Aluminum 1977 Crestliner Rebuild Finally Underway

[Patfromny]

is this similar to that Hustler system? Wishful thinking maybe. It is an evinrude part.

I was reading a bit on that TP program about pitch and it is similar to gear ratios in cars. With a car the 4.11 gear means the drive shaft turns 4.11 times for every rotation of the axel. With a prop, the 13 means the boat will theoritically move approximately 13 inches or centimeters for every rotation of the prop. This rough knowledge and the fact that my brothers pontoon has a 13 pitch on it leads me to believe the 15 or 17 will be close or right for my lighter boat. If nothing else, the marina will have the13.75 13 pitch (on the engine now) and the 15 if I send it. I am not sure about how important the blade width is. The program suggested a 13.25 for my boat and the 15 pitch I have is a 13.5. I don't imagaine the quarter inch will matter much but I guess there is a reason they make both sizes.

 

[Watermann]

I know quite a few guys allow their BP to just sit in the bilge but I prefer to anchor mine down on an AL bracket. I did the same with my Chief's pump. Here is the link to the 800 GPH pump and float switch and a pic of how it looks in my SS. http://www.iboats.com/Seasense-Manu...9980653--session_id.190772016--view_id.887567

There's a set of buttons you depress on either side of the cartridge that disconnects the pump from the base allowing iit to be lifted out of the mount you can kind of see them in the pic.

On that prop it sure looks similar to the TP prop hub system to me. I would try it out for sure, it will either work or it won't. The pitch is everything, a little bit of diameter means nothing really. After market props like the TP Hustler have deep cupping and aggressive rake so sometimes that adds up to a couple inches of pitch and that's why my 55 HP needed the 13"p when it had a 15"p older style prop with no cupping and a tame rake.

 

[Patfromny]

Cool. I didn't think about cupped and not cupped. Well, i have the prop and it is new, and free. I called the marina and spoke to the mechanic today. He is swamped but he has the sys. Guage and has cut out my dash where the key used to be to accept the guage. He just hasn't had time to install it. I told him I would send him the prop tomorrow and he was happy with that. He said that Evinrude is going the way of the Hustler hub thingy.

I remember your pump install now. I love the bracket it all sits on. I probably can't bolt the new pump down easily. My Floor goes way back under the splash well. I altered the new floor by taking a Squar-ish chunk out of it where the drain plug is. My plug is a screw in version that goes into the bottom of the hull. It used to be a PIA getting it out or installing. You had to lay on your belly and wrap your hand around the Floor and back toward the bow. You were blind so it was a feel your way affair. Not fun when you have to tighten or loosen it with a pliers or adjustable wrench. Anyway, I made the cut out too small but it is easier. Basically I don't have a lot of room to get my eyes back there and find a mounting point for the pump. Maybe I will build a bracket like yours so it stays upright and plop it in.

Speaking of bilge pumps, I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but the design of my hull is such that where the keel arcs down from the bow to the bottom it actually creates a bowl. It arcs down and then up before it runs the length of the boat to the stern. While I was redoing the floor I did the fill the boat with water leak test. When i emptied the boat i noticed that quite a bit of water was left in this bowl area just below where the consoles are. I thought about using my old pump and locating it up in that area and buying a new pump with float for the bilge area. Have I mentioned recently that I am Uber cheap? I passed on the idea, telling myself the old pump would break the first time out and would have no way of putting in a new one. My cheapness made two new pumps about as likely as me finding pirate treasure the same day my wife admitted I was right and she was wrong. So I passed on the idea. Well I noticed the boat would slow down mid summer and decided to tip the boat up and catch the water to see how much actually gets stuck in there. I think it was close to 3 gallons right under the consoles. The bowl is so deep that I have to put the jack on a five gallon bucket with the jack fully extended in order to get all of it out. Penny wise and 24 pounds stupid. Estimating the weight of a gallon of water at about 8 pounds. :facepalm::grumpy:

 

[Patfromny]

