New here, New Pontoon and a few questions

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Soonertoon
Posts: 333
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 8:19 pm

Re: New here, New Pontoon and a few questions

#16 Post by Soonertoon » Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:26 am

BADsDAD wrote:
Sat Jun 16, 2018 5:17 pm
WOW! OK.. Now this is like a whole different boat with the SpitFire 4-blade 13X17! I gained 5MPH GPS (18 to 23) with 5 of us in the boat and bimini top up on rough whitecapping water and it pulls 2 kids in the big couch tube at 21-22 right at 5400 RPM making it much easier and more fun since I can leave it WOT while I pull them.

As an added bonus, the holeshot is much much better and it doesn't blowout in turns like the last 2 props did AND it's MUCH easier to steer than the heavy SS prop was.

Really, it is more improvement than I could have hoped for. So, SO much better!

Interestingly, the boat now actually planes up much more level instead of the ass end plowing down in the water AND even with the really choppy lake today, no one was getting water thrown all over them at WOT like before. Water was being thrown as high as the bimini top, but not on my passengers.

So, new question - at WOT on this choppy water, it does feel like someone is taking a deadblow hammer to the floor. So, underpinning/under-skinning... Thoughts? Opinions??

LOL...glad you hit a winner there. you must of had ridiculous amounts of slip in that last prop. Typically you don't see increases in top end going to four blades. However , evidently what you had was a complete misapplication . The right screw makes all the difference in the world .
As far as under skinning, its the second best thing you can fix on it after the prop of course...lol. there are several threads on it with varying feelings of the best way to put it on and thickness of material to use. It will make all the difference in the world in terms of ride noise level but the biggest benny is it eliminates the constant pounding on the cross braces. Speed gains are slight but can be achieved.
Enjoy!!
Broken Arrow Ok
2014 G3 Suncatcher
115 Yamaha 4 stroke
Paradise Cove Marina on Ft. Gibson Lake

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wwind3
Posts: 1515
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:03 am
Location: Lake Livingston Tx

Re: New here, New Pontoon and a few questions

#17 Post by wwind3 » Mon Jun 18, 2018 7:23 am

good info in here... Question--my pontoon setup calculates at 29% slip.. Any ideas on that ? Don't see how the Merc slip calculator takes into account the boat itself....
2009 LOWE SS204 25in logs
90 Merc Optimax
Motorguide W55 Wireless
Underskinning
28 GPS

BADsDAD
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 2:05 pm

Re: New here, New Pontoon and a few questions

#18 Post by BADsDAD » Mon Jun 18, 2018 2:22 pm

Man, I wish I could get to 29%!! - I am thrilled with what I got this time and I'm still at 41% according to the calculator.

I must say though, I am really looking forward to adding the underskinning as you can sure feel it slow down from the water hitting the deck.
'08 Sun Tracker Fishin Barge 21
Mercury 90 ELPTO

BADsDAD
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 2:05 pm

Re: New here, New Pontoon and a few questions

#19 Post by BADsDAD » Mon Jun 18, 2018 2:49 pm

wwind3 wrote:
Mon Jun 18, 2018 7:23 am
good info in here... Question--my pontoon setup calculates at 29% slip.. Any ideas on that ? Don't see how the Merc slip calculator takes into account the boat itself....
Ya know. I don't imagine it would take in account for the boat type/weight etc. Seems like slip is slip regardless.

I think the real question is what slip numbers are others seeing on similar sized boats? What is "normal" for a 2log toon?

Running my past numbers with the other 2 props:
14X13 Black Max - 43% Slip - 17-18mph (gps) @ ~5600 RPM (6400 MAX - overrev)
14.5X15 Vengeance - 44% Slip - 18-19mph (gps) @ ~5600 RPM (6200 MAX - overrev)
13X17 SpitFire - 41% Slip - ~23mph (gps) @ 5500 RPM (5500 MAX)
All tests are on choppy lake (11-15mph winds) as that is about all we see in DFW. 2 Adults + 3kids and Bimini up so we don't cook)
'08 Sun Tracker Fishin Barge 21
Mercury 90 ELPTO

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wwind3
Posts: 1515
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:03 am
Location: Lake Livingston Tx

Re: New here, New Pontoon and a few questions

#20 Post by wwind3 » Mon Jun 18, 2018 2:51 pm

not sure about the slip calculator---hope others chime in. I plugged in numbers for my old bass boat--- 1979 Venture with 115 hp 6 cyl and a 13 x 19 cupped SS prop It was a 55 mph boat. Slip calculator computed a minus 9% ! What does that mean--I know it was fast but negative slip? Enclosing pic of the boat.
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Last edited by wwind3 on Mon Jun 18, 2018 2:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2009 LOWE SS204 25in logs
90 Merc Optimax
Motorguide W55 Wireless
Underskinning
28 GPS

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