Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

[sho3boater]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

Interesting dilemma. A family member just bought a 16' pontoon about an '05 I think, with a 50Hp 2 stroke Merc. It had the same issues and I asked him how the prop was....came with a dent he says. This is two days after he got it, so I take the prop off and one fin has been fighting with a rock the other two not that bad. I flatten it out and dress the edges, it needs repair. I put a hair of cup at the end for a little lift. We try it and it is way better, the vibration is gone he says. I tell him the prop is shot but it runs ok for now. I think it was a 12x9 IIRC and he has no tach. However I can see if it was loaded it could still do it, he can't trim it up that far. It will run WOT ok if it is level or below with the six people we had in it that run, but the front of the tubes were lifted up some. Seems to me a semi surfacing prop would be better, but I doubt anyone makes them under about 18p.

I think you would have to cut the transom down or use a jack to lower it. You could make your own jack only need some heavy aluminum angle. Bobs machine has a small convertible jack that could work nice but not sure it goes down.

Seems like more motor weight would slow a pontoon down? They sure are slow until you put a 3.0L on the back of a triple tube.

 

[mayorjones]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

I am buying a Bigfoot. Took the boat to the local (hour drive one-way) twice - once with me and once without, and neither time would it cavitate one iota. But, had it out with the family on Sunday and it was worse than ever so I said enough is enough.

I'm going to say I was not thrilled at all with the support I got from Tracker corporate. Very slow to respond, and there has been zero follow-up. I know they're busy too, but I tried my best to be tactful and understanding but feel I was never given much attention, which is probably par for the course.

So, I am assuming it was just a bad marriage between motor and boat. We'll see how the BF performs - picking it up Friday.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks.
Dwight

 

[highN'dry]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

I sure hope this fixes your problem and you and your floating patio live happily ever after.

Seriously, I bet the Big Foot solves your issues completely, ahoy, live happy.

 

[Bigpat5123]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

Did you get the bigfoot? I have been very interested in your perdicament. I am not a pontoon owner but issues like this are always interesting. Let us know how you made out!

 

[mayorjones]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

Well, you guys won't believe this, but... Friday I drove to Des Moines (3 1/2 hr drive, one way!) to pick-up the 2008 60 hp Bigfoot and the guy ended up having a 2006 60 hp 4 stroke. I can't tell you how dissapointed I was. The guy was great - we just somehow got on a different wave length. I believe his post (on Craigslist) said 2008 Mercury 60 hp 4 Stroke. So, from that I may have taken for granted it was a Bigfoot, I don't know. I immediately recognized that the prop was small and the gears were a 1.83, the same as what I currently have. It was a bit uncomfortable, but I said "Are you thinking this is a Bigfoot?" and he said "I don't think I said it was, did I?", and then went on to ask what the differences were. Don't take this as a Craigslist horror story - we talked on the phone several times before I drove down there - I guess I simply made the mistake of not asking the very important question to clarify if it was, indeed,a Bigfoot, and even if I had mentioned it throughout our conversations, it seems he didn't know enough about it to tell if he did or didn't.

So, though my checkbook is much lighter, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Since I had 3 1/2 hrs to drive and think about it on the way home, I made some phone calls, and I've ended up buying a brand new 60 hp Bigfoot from a local dealer. It's costing me some major coin, but it'll be done. The dealer is very reputable - they take all boats out and run them to determine correct prop, mounting height, etc... I dropped it off last night and it should be ready mid-week.

So, I'm not questioning this move one iota. I love the boat, my family loves the boat, I just got into a bad marriage between boat and motor (in my opinion). So, this IS going to fix it and I can go into next year with only excitement, not this wondering about what to do to try to make it work as-is.

I will have a full report next weekend. I'm confident enough that this will work that I've invited friends out for a ride on Sunday, something I would NEVER have done with the old set-up.

Thanks to all that have been along for this long, bumpy and ultra-frustrating ride.

Let the fun begin!

Dwight

 

[PolishPrince]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

Oh Wow, what a heartbreaker of a trip.
I went over to the lake this weekend and checked out some pontoon boat setups at a marine dealer next to where I store my boat. I noticed that the bottom of the transom box was above the anti-cavitation plate on all the new pontoons they had from large to small. The bottom of their transom boxes were "V" shaped also. However, the clincher came yesterday afternoon when I ran over to WalMart and there sits a guy with a shiny new 20' Sun Tracker still dripping water from coming out of the lake. It had a Merc 60 and since he was in his truck waiting for someone in WalMart, I introduced myself and asked if that engine was a Bigfoot. It sure looked like it, but I wanted to confirm the fact. He said it was. I asked him if he would lower the motor down so I could see the relationship of the bottom of the transom box to the anti-cavitation plate. Sure Nuff, the bottom of the "V" was about 2" above the anti-cav plate. He said they had been out on it all weekend and he reported it ran well with no trouble empty and loaded with people and gear.
I noticed in your pics that the bottom of the transom box is below the anti-cav plate on your current setup.
It sounds like you're finally going to get the problem whipped.
Be sure and post your results after this weekend.
Keep the dry side up !

 

[mayorjones]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

Well, thanks to a vacation day Friday and a three day holiday weekend, I was on the river the last four days with the shiny new Bigfoot motor. Definitely an improvement. Just a few observations -

It is much louder than I thought it would be. I'd read a lot about how "quiet" they are - I would say "quieter", but certainly not "quiet". And, I never had it loaded down with a lot of people, but when I did have some on there, though it wasn't cavitating, I could hear an occasional "gurgle" or other noise from back there that sounded like something in the line of prop noise. The motor is currently mounted in the middle hole - is anyone else familiar with the sound I'm talking about and might I want to drop it a hole and try it, or do I leave it alone until it actually cavitates and live with the noise (it was quite noticeable)?

I was very happy with the gas consumption - I ran it pretty hard a lot of the time and didn't use close to a half a tank of gas.

Another note - boy is that fuel injection nice. My two stroke was real finicky and you'd have to sit and mess with the choke, throttle, etc... to start it and then keep it running. Not this baby. When she starts, you're good to go. Loved that part of it.

So, I think we're definitely on the downhill slide as far as getting things resolved. Outside of a few minor adjustments, I think the money spent was a good thing. Now to find that second job to pay for the darned thing

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

Well, thanks to a vacation day Friday and a three day holiday weekend, I was on the river the last four days with the shiny new Bigfoot motor. Definitely an improvement. Just a few observations -

It is much louder than I thought it would be. I'd read a lot about how "quiet" they are - I would say "quieter", but certainly not "quiet". And, I never had it loaded down with a lot of people, but when I did have some on there, though it wasn't cavitating, I could hear an occasional "gurgle" or other noise from back there that sounded like something in the line of prop noise. The motor is currently mounted in the middle hole - is anyone else familiar with the sound I'm talking about and might I want to drop it a hole and try it, or do I leave it alone until it actually cavitates and live with the noise (it was quite noticeable)?

I was very happy with the gas consumption - I ran it pretty hard a lot of the time and didn't use close to a half a tank of gas.

Another note - boy is that fuel injection nice. My two stroke was real finicky and you'd have to sit and mess with the choke, throttle, etc... to start it and then keep it running. Not this baby. When she starts, you're good to go. Loved that part of it.

So, I think we're definitely on the downhill slide as far as getting things resolved. Outside of a few minor adjustments, I think the money spent was a good thing. Now to find that second job to pay for the darned thing

My Sun Tracker has 26" toons and my Bigfoot is mounted with the second hole from the top. I only get cavitation when my passengers wander to the front. Congrats on the new power plant. I think your troubles are behind you. Now sell off the other motor and put a little green back in your wallet.
BTW, winterizing is different according to my motor guy. He recommends a mixture of gas, stabilizer, and 2 stroke oil to be run thru the motor before storing. Fuel injectors shouldn't be left dry. Check with your dealer to verify.

 

[PolishPrince]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

That sure is good news. Yes, fuel injection is the way to go.
I'm not too sure about adding 2 cycle oil to the gas for winter. You don't run a fuel injected engine dry like you do with a carburetor engine. The last 2 years I've added stabilizer to a full tank of fuel, fogged the cylinders, and unhooked the batteries. In the spring, it maybe takes a full second longer to fire off.
Where is the anti-cavitation plate in relationship th the bottom "V' of the transom box?

 

[mayorjones]

Re: Cavitation - End of My (Bleeping) Rope!

I'll get some pics posted soon (showing cav plate height).

Thanks!
Dwight