livewell and no passenger: Hole shot-6 seconds, rpm around 3000 at take off and on short water rpm's to 5400 and 47 mph gps, it was climbing but ran out of room, am sure with enough room would be well above the 50 I got with the 22. I tested this prop exactly the same way I tested the other two, the water pressure at 5800-5900 was 15-16 psi but was less until it got that high, this one at 5400 rpm's about 13 psi. On the others, I didn't fill the live well to see what effect it would have on hole shot, this one with a little over half full it took 9-10 seconds to get up. What do ya think, do I have the right prop and is it the 22 or the 23, I need to send one of them boack to Max?

 

[Derek Chance]

Sorry haven't followed the other posts, but you want to try to run the motor at max rpms at WOT otherwise you are lugging the motor and it is hard on it. Holeshot rpms should be anywhere between 3500-5000 rpms. If the prop has vent plugs like the tempest or trophy plus, begin removing them one at a time and this will help holeshot. 6 sec, is pretty slow. Water pressure is fine, as long as you have at least 12 psi at WOT you are alright. Another "help" I tried was to add a hydrofoil, yep those dumb looking tails, but they work. Just remember moving the motor up will increase rpms and potentially top end but water psi will decrease as you raise the motor. What boat/motor are you running?

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

This was meat of prev post.

Nitro Z6 with 115 Opti. Based on previous information from here: I raised the motor until the water pressure dropped below what it was prior to JP and then lowered it until the water pressure came back to normal. Place-Savannah River with a 3-4mph current and some turbulence. Three situations. Boat 1/2 tank of gas with full gear and me.First: No JP Laser II 20P 48-16990 (13 1/4 I think)- several months ago-against the current full throttle 45-46, with the current 47-48mph gps. Second: today with JP same 20P 5850-5900rpm, plenty of throttle left, 36 mph against the current and 47 with. I played with the trim, up and down and could not get any more. I did lower the motor some more and got 44 against the current but only 48 once from take off with the current, first turn it fell off and couldn't get it back. Prop plugs? Third: Put gas back in to make 1/2 tank and same gear. Today with Power Tech 3 blade 13.25 X 22P, 5850-5900rpm probably had at least 200rpm on throttle left- 44 against the current and 50 with the current pushing the limit with the rpm's. The 22p obviously did better and I still had some throttle left, try a 23 or a larger dia 22. Confusion: what happened to my original speed with 20p before JP and am I too high with the motor? I know the current in the river has some effect on the results because I was getting 46-47 easy with the 20p at Ky Lake last week.

 

[Berry Lindley]

I'm no expert, but if you have throttle left, and your motor is at the correct height, then you need to go up on pitch. As dchance suggested, you want to reach engine's recommended max RPM's at WOT, there should not be any throttle left. You do not want to be well under this either or the engine will lug.

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

OK. I took the 23p to the big lake today. Hole shot rpm's starts at 2500 and builds slowly from there, 6-7 seconds to get on plane. WOT-5400-5500 but after a couple of miles and a little gerk of the steering wheel it will jump up to 5800???? and another mile it will slowly creep up to 51 mph gps, water pressure at 12-13 until it hits 5800 then 15 psi. The 22 was hitting 50 mph and much better hole shot. I have concluded that I need a 22.5p prop. I guess you have to customize a 22 or a 23 to get there.

Back to the little jerk of the steering wheel, this boat sits in the water empty with a noticeable list to driver's side, had it tied to the dock when I was at Ky Lake and noticed it. My brother was following me in his boat and commented that even at wide open it leans. It is not the load I put in the boat because I load anything heavy on the oppisite side. I talked to a dealer today about trading it for a Z7, too many problems. I am going to either put the 22p on or remove the JP and put the 20p back on like it was. JP, labor to install and new prop adds up to $800 for 2-3 MPH and a worse hole shot than before JP. I guess I am still confused.:angry::unsure:

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

does the 23 pitch have vent plugs on it?

 

[Dan J.]

after a couple of miles and a little gerk of the steering wheel it will jump up to 5800????

That's your hull breaking free and riding on the pad. (Like it's supposed to.) That's where your adjustments should be made, fully trimmed and stretched out @ WOT. From there you may bump the trim back a hair to adjust your profile. At that point you'll be deciding to go up or down with the jack depending upon PSI and performance.



All boats will lean to some degree at rest until balanced by owner's gear/rigging preference. (Or not.) Unless incredibly off balance, it has little impact on the hull's RH list under power. The hydrodynamics of the hull take over, lifting each side equalling from thrust/planing applied, and the listing effect is created by the weight of a driver and RH hook of the wheel turned. (prop)

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

Velcro, they didn't come with plugs but does have the holes.

Dan J., The console and cranking battery is on driver's side, trolling motors are centered in the bow. I weigh 210 lbs and don't have 2-3 hundred pounds of stuff to counter balance. The at rest list I mentioned is a (guessing) 5 or better degrees, empty, very noticeable and the jerk in the steering wheel has to be to the left which would put the boat back level. The 5800 rpm's is with a very slight continual turn to the left. As soon as I make any correction to the right it falls off again. I wish one of you guys could drive it, within a hundred miles I'll come to you. And I think the Z6 has the same vacuum hole as the Z7 for the pad, I always figured it was for a ladder until I saw it mentioned on another forum.

 

[TritonGlenn]

Max can drill those holes out a bit larger to let you wind up a little higher / plane easier on holeshot (he did it on mine), or I can recommend a guy that I just used (Mark Croxton) to add PVS holes to it. Either one of them can tweek that prop down, or tweek the 22 pitch up to get you to your 22.5 pitch prop. That is actually a bit more common than you think.



I'd be willing to bet that a 23 pitch Trophy would turn right in the middle of the two, as the PowerTech's seem to run about a half pitch higher than a comparable Trophy.



For my money though, I'd prefer to rework a PT than buy another Trophy. I just bought a Trophy 25 pitch the other day - supposedly "like new" per the description (it was not like new - scratches and light dings on the blade edges). It had a hairline crack in it when it got to my house. He took it back, but I had to eat the shipping both ways. I was not happy about that - lost $50 on that deal and never even got to run the prop at all. Not all are like that, I know... but it has been my luck with Trophy's. I thought maybe my luck would change, as I hadn't run them in years. Nope.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

Thanks Glenn, I was wondering if you had given up on me with all my ranting and raving about my problems. I am going to give Max a call in the morning and see which he wants to work on. Today, I gave the boat a rest and went to BPS in Savannah to see a Z7. The new Tracker manager, 4 days at Savannah and moved there from Ft Myer, Fl, showed me the Z7 and I confessed I had the Z6 and was looking to trade. After a breif discussion as to why, he asked if I had driven a Z7 and of course I haven't and he said "give me a couple of days to set it up(put an engine on it) and we will get it on the water and you can try it out". I said wait a minute, BPS doesn't give demo drives on new boats, and he said BPS may not but Joe(don't remember his last name)does, I am here to sell boats. He offered to sell mine on consignment without any charges as long as I ordered another boat from him. Going back next week to drive one. If it weren't for Max being so helpful and on your recomendation, I'd send both back, remove the JP and put the 20p back on and have a solid 46 mph boat. But I can't, will finish the setup and see what happens with the Z7. BTW, found a brand new, sitting on the showroom floor 09 Z9 w/225 list for $51000 on sale for $41000. Too much boat and money for me, I don't think my Tundra will pull it.

 

[TritonGlenn]

No - I wouldn't give up on you. Just a little busy and scatterbrained lately. Got a trip tomorrow out of country. Don't know if I'll have connectivity for a little while, so if you don't see me here for a couple of days, don't think I gave up or moved... I just don't have my internet connection. Hopefully that won't be the case.

All the best,

Glenn

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

Just talked to Max and he is going to put a cup in the 22 for me. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks.