Hole shot troubles

[Ashton.r]

Hey guys need some help here. So I got a mid 70s 115hp tower of power on the back of my 18ft 1990 StarCraft stalker 1800. The props a 19p believe a 13 1/4 diameter I could be wrong I checked a while back. The problem is my hole shots very slow I added plane plates but still it takes a long time to get out. I'm thinking its the prop the rpm doesn't climb fast itl hover a while and stays at a certain rpm. I did a complete motor check for timing, lean/rich etc. I have adjusted lean and rich till i got best hole shot but its still slow. I can't give any rpm readings ATM due to the need of a new gauge. The lower unit ratio should be 2:1 unless someone has changed the lu before I got the motor. The boat tops at 39 mph gps which I think the 115 should be a bit faster considering I've seen heavier hulls with exact motor run 45 gps. The boat weights approx 1500lbs with me and a buddy with gear. The motor has 155psi through all cylinders as it was rebuilt before I bought it of a guy. I do have a manual jack plate set up to where the anti cav plate is slightly above water. The prop shaft is approx lvl with the pad if not a tiny bit higher. From what I remember when the rpm gauge was good it ran 5400 rpms topped. I'm looking at the turning point hustler vented prop in a 19p. Im only 20 so being in uni i dont got cash just yet to get a 150hp. Any ideas guys thanks?

 

[Chris1956]

Well, it could be overpropped, but there is no way to know, except to do a time trial, change to a lower pitch and repeat the time trial. Before you do that, check all spark plug wires for arcing to ground. Also, if you could test the park plug wires for resistance (unscrew them from distributor cap). Resistance should be zero. Spark plug wires are stranded stainless steel conductors.

You are sure you have spark to all cylinders, and none are getting water in them?

 

[Ashton.r]

I'm positive all sparks are good cause once she reaches a certain part of the plane she'll just launch and go from there and there isn't any miss fires or anything that sound off when I'm topped out but I still check em again wouldn't hurt

 

[Texasmark]

Your engine numbers sound good. Gear ratio is right. Your setup sounds good. Get a Hustler that's ported. The ports will get you the hole shot you are looking for! I ran an '89 115 on a '89 Ranger 117 1/2' Fisherman which had the padded hull with the high dead rise at the transom. Had the usual batteries, fuel, and live well near the transom. I was running a 19P Laser (before the Laser II came out), SS, high rake, ported, nice cup. Hole shot was super, engine revved about 1200 over normal in the hole and once up and running, it'd lock up and the boat would take off......like an old '49 Mercury (car) dropping down into overdrive. Never made 50 although the engine ran at 6000 when I was on the pad and trimmed out as far as I could without dropping speed and increasing rpms. I was high enough to hear the prop blades humming (while the beat the water on the surface). I usually boated alone so another will cost you on both counts....hole time and top end.

The other thing is that seldom did I tuck it all the way in for the hole. Usually I was vertical with the hull, which gave me better rpm buildup as the boat would porpoise as it was coming out and it would blow out and grab etc, etc. Every time it grabbed the boat shot forward and rpms jumped a bunch when it locked back up. About 3 of those and I was gone.

Your Hustler isn't that prop, but it's about as close as you can get with an alum prop.

 

[Ashton.r]

Thanks for you advice, I can't really go stainless as if like to because being in Canada I fish a lot of rocky shoal lakes and like the piece of mind in case I ever run close to something in marked right. My buddy weights like 135lbs he's a toothpick but weight non the less right but even by my self holeshot is the same as with him. That 89 sounds like a cool set up! I think your right though the hustler may just give me a little more hole shot that is like. I started to "build" my throttle moderately to increase rpms instead of full punch on the launch it seemited to help a little which made me figure that if I get a better shot by building the load slow means that the prop isn't spooling up when I punch it. so moderately increasing instead of an instant load made me figure getting higher rpms on the load would help reach the peak power. I'm confident I could get 45mph GPS to be honest I've just seen so much heavier slower hull shapes hit higher speeds. I figure the huslter may help because I've heard its a more aggressive cup n pitch. Thanks for the help! Hopefully I could get a prop soon and give and update!

