BoomerSooner
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2010
- Messages
- 35
New to the forum, not new to boat ownership. 
I recently bought a 2001 Carlson CSX-18. She is a 17.5 foot runabout, open bow with a 2001 Mercury 150 EFI outboard, 1.87 gear ratio. Weight unloaded is 1750#, including the motor. We love water sports, tubing, skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, etc. I have been very happy with the boat thusfar and power to weight ratio is great, she has more than enough power to jerk me up on a slalom. I currently have a 3 blade aluminum Mercury Black Max prop, 19p x 14 1/2". She will do 53 mph, properly trimmed at 5600 RPM's with normal load in the boat, which for us is 2 adults, 3 kids, and equimpent and do about 51 mph with 4 adults and 4-5 kids plus equipment. My problem: Ventilation in turns. When I bought the boat, the motor was one notch up on the transom and I was having problems with ventilation even in a mild turn. I dropped the motor to the lowest setting on the transom, down one notch, and that helped out some. Now, I only have ventilation problems in a moderate turn. I owned a Chrysler boat with an outboard for 10+ years prior to this boat and that thing would only ventilate in a hard over turn at speed. This boat will ventilate in a moderate turn pulling me at 33 mph skiing. It will not ventilate going straight or in a mild turn. I have to be moderately careful pulling a tube at around 18-20 mph making S-turns or it will ventilate. It is definately better after I dropped the motor down but still not what I would like. I know going to a 4 or 5 blade stainless prop would give us more hole power and less top speed, but as stated before, my family is a water-sports family, so more hole power would be fine by us. So, we will probably do that regardless. However, will the 4 or 5 blade stainless help with the ventilation? My other options are a "whale tail" or trim tabs. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
I recently bought a 2001 Carlson CSX-18. She is a 17.5 foot runabout, open bow with a 2001 Mercury 150 EFI outboard, 1.87 gear ratio. Weight unloaded is 1750#, including the motor. We love water sports, tubing, skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, etc. I have been very happy with the boat thusfar and power to weight ratio is great, she has more than enough power to jerk me up on a slalom. I currently have a 3 blade aluminum Mercury Black Max prop, 19p x 14 1/2". She will do 53 mph, properly trimmed at 5600 RPM's with normal load in the boat, which for us is 2 adults, 3 kids, and equimpent and do about 51 mph with 4 adults and 4-5 kids plus equipment. My problem: Ventilation in turns. When I bought the boat, the motor was one notch up on the transom and I was having problems with ventilation even in a mild turn. I dropped the motor to the lowest setting on the transom, down one notch, and that helped out some. Now, I only have ventilation problems in a moderate turn. I owned a Chrysler boat with an outboard for 10+ years prior to this boat and that thing would only ventilate in a hard over turn at speed. This boat will ventilate in a moderate turn pulling me at 33 mph skiing. It will not ventilate going straight or in a mild turn. I have to be moderately careful pulling a tube at around 18-20 mph making S-turns or it will ventilate. It is definately better after I dropped the motor down but still not what I would like. I know going to a 4 or 5 blade stainless prop would give us more hole power and less top speed, but as stated before, my family is a water-sports family, so more hole power would be fine by us. So, we will probably do that regardless. However, will the 4 or 5 blade stainless help with the ventilation? My other options are a "whale tail" or trim tabs. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