Hey guys, not much new to report. I spoke to the mechanic and he is just about there. He has been swamped and knows I'm not going up for a few weeks so mine is the low priority in the shop. This is fine but it's like waking up at 4 am on Christmas morning and having to wait until everyone else gets up. I am super interested in how fast this thing is going to be. It has been the one negative about this boat since it was new. Underpowered, even for this forty horse lake. I have been doing some online window shopping with mixed results. I need a new decal set for the engine. I seems that the decals don't stick well to these engines. I think the color is too dark and the cowl gets super hot making the sticker eventually peel. I first looked at OEM decals and half laughed half cried. You could spend a few hundred dollars on OEM. They even charge more for one side than the other. The same decals but mirror on the transfer paper I guess. One side is like 18 bucks but the other is 77. Luckily there are after market options but noone makes a complete set. I think i am looking at about 80 dollars for a complete set. Jeez. That seems high. I paid $20 for the Crestliner decals and $20 for the registration numbers. I guess these engine stickers are two colors so that makes them worth their weight in gold?
I am also having a super tough time finding the pinstripping for the hull.




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[Patfromny]

I have been searching for crestliner pinstripping and no luck. I think Google is toying with me because it shows the same tape but with a red large stripe instead of black. There is also one with the black but just one champagne small stripe. I would love to find this as a set so I can screw it up in one fell swoop. I can't imagine putting the black on and then trying to put on the champagne and keeping them parallel. This might be a job for a pro. I find it exhausting looking through all these pages of vinyl pinstripe. Anyone have any tricks on installing this stuff so it doesn't look wavy or should I just open the empty wallet.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Have you tried these guys? They carry a bunch of stickers......

http://greatlakesskipper.com/oem-parts-and-accessories/crestliner-boats

 

[Patfromny]

Thanks wimusky, they are the ones with the red and champagne. I guess that one was used on the fiberglass models and was more popular. I definitely dont like that combo. I think mine is simply not around anymore. I have never been much of a fan of pinstriping and always disliked this particular one...until it was off the boat. The boat seems to be missing something. Not being one for pinstriping I don't have the first clue what, other than the old stuff, would look good on the boat. Kinda liking a Larson OEM one that is one dark blue and a gold. Not sure though if the blues being different will look bad. Kinda frustrating to say the least. Thanks for looking out though. My journey continues.

 

[Patfromny]

Well I got the call yesterday. She has been sea trialed by the marina and all went well. The prop that was on the motor when I bought it was the right one putting it at 5400 and then 5600 when trimmed. He, for some reason, didnt look at the speedo so i have no MPH info. I am equal parts happy and frustrated. Happy for the obvious reasons. Frustrated because I won't be up until the 13th. The call did leave me scratching my head though. It seems the TP prop wizard is worth what they charged me to use it, nothing. If you look at what they recommended and what worked it isn't even close. They recommended a 17 pitch for speed and the 13 seems to be the right one for that. I guess you truely get what you pay for.

I have, however found a new prop wizard in Watermann.

I don't know what your gear ratio is for the 40 but knowing what little I do about props if it were me I would pop on a 13" pitch prop.

I don't know how to double quote(can someone let me know how to) but he also said he thought the 15 and 17 pitch props would be too much for the boat. Well...the 13.5 15 I sent up only turned the engine to 4900 so they put the pontoon prop on with a 13 pitch and it is now in the sweet spot. Good job watermann. You should change your avatar to one of those spinning props. Lol.

I do have a question for you WM if you have your ears on. Anyone else following along is welcome to chime in too; Either one of you. Lol
The prop on the boat is a 13 pitch but....it was for a pontoon boat and is a 13 7/8 diameter. My questions are:

1. Is the larger diameter going to effect my top speed? I'm thinking the prop is awful big to get out of its own way.
2. If I switch to a smaller diameter but same pitch, will my RPM's increase?
3. If I can change to a smaller diameter, would the smallest available be advised? Thinking along the lines of Watermann's 12 3/4 inch on his boat.

Thanks in advance guys. I truly appreciate any advice on this since I don't have a tach in the boat (big mistake) I am already searching for one online and will install myself this winter. I just won't have any dash left..

 

[Watermann]

Hey you can always use a good spare prop and is that one they tested a TP prop? If you go with the Hustler then the reduced 1" diameter should even out due to the more aggressive rake and substantial cupping. I would venture a guess that it may be a wash for RPMS with the Hustler over the "toon" prop but it would be a better prop for your application. Hopefully my/your luck holds if you go that route.

