Transom turbulence and hole shot!!!!

[USAmike]

I have a 1994 Tracker Targa 17' aluminum boat with a 1994 Merc 125hp outboard. Both in great shape.
I have a terible hole shot and have to accellerate very slowly or the prop blows out. When I get on plane, there is enough turbulance on the leading edge of my lower unit to cause water to "boil" up over the transom. My scuppers keep up, but never had that problem with other boats. The primary cavitation plate on the motor is 1.5" below the horizontal hull line. I have a 3 blade 24 degree merc prop. I have accessory holes to go up with the motor, but not down.
Do I raise the motor up? Install a 6" setback? Whale tail? New prop? I need some expert advice! I appriciate all help. Thanks, MIKE

 

[Bondo]

Re: Transom turbulence and hole shot!!!!

The primary cavitation plate on the motor is 1.5" below the horizontal hull line.

Ayuh,... It Should be even with, or slightly Above the keel line...

 

[180shabah]

Re: Transom turbulence and hole shot!!!!

Up.

 

[ddrieck]

Re: Transom turbulence and hole shot!!!!

Agreed, you need to go up and have your ventalation plate even to about 1'' above the pad. Also, a 6'' seback jack plate will help that hull a ton. Will give you a little more bow rise on holeshot then slap back down on plane faster. Will also get your prop in cleaner water with less tubulance. I would try moving up a bolt hole at a time and test things out before adding a jack though.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Transom turbulence and hole shot!!!!

uhmmm... if the motors to low the prop shouldn't be blowing out. I wonder is you have a 25 inch shaft motor and what you need is a 20...

Any chance you can post a pic from the back of the boat and 1 pic from the side where the motor hangs.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Transom turbulence and hole shot!!!!

Picking nits -- but you have a prop with 24 inches of pitch, not 24 degrees.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Transom turbulence and hole shot!!!!

The link below is to Mercury's recommendations on engine mounting height. Good luck!

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/engineMountingHeight.html

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Transom turbulence and hole shot!!!!

I have a 1994 Tracker Targa 17' aluminum boat with a 1994 Merc 125hp outboard. Both in great shape.
I have a terible hole shot and have to accellerate very slowly or the prop blows out. When I get on plane, there is enough turbulance on the leading edge of my lower unit to cause water to "boil" up over the transom. My scuppers keep up, but never had that problem with other boats. The primary cavitation plate on the motor is 1.5" below the horizontal hull line. I have a 3 blade 24 degree merc prop. I have accessory holes to go up with the motor, but not down.
Do I raise the motor up? Install a 6" setback? Whale tail? New prop? I need some expert advice! I appriciate all help. Thanks, MIKE

I'm sitting here looking at this and wondering how is it that Tracker has been building these packages for years and apparently doing ok and here this guy is having this problem? I AM assuming that his '94 rig is an OEM package from Tracker. You know as well as I that Tracker is not going to put a 25" engine on a 20" transom from the factory. A 24P prop on a 2:1 gearbox fitted to a 17' alum boat sounds like a sweet match to me.....like a WOT in the upper 40's, beins I am running a 17' alum boat with a 90 on it with a 24P, but with a 2.3 gearbox.

1.5" below is mighty high to me also considering that this is probably an OEM rig.

He did say that he can go up with his engine mounting but not down. Well if he is where he is, seems to me he needs to be going up a couple of inches; I think it's 3/4" per hole so 3 holes would be just about right.

I think until we get a picture of what is unique about this rig we are all just chasing ghosts.

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Transom turbulence and hole shot!!!!

Would be nice to have another hit on this. Hello!!!!!!

Mark