Top speed of new boat seems off?

[TritonDL]

I recently purchased a new (2011) Triton 18 SE (Special Edition). the dimentions are 18'8" length with 94" beam and a weight of around 1650 lbs. It has an Optimax Pro XS 150 on it and a 21" pitch prop. The dealer had a 23" prop on it, but saw that I was barely getting it to 5000 rpms, so he swapped it to a 21" prop.

It currently barely gets to 5200 RPMs, which the dealer says will increase some after the break in period.

The concern I have it the top speed. It is currently only getting to 50 mpg, which the dealer says will only come up slightly after break in. He originally told me I should exoect a tops speed of around 60 mph. Others have posted top speeds for the same boat/motor online at or slightly above 60 mph.

The Nitro Z7, which is almost the exact same size and weight advertises a 63-65 nph top speed with the same motor. I realize they may be a little agressive with thier advertising, but would expect my boat to get much closer to 60 mph.

Any thoughts? Does this speed sound right to everyone?

Thanks,
Doug

[jusmangrum]

do you have a jackplate on the boat? You need to turn more rpms. But you really wont know what it will do untill you get done with the break in. I think on a newer optimax it takes around 20 hours until the motor gets lose enough to tell what it will do.

[crizzel]

How many hours are on the motor? They dont loosen up till you have around 20 or so hours.. Only getting 5k-5200 sounds like your not getting to WOT. Carry the boat back and have the check to see if it's getting to WOT. May need to adjust the hot foot to, to make sure it's opening up all the way. Also a 21P on that boat it would be well over the limiter. Is their a JP on the boat? I still think its not opening up to allow WOT or if you do have a JP the motor is way low. Witch set of holes is the motor mounted to the boat or JP? Should be the 2nd set from the top..

[Bob Smith (Porko)]

Oct 2, 2012 13:18:20 GMT -1 crizzel said:

How many hours are on the motor? They dont loosen up till you have around 20 or so hours.. Only getting 5k-5200 sounds like your not getting to WOT. Carry the boat back and have the check to see if it's getting to WOT. May need to adjust the hot foot to, to make sure it's opening up all the way

Sounded kind of odd to me too, Craig. TritonDL, you have obviously tried to go WOT already (not sure what your break-in rules are?). Even a tight motor should turn 5600 if it's set up right, especially on a Triton if it's still a Vortec hull. Definitely have them look at your throttle (hot foot if you have one). That's a good place to start. That motor on that boat with a 6"-10" jackplate set up with the nose cone about 2 1/2" below pad should turn 60-65 with a 23P to 24P Tempest or Trophy prop. That would be about 5600-5700 Rs

[TritonDL]

Thanks for the input.

It doesnt feel like it is ever opening up. The break in allows WOT for up to 10 seconds at a time. For thre most part I am driving between 3000 & 4500 (per the manual).

I don't have a jack plate, but the motor is mounted second hole from the top. The delear just replied..."That's a big boat". I convinced him to look at it and will bring it in Saturday AM. I suggested it might be the hotfoot adjuste,ment and he replied..I did that while you were here...

What he did was adjust the stop nut on the hotfoot, but I never saw him confirm that when it was all the way down the throttle on the motor was actually wide open. I used to do that years ago on my dad's old boat...although i wouldn't mess with these motors today.

Shouldn't he have to tak off the cowling...have someone hold the hot foot all the way down and then check at the motor to see if the throttle is fully open???

Thanks,
Doug

[Bob Smith (Porko)]

by all means, Doug. Otherwise there is no way to know if you are advancing the throttle all the way. I would definitely price a jackplate too (everybody who owns a Triton eventually gets one on the boat) it does so many things for you, from improving the hole shot, to putting the CG further back and allowing you to get more of the hull out of the water (less drag = more top end). You won't realize the maximum top end in less than 10 seconds, but you should see more RPMs than you are now. Factory Bass Boats and factory motors are not drag boats so they just don't pop out of the water and max out in less than 10 seconds. Running on pad at about 4000, trimmed all the way up, then putting the pedal down you should definitely see the max RPMs in 10 seconds though.

[crizzel]

Shouldn't he have to tak off the cowling...have someone hold the hot foot all the way down and then check at the motor to see if the throttle is fully open???

Yes that's the only way to see if it is opening all the way

[TritonDL]

Thanks for all the feedback. I called another dealer in the area...closer to me anyway. I'm bringing it there in the morning so he can check it out for me.

If I find I haven't been getting full throttle, I will need to follow up with the original dealer and get swapped back to another prop...since he moved me to this one because i wasnt getting enough RPMs...see if I can talk him into swapping for a tempest plus.

Do the tempest plus props run faster RPMs than props like the trophy plus or Solas?

[jusmangrum]

that boat needs a tempest. I wouldnt consider anything else

[Bob Smith (Porko)]

Oct 4, 2012 3:23:47 GMT -1 jusmangrum said:

that boat needs a tempest. I wouldnt consider anything else

Not a bad suggestion. The other props will run about the same RPMs with the same pitch. The difference is in the "rake" and "Bow Lift". The Tempest props have historically been the better prop for the Triton hulls. There may be some newer Merg props that will work but the Tempest is tried and proven.

[jusmangrum]

that boat needs help getting the bow up and the tempest is the only prop thats going to accomplish that

[crizzel]

Not going to be that much difference since he doesn't have a jackplate.. I've got a fury and temptest plus and the fury has more bow lift that the temptest plus and is faster over all..