What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Hello all, I purchased my first boat last year, A '89 Bayliner 14ft with a Force 50hp. (you can now chuckle if you want)<br /><br /> We had fun last year moving about, and the only problem we had was the magnet came unglued and I lost spark. A little Epoxy, and I had that fixed. <br /><br />What has troubled me is I think I should be able to go faster. I am getting passed up by pontoon boats! With 3 people roughtly 525lbs and fishing gear, I can get about 18mph. Am I expecting too much for this boat, or is should I be able to move a little quicker down the lake? <br /><br />If so, any suggestions on what to check.<br /><br />I was really disgusted last year when my wife and father-n-law couldn't plane out pulling me behind on a floater. