Fishing Charlotte Harbor Area (Largo, Key West: permit, phone, weather)

[Foxrivman1]

MA, what an improvement in performance overall, 2 second holeshot, 47mph top end, weren't you only doing around 38-39mph before? Great improvement over all and yet you are still well under the throttle limit. I looked at the technical report, you are within less than 3 mph from their maximum performance test from Key West.

One question about the steering, does the boat have SeaStar Hydraulic steering or non assisited Rack and Pinion? The reason I ask is that this may be an option down the road you might want to add as it removes all feedback from the system and allows for basically 1 finger turning. Anyway, great job, great results, MA! I know you have to be happy.

Now it's time to go fishin', and have a couple of well deserved brewski's!

[Big House]

Originally Posted by Foxrivman1

MA, what an improvement in performance overall, 2 second holeshot, 47mph top end, weren't you only doing around 38-39mph before? Great improvement over all and yet you are still well under the throttle limit. I looked at the technical report, you are within less than 3 mph from their maximum performance test from Key West.

One question about the steering, does the boat have SeaStar Hydraulic steering or non assisited Rack and Pinion? The reason I ask is that this may be an option down the road you might want to add as it removes all feedback from the system and allows for basically 1 finger turning. Anyway, great job, great results, MA! I know you have to be happy.

Now it's time to go fishin', and have a couple of well deserved brewski's!

I agree, I think our boats are very similar. I thought we had the same size engine - a 115 yamaha, but your speed is way up there! I can't wait to see what you've done. I have the hydraullic steering package on my boat. A friend of mine with the same boat recommended a few improvements for me to have done when I bought it - that was one of them.

MA
My marine guy said the same thing about the 4 prop and the lift jack plate. I am a really interested in checking out that trolling motor. I've been researching for a long time and the one you got is the one I've been zeroing in on.

[Messing About]

My motor is a 150, 2 banger.
Yes, I have the Sea Star Hydraulic steering.
My old top speed was 38 knots, which is 43.73 MPH.
So I gained 3 plus MPH and 200 RPM. (Did 47+ and 5300 rpm)
To clarify, the Yamaha performance bulletin for my boat had it's new factory performance at 5500 rpm WOT and 50 MPH top speed, using a 4 stroke F150, with less weight on board than I had.

My tub is 8 years old with 269 hours. Not too shabby, I must say.

[Foxrivman1]

Originally Posted by Messing About

My motor is a 150, 2 banger.
Yes, I have the Sea Star Hydraulic steering.
My old top speed was 38 knots, which is 43.73 MPH.
So I gained 3 plus MPH and 200 RPM. (Did 47+ and 5300 rpm)
To clarify, the Yamaha performance bulletin for my boat had it's new factory performance at 5500 rpm WOT and 50 MPH top speed, using a 4 stroke F150, with less weight on board than I had.

My tub is 8 years old with 269 hours. Not too shabby, I must say.

MA, you know that if we wanted to play with the numbers a little more and knowing your holeshot is at 2 seconds, you could probably go up one more on pitch, although you would probably drop to around 5100RPM at WOT.

Oh well, maybe leave well enough alone for now, there is always the jackplate idea to play with!

Come on, you didn't know I could spend your money as well as you did you?

[pcozad1]

Originally Posted by Big House

Very interesting, You guys are far more into design and boat stuff than I am. MA, when I get back ((soon)), we are going to have to get together. I know exactly what you mean about sending people forward on the boat. I'd like to know if the 35 gallon release well system works. I think it would need to be a lot more, which would also mean more time to fill and drain it.

Do you have the lift plates installed on your boat? When I was talking to my marine guy, he said that you'd want the 4 blade if you had the lift plate, but it wouldn't make that much difference otherwise. The marine guy where I bought my boat, advised me not to get the SS prop. The first day I took the boat out in Middle River on the Chesapeake (I never even went into the bay), we had a storm previously, and they opened up the Conowengo Flood gates. Whole trees were flushing down the bay. So I stayed in the side bay of Middle River. Well, again the first day, I hit a submerged tree stump, broke off part of one of the blades, bent the crap outta the other two, and barely made it back to the marina. After that I told him I wanted SS, and he said "No you don't." And, I said "yes I do." And, he said "No you don't." And, I said "Yes, I do." And then he told me why I don't. The aluminum prop costs about $125 and is designed to bend and bust away in order to protect the drive train of the motor. If that is bent because the prop didn't it would cost thousands of $$ to fix or replace. Since then, I have "shined up" my propellers several times, and bent them and replaced them twice. In florida, I shine mine constantly. So, I want to get the trolling motor like you have, and get a lift plate installed so I can get in the shallows. The 35gallon tank may help, but if I'm in the front of the boat with the trolling motor on, do I really need it? Explain more of your thoughts on why you wanted to add that.

When I was tourny fishing they would all put on composite props in Missouri and arkansas lakes because of stumps and logs. I was surprised by how little they effected my boats performance and at $60.00 a pop at was alot cheaper than a SS prop or a lower unit.I am in the sand to much for one in the harbor and I have a very shiny skeg to prove it.

[Foxrivman1]

I've seen those and was thinking of getting a composite myself just for a spare. For me at least, I plan on fishing Okeechobee and other lakes inland, I will probably get a used flats boat for Charlotte and my Ranger with the shiny SS will never see salt water.

I really like the overall performance of a SS, and at some point will probably buy a Fury which is the newest prop material by Mercury. It has less flex than SS, and is substantially stronger. For me I love everything about the bass boat experience, and wouldn't trade the speed, holeshot, for anything and kind of reckon it to having a hot rod in high school.

Comprops will flex, after all its plastic. I agree though, at $60 a pop that is much easier to take than $500-600 for a brand new SS, or a lower unit repair! It is one of the reasons that the definition of a boat is a hole that you throw money into!!

[Big House]

Now, back to fishing, . . .
I am heading back down next week, so next weekend I'll be out and in the water fishing again!!

I went wade fishing at the end of Pine Island (Bocillia) with my brother just before heading back up north, and had a fantastic day! When I get back, I'll have a couple of football players with me (friends of my daughter, and now our family). So, I'm taking them fishing on the boat down to Boca Grande, and also do some wade fishing while they are down.

Wish me a lot of luck, and I mean a LOT of LUCK, because if we catch enough, I may be able to save a few bucks and have a fish fry with them. These boys can EAT!

[pcozad1]

Originally Posted by Big House

Now, back to fishing, . . .
I am heading back down next week, so next weekend I'll be out and in the water fishing again!!

I went wade fishing at the end of Pine Island (Bocillia) with my brother just before heading back up north, and had a fantastic day! When I get back, I'll have a couple of football players with me (friends of my daughter, and now our family). So, I'm taking them fishing on the boat down to Boca Grande, and also do some wade fishing while they are down.

Wish me a lot of luck, and I mean a LOT of LUCK, because if we catch enough, I may be able to save a few bucks and have a fish fry with them. These boys can EAT!

The guys I work for bought an arena football team this year. The Nebraska Danger.
Danger Football - IFL Football League - Grand Island, NE

We feed them and the opposing team at home games and if they are traveling by one of our restaurants on the way to a game. Yes these boys can eat !!

[pcozad1]

OK Big House let's see some pics .

[Foxrivman1]

BH, roger that, post some pics this time! We need evidence! LOL!