 

[Patfromny]

Hey Wm. I looked up the part number from a photo my brother sent and it says it's an evinrude Hydrus pontoon prop. The 15 pitch prop i sent up was an evinrude that said it was cupped and had the center hub kit like a TP. I think the toon prop is a standard one piece. My worry is RPM's without a tach. Is there a cheap portable tach available that I could hook to the boat and play with props? I was just reading about larger diameters and it seems that top speed will be effected as well as possible steerability. Might be a good prop for water skiing as it is indicated for heavier boats/loads. Thanks for the tip on the TP cupping and I imagine a more aggressive rake. You said a 12 3/4 13 is what you were using right? I just don't want to over rev this thing. Should have had the tach installed.

 

[Watermann]

Yeah I don;t have a tach on my Johnny you can hear the sweet spot up around 5500. But if I were to get a tach,I would look into Tiny Tach.

 

[Patfromny]

Thanks. My brother is going up this weekend and I think I'm gonna ask him to put one of his props on it. I think his is a 13.25 x 13. That should tell the tale. I have been looking and looking for info on props and it amazes me how little info is actually out there. I am having trouble finding a hustler prop. Iboats seems to be out of stock on most. Guess I'll have to check the big box sites.

 

[Watermann]

The TP Hustler I have is the 12.5" x 13p and it's in stock here and a good deal too with free shipping. I did a search using my motor and when you add the prop to your cart it adds the hub kit too automatically.

http://boatpropellers.iboats.com/Jo...1311310_Propeller/53/36576/?cart_id=289980653

 

[Patfromny]

Wow. I Googled it and it brought me to iboats but said it was out of stock and sent me to the Solas prop as an equivalent. How weird is that. Thanks WM. Once again.

I'm gonna wait until I hear from my brother on speed with the big prop vs. The 13.25 13 he has from his pontoon. If it is better, I'll order the 12.5. I bookmarked it for easy ordering.

 

[Patfromny]

So, my brother got the first blasts in the boat today and just about at noon he sent me this bit of bad news.




That was with the pontoon prop on it. I immediately got on the phone with some marinas up there looking for another prop. That there is 3 mph slower than with the 35 on it. One of the marinas told me that 23.6 is pretty good for a pontoon with a 40 and laughed. I have to admit, it was funny. He advised I throw it in the garbage and get a regular prop. My brother put his 13.75 x13 prop on and sent this




Unfortunately that was at 5910. I am now certain the mechanic didn't put the prop I shipped up onto the boat as I think it will be a bit faster and closer to the right one. It is a 13.5x15. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
BTW. Sorry to TP as their prop program seems to be closer then first suspected. My brother is going to put the 13.5 on tomorrow.

 

[Patfromny]

Oh, and some glam shots.







Note the absence of a certain paint wrecking pontoon in the second pic. He didn't put it in this year.lol

 

[Patfromny]

And I hope this video shows up. I have never posted one so fingers crossed

 

[Patfromny]

And one more shot for the night. This was my brothers propping operation I would suspect.

 

[Patfromny]

Well, we have lift off...the 13.5 x 15 prop went 30.4. The bad news is it was only spinning at 5100. I looked up the 13.5 prop and found that it is a cupped evinrude prop 765182. I'm guessing the cupping is why the rom dropped off so drastically? Now I don't know where to go. 13.5 x 14, 13 x 15? Any ideas? Cupped or not? If I go the Hustler route will the drastic rake plus cupping be like starting over again or is there some kind of formula like up one in pitch once I find the right non hustler? Any advice is needed and appreciated. Pulling my hair out not being up there.

 

[Watermann]

You need to consider what's going to be the typical load out and use of the boat. I know that a 40 HP motor on your size of boat will be very sensitive to weight. I would stay with my previous recommendation if you're going to be adding more people, gear and water sports to the mix then a 12.5x13 Hustler would be right. Just one guy in the boat testing props is okay but not really what the boat can expect. Diameter of prop really doesn't mean much it's all about the pitch in with the cupping/rake of the newer style props. I went through this twice now and looking forward to the 3rd time with my Merc 140. :lol: