2000 Johnson 115hp...am I close or can I stand more pitch?

[Cannondale]

I've got a 2000 Javelin 17 Venom fish 'n' ski with a 115hp Johnson (looper). The engine sports a Raker stainless prop, 13 1/2 x 20. When the boat is fully loaded--with two on board (wife and self), fishing gear (poles, tackle boxes, etc.), ice chest w/16# of ice, and full tank of gas, which is all the boat will ever carry (we're old and no kids), at WOT the motor turns ~5300 rpm at 53 mph per gps. With just myself, no ice, half tank of gas, at WOT fully trimmed out it runs 5500 rpm at 54-55 mph per gps.

According to its manual, the motor has a WOT range of 4500-5500 rpm, which I am at currently. My question is would moving to a Raker 22" pitch prop be beneficial at all? And would it have any down sides increasing the pitch?

Thanks!

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: 2000 Johnson 115hp...am I close or can I stand more pitch?

If boat is fast to plane with wife and gear and running at max wot with you alone, why change, unless going for + 1 or 2 more pitch steps to reduce rpm and achieve better hole shot with slight less top speed...

Happy Boating

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: 2000 Johnson 115hp...am I close or can I stand more pitch?

It sounds like you have the proper pitched prop on it now. Increasing pitch to 22" will lower your RPMs 4-500 RPM

 

[dazk14]

Re: 2000 Johnson 115hp...am I close or can I stand more pitch?

If you are certain of the rpm range for the motor - I didn't look it up...Peak HP would normally be exactly at 5000rpm

You will drop Rpms prob 350(my guess). You may wring out a couple mph. You may slightly improve your cruising fuel usage.

You'll have worse hole shot and acceleration.

 

[Cannondale]

Re: 2000 Johnson 115hp...am I close or can I stand more pitch?

Thanks for the replies. I thought as much, given the general consensus. Just wanted to make sure.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: 2000 Johnson 115hp...am I close or can I stand more pitch?

Leave it be.