 

[SkiDad]

i'm pretty sure a 19p TP will lower your RPM - you might consider the 17p hustler - but it's not going to any faster with a 17p (my guess) but should help your hole shot.

 

[Texasmark]

Thanks for you advice, I can't really go stainless as if like to because being in Canada I fish a lot of rocky shoal lakes and like the piece of mind in case I ever run close to something in marked right. My buddy weights like 135lbs he's a toothpick but weight non the less right but even by my self holeshot is the same as with him. That 89 sounds like a cool set up! I think your right though the hustler may just give me a little more hole shot that is like. I started to "build" my throttle moderately to increase rpms instead of full punch on the launch it seemited to help a little which made me figure that if I get a better shot by building the load slow means that the prop isn't spooling up when I punch it. so moderately increasing instead of an instant load made me figure getting higher rpms on the load would help reach the peak power. I'm confident I could get 45mph GPS to be honest I've just seen so much heavier slower hull shapes hit higher speeds. I figure the huslter may help because I've heard its a more aggressive cup n pitch. Thanks for the help! Hopefully I could get a prop soon and give and update!

What you are telling me here is that you are loading the engine in the hole when you firewall it. The ported Hustler will unload the engine and allow it to develop it's hp faster for a faster hole shot where you can firewall it when you want to get out and it gets!.....BTDT numerous times! Dropping pitch will do that too as Ski dad mentioned but will also cost you at WOT and you don't want that. That's the beauty of the ports, best of both worlds. Get the Hustler and be done with it!

 

[Ashton.r]

yeaa prob gunna order one off iboats tonight. kinda sucks here in southern ontario hard to find something like the hustler prop

 

[Ashton.r]

what do you guys think about going up to a 21p hustler??

 

[Texasmark]

what do you guys think about going up to a 21p hustler??

Nope. Your rpms could drop farther than 5400 and you don't want to be doing that....I used to run 6000 every time I went from point A to B. Upper limit on my 115 was 5500 but she wanted more and got it. A 21 would just drop them that much more.....400 to 500 and 2 strokers don't like to lug....they like to run. All in the design.

Other thing is you are already getting is an extra equivalent 1" of pitch for a 150 roughly rpm reduction with the cupping of the Hustler.

However you are also getting a high rake with the Hustler....blades are folded back from the root where they exit the barrel. This causes bow lift with the proper trim angle which reduces the wetted area which lets your ponies open their nose, breathe harder and gallop faster. So with the combination you just might bring your rpms and mph up......no brag just fact. Remember the trim. Proper trim is very important to squeeze the last % of a mph out of your rig.

Here's how it works. You have your engine vertical with respect to the hull. You hammer down on her in the hole shot. Boat does the porpoising, leaping on each cycle, you are on the water in just a few seconds....my time was about 3, now gaining speed rapidly. Boat settles down to a smooth ride but speed and rpms aren't what they should be......geez what's wrong? You hit the trim and push her out as far as she will go (before the rpms come up from ventilation and speed falls off.....on some transom pitch angles it just may be at max trim which is the way it was on my last boat.....the boat with the tower had more room so I had to cut her back some).

Back to the story.....you are blasting away but the helm is kinda hard, steering is somewhat misguided, rpms and speed still not what they should be.......so you hammer down on the trim button.....lower unit moves away from the transom......you notice the bow rise, like you are flying...which you are.....sorta, speed picks up, rpms pick up, speed picks up some more rpms pick up some more....you're having a blast.................but you are supposed to be fishing, not joyriding.....Big laugh.

Just remember, porpoising is speed and thrust angle dependent. You can outrun it at a given trim angle or if you can't or don't want to, just tuck the trim in till it quits.

Keep us posted.

Mark

 

[steelespike]

I'm a little late here but,my calculation with a 12% slip guess 39 mph 19" prop says about 4900 rpm not really in the rpm range.
The Hustler needs to be at least a 17" I'm pretty sure that size prop is available as a vented prop.
The Hustler may allow you to raise the motor a little.

