Hit a log/ new boat issue

[riverbasser]

Just wanna share a short experience first in hopes to help others. 

Me and the wife went out 2 weeks ago in the evening to the river. It was daylight but overcast and while running about 40mph I hit a floating log that I couldn't see until it was to late. I was actually even standing up. Thank God we weren't hurt and the boat didn't sink but neither of us were wearing a life vest. Never thought it would happen to me but I'm hear to tell you it can. I will now always wear a vest while running.

Now to my question. Just got a new bass boat. (97 Procraft 18.5ft). While trying to cruise at half to 3/4 throttle it seems I have to have the trim set just perfectly to either stay on plane or not porpoise up and down. I realize this is something I could get used too but wondering if there's anything I can do to help it. Never had an issue before but this is my first true bass boat. Do the wings you can add to the cavitation plate help this problem? My other boats all had them. Is it a weight distribution problem maybe? Thanks for any help

[J Francho]

1 minute ago, riverbasser said:

I will now always wear a vest while running.

And attach the kill switch!

Porpoising is usually a trim issue.  It can also be a prop issue, though I doubt that's the issue.

[Glenn]

Thanks for the safety reminder!

When running at slower speeds, you'll need to trim down farther than you realize!  You'll almost feel as if you're "plowing" the water, especially if you've been running WOT previously.  It's simply a perception thing.  When you trim down, you may even have to give it a little more throttle to maintain speed and stay on plane.

[fishnkamp]

 First I am glad no one was hurt.  All of the things that have been said above here are true.

A StingRay hydrofoil will assist you in running more level at slower speeds. They may also cost a bit of top end speed.  Running more level and not allowing the boat to porpoise is one of the things they were designed to do. I know there are a lot of different manufacturers with different models but I have always been happy with a genuine Sting  Ray.   By the way I had a friend with that boat and I owned a ProCraft 20 footer just a year newer. Before you put one on give us some info. Do you have a jackplate, manual or hydraulic?  Take a yard stick lay it on the bottom of the boat extended out to the lower unit on the engine. Now measure from the yard stick up or down to the center of the prop shaft ( the engine must be straight up and down at the time) using a tape measure. We call that the prop to pad measurement. What prop does it have on it. Is it aluminum, or stainless steel ? What brand, size and pitch. Also take it out for a run and tell us when the boat was trimmed out for best top speed what was the rpm and speed.  I guess I forgot to ask is this the boat you hit the floating log? If it is did the boat perform any different after that encounter?

[J Francho]

I have an aluminum Allison style planing foil on my 2.5L Merc.  It helps the boat get on plane quicker, but once on plane, it's not in the water.  I'm not sure how the Stingray product works.

[riverbasser]

5 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

 First I am glad no one was hurt.  All of the things that have been said above here are true.

A StingRay hydrofoil will assist you in running more level at slower speeds. They may also cost a bit of top end speed.  Running more level and not allowing the boat to porpoise is one of the things they were designed to do. I know there are a lot of different manufacturers with different models but I have always been happy with a genuine Sting  Ray.   By the way I had a friend with that boat and I owned a ProCraft 20 footer just a year newer. Before you put one on give us some info. Do you have a jackplate, manual or hydraulic?  Take a yard stick lay it on the bottom of the boat extended out to the lower unit on the engine. Now measure from the yard stick up or down to the center of the prop shaft ( the engine must be straight up and down at the time) using a tape measure. We call that the prop to pad measurement. What prop does it have on it. Is it aluminum, or stainless steel ? What brand, size and pitch. Also take it out for a run and tell us when the boat was trimmed out for best top speed what was the rpm and speed.  I guess I forgot to ask is this the boat you hit the floating log? If it is did the boat perform any different after that encounter?

Can only answer a few of these. Not same boat that I had collision with. Just bought this boat Saturday. No Jack plate, stainless prop with no pitch number. Has a few numbers on it but nothing that I can tell show pitch. Top speed was 62mph loaded with all the sellers junk. Around 5800 to 6000 rpm. This is the first and only run at WOT thus far. Cavitations plate is level with bottom of boat

[Catt]

Problem solved!

[J Francho]

Trim tabs can work, but I've never seen a ProCraft with them.  I've been in quite a few ProCrafts as well, and I don't recall them being touchy, just a little rough at speed.

[Jig-Man]

My fishing partner has a Procraft.  It is very touchy with trim unless you are really running.

[riverbasser]

I think some of the problem is with the prop. I don't know for sure but I think its a high pitch since the boat seems to want to run fast or nothing. Problem could be solved with a 17 or 19p prop I'm not sure though. Care to explain about those tabs Catt? I know what they are but that's as far as my knowledge goes.

[Catt]

Smart tabs will work on any size boat & can be adjusted specifically for slow speeds with no effect on top end.

I bought my first pair of Smart Tabs last year & fully believe in em.

[riverbasser]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

Smart tabs will work on any size boat & can be adjusted specifically for slow speeds with no effect on top end.

I bought my first pair of Smart Tabs last year & fully believe in em.

how hard was it to get the set up to your liking? good instructions or just trial and error? how much are they?

[Redlinerobert]

I'd venture to guess it's the prop as well. 

[Catt]

Easy installation, easy adjustments, & easy to understand.

 

http://nauticusinc.com/smart-tabs-sx/

[fishnkamp]

They are one answer.  My friend  Phil had the same boat as you. I know they are not needed. What make and size is the engine and if you can copy down the numbers on the prop they can be put in a google search to find out what size and pitch you have.  By the way is this aluminum or stainless?  Just so you know my friends ran like a ....  Truly one of the hardest launching fastest holeshot boats I have ever been in. It shot out like a rocket.  It was amazingly fast too.

[riverbasser]

15 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

They are one answer.  My friend  Phil had the same boat as you. I know they are not needed. What make and size is the engine and if you can copy down the numbers on the prop they can be put in a google search to find out what size and pitch you have.  By the way is this aluminum or stainless?  Just so you know my friends ran like a ....  Truly one of the hardest launching fastest holeshot boats I have ever been in. It shot out like a rocket.  It was amazingly fast too.

Mercury mariner 150hp stainless prop. Will get numbers off of it tonight. I dont have any issurs with holeshot or speed just mid throttle cruising. I think the smart tabs are awesome but I'm scared to break them. I'm pretty rough on a boat.

[Catt]

2 hours ago, riverbasser said:

Mercury mariner 150hp stainless prop. Will get numbers off of it tonight. I dont have any issurs with holeshot or speed just mid throttle cruising. I think the smart tabs are awesome but I'm scared to break them. I'm pretty rough on a boat.

I run trim tabs because of the shallow marshes I fish, hole shot has to be accomplished in 20' or less. I have to stay on plan in midrange.

You can not break the going forward, maybe in reverse!

I've hit a couple gators with no issues

[fishnkamp]

Well i have never run the tabs but have run the Sting Ray hydrofoil on several engines. This is the original that you drill to install. I have only used that one. http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Sting-Ray-Hydrofoil-Stabilizer-25-365-hp-engines&i=28984&r=view&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlebase&s_kwcid=googlepla&cvsfa=2587&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=3238393834424c4b&gclid=CN-4jKuAx84CFVRahgodymYB2w

The number of the prop will tell you several things. One the diameter and the other the pitch.  I did some research and I think the top wot for that engine is 5600. Check the serial tag on your engine. If I am right on the specs and you are right about your wot  then you are running about 200 to 400 rpm high.  Adding1 inch of pitch lowers wot about 200 rpm. You could take the prop to a prop shop and add some pitch and some cup. The pitch would lower the rpm and the cup helpsgrip more water and probably support the boat better when running at mid range.  It help sorta like running a 4 blade does.  Just trying to give you some options. I modified an aluminum prop for my boat by having a prop shop add 2 inches of pitch and a bunch of cup to my prop. I got a great fast and level hole shot, increased my top speed and lowered my wot rpm so I was in the middle of the factory spec.

[riverbasser]

3 hours ago, fishnkamp said:

Well i have never run the tabs but have run the Sting Ray hydrofoil on several engines. This is the original that you drill to install. I have only used that one. http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Sting-Ray-Hydrofoil-Stabilizer-25-365-hp-engines&i=28984&r=view&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlebase&s_kwcid=googlepla&cvsfa=2587&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=3238393834424c4b&gclid=CN-4jKuAx84CFVRahgodymYB2w

The number of the prop will tell you several things. One the diameter and the other the pitch.  I did some research and I think the top wot for that engine is 5600. Check the serial tag on your engine. If I am right on the specs and you are right about your wot  then you are running about 200 to 400 rpm high.  Adding1 inch of pitch lowers wot about 200 rpm. You could take the prop to a prop shop and add some pitch and some cup. The pitch would lower the rpm and the cup helpsgrip more water and probably support the boat better when running at mid range.  It help sorta like running a 4 blade does.  Just trying to give you some options. I modified an aluminum prop for my boat by having a prop shop add 2 inches of pitch and a bunch of cup to my prop. I got a great fast and level hole shot, increased my top speed and lowered my wot rpm so I was in the middle of the factory spec.

Got numbers off of prop the brand is protester. I found "3021C" and "25800".

I don't think motor is original so it may not be a 97 model. I haven't looked it up yet but the serial # is 0G470848.

[fishnkamp]

I did some digging and found this. http://forums.iboats.com/forum/general-boating-outdoors-activities/prop-questions-and-topics/10255466-protester-prop

and http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercury-Protester-SST-Propeller-26P-/301905115055

So it looks like someone from Ranger designed it, sold it to another prop company and then it became a Mercury Prop. Interesting. It looks like yours might be a 21 pitch cupped prop, maybe? 

[BassnChris]

I used to own a 2001 Procraft Pro 185 dual console.

it ran fine at all speeds......I just trimmed up/down as needed.

sorry don't recall the prop specs.

[riverbasser]

1 hour ago, fishnkamp said:

I did some digging and found this. http://forums.iboats.com/forum/general-boating-outdoors-activities/prop-questions-and-topics/10255466-protester-prop

and http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercury-Protester-SST-Propeller-26P-/301905115055

So it looks like someone from Ranger designed it, sold it to another prop company and then it became a Mercury Prop. Interesting. It looks like yours might be a 21 pitch cupped prop, maybe? 

Lol that first link to iboats is my post. Thanks for lookin for me though

[fishnkamp]

Well at least the responder knew something about it and its history.