Re: 2010 bass tracker - 60 efi planning questions
Just my experience but I bought a rig new in 2007 and thought I was getting a deal from dealer buying his leftover 2006 Merc 40hp 4 stroke EFIPT and it took a hundred yards to get it on plane. I found out that the 2006 Merc weighed 30 to 40 lbs more than the 2007 model.
Two weeks later I swapped it for the 2007 model and the boat jumped up on plane like in 2-4 feet!
The dealer said it was a linkage problem, but he sold it to someone else (would have been nice for him to test drive my rig on the water but he never did) and another dealer 2 years later from 200 miles away in NH called me and asked if I ever had any issues with this particular motor. He saw on his dealer computer that even though I only owned it two weeks, I was still in the system as the 1st owner. So if it was a linkage problem, looks like no one ever fixed it.
I would rule out a few other things:
You note the rig is a 2010.
1. Check the year on the outboard. It's on a plate on the side. If it's older than 2007 you might be running a Merc model that was a lot heavier than newer years (I was). Try trimming the prop all the way in (closer to the boat) to start your hole shot (not trimmed out away from the boat).
2. Check out that the linkage and such, is doing what it's supposed to coming out of the hole shot. Bring it to a dealer or shop that's close to a lake, so a mechanic can take it for a test drive.
3. Check out the max hp rating for that rig on the boat makers website. I think a 60 hp for a 16 foot boat would be OK for a 2 stroke, but a 4 stroke is heavy. And 3 or 4 people plus gear probably is taxing the outboard on the hole shot. I bet you find that the rig is max rated for 75-90 hp. If it's max rated for 75, a 60 should be fine, but if it's 90 you are going to lug on the hole shot fully loaded.
I don't believe in using foils personally. It can stress the outboard and void a warranty. Hurt the resale too once you drill holes. To me if it would help an outboard the manufacturers would sell them as accessories! Large ones could be dangerous on high speed turns too, I would think!
4. I have two props. The OEM one and another one I bought as a spare. I bought the spare in another pitch and I swap it out if I'm going to spend the day with a 3rd and 4th person on board. But either prop pops boat up on plane in a few feet.
Also, check out that the prop that was supposed to be OEM for that Merc, is actually the OEM one on it. The other owner could have replaced it with the wrong prop. When outboards are shipped to the dealer many don't come with props especially the higher hp ones. Some dealers charge extra for a prop, so who knows what the dealer threw on from stock he had laying around.
My Merc came rigged from the dealer 2 inches too low. But after I adjusted it 2 seasons later, it never effected the hole shot (because I'm at max rating). Only the top end handling and no back spray was effected, after I raised it to even with the boats bottom.
Some manufacturers lowered their max ratings after 2008 for smaller boats as they started selling only the heavier 4 strokes.
Bottom line is if everything else checks out, you probably are underpowered. Many dealers sell underpowered packages just to keep price low and move the deals. It should be illegal for them to do that because if another boat was coming at me when I was stopped, there is no way I could have gotten out of the way with my first underpowered and heavier outboard.
I just don't think spending $150 on a different pitch prop is going to give you the instant result you are looking for. Check possible other issues first. Some online prop places have swap out policies (maybe even iboats) will allow you to buy a prop and swap it back to them for a different one, if you don't like it.
Just my past experience with my new rig and Merc. Hope this helps!
Also ask your question in the Bass Tracker forum to see what other users with the same model, HP and prop size are using on their 16 footers.