 

[Texasmark]

I'm a little late here but,my calculation with a 12% slip guess 39 mph 19" prop says about 4900 rpm not really in the rpm range.
The Hustler needs to be at least a 17" I'm pretty sure that size prop is available as a vented prop.
The Hustler may allow you to raise the motor a little.

I didn't run the numbers. Just took him at his being satisfied with what he had. Certainly agree in getting the rpms up.

 

[Ashton.r]

okay so i should drop lower to a 17p then?? sucks that i cant remember the exact rpm at wot cause id hate to toss a 17 on and be running above 5800. i remember on a 90hp merc i had with a 19p prop which was origionally on the boat (i know way to small) the motor was at 5600. but by your guys judgement do you think a 17p hustler could increase rpms alot? considering the rake and cup and texas mentiond

 

[Ashton.r]

actually i might just go with the 17p, i doubt itl increase more than 200rpms so even if the rpms right now is 5600 im still safe. plus as texas mentioned with the more cup and rake of the hustler, the 17p will kinda be like an 18p. so in somewhat theory im dropping 1p. so i should be safe. im guessing with the smaller pitch and vented holes of the hustler this prop will make my boat jump compared to how it was. im sitting anxious to get this prop. wont be getting it till next thursday cause my friend from the states is bringing it for me

 

[Ashton.r]

hey guys time for an update! so I ordered a 17p hustler and i absolutely love it. the prop performs flawlessy better than i expected. i decided to take the plane plates (whale tails) off to test the prop to see how it performed. well i didny have to put it back on. the whole shot has no issues what so ever now. i get 3-5 seconds on avg for the time till plane. i dont gave majority of the weight in the back of my boat my bow is very light for top end. the only dissapointment was i should of stuck with a 19p prop because i can get up to 6000 rpm when i trim up and get the least amount of the pad in the water. maybe ill buy a 19 in the future when i get more cash. right now i just back off to 5800 rpm when ever i trim more and more.

 

[steelespike]

What is the wot gps speed?

 

[Sea Rider]

Some issues to consider : Sorry late post.

-If that's a mid 70 engine and assume prop as well, you have a 45 year oldie at back transom.
-Check middle hull layer cond for waterlogged issues.
-Probably hub is in bad condition and on its way to become spun.
-Probably worked efficiently back in the good old boating days, could ask original seller. If so, could go from there buying same new pitch prop or 1 less in pitch. Always like taching my new props while lightly loaded, if breaking them will know that pitch was a nice performer or maximize prop from that size to suit your boating needs.

When you say " I do have a manual jack plate set up to where the anti cav plate is slightly above water" that condition is when engine is seen sideways out of water, when floating, when on plane ?

You need to buy a new tach, ear taching is never good and will be completely lost if playing with less prop pitches which can over rev badly your engine.

Happy Boating

 

[Chris1956]

If you ran a 19P prop and were disappointed with it, changing to a Hustler 19P prop will return you to that disappointment. I think you are correctly propped, based upon the performance of the original prop. Your motor is low displacement and light in weight. A prop needs to have low enough pitch to get you to midrange, where the power rolls on. It is the nature of those TOPs. if the pitch is too much, the motor will not get above idle.

For Example: I could pull two skiers with my Merc 1500 and a 21P prop. I could not get above idle with a skier and a 23P prop. The 23P was too much to allow the motor to rev up enough to get to it's powerband.

 

[Ashton.r]

steelespike i get 40gps wot at 5800 rpms i could get the motor past 5800 easily too.

sea rider hull has no water log issues the boats perfectly fine. also new prob and new hub. i do have a tach and have recently ran the boat with the tach and scroll back a page youl see i posted a update with the info. i do also have a smaller size pitch which i 17p and the original was 19p.

Chris1956 the reason in saying a same 19p hustler is because that prop is a vented 19p which would help my holeshot and when i reach wot it would give higher mph than the 17p. i see what you mean with midrange cause these motors arent the best low end torque as they are for high end. but i agree with you i think its the best setup right now as your saying cause its the nature of the beast

 

[Ashton.r]

like ive said to just tryna get the best of what i can because im only 20 right tryna maximize what i have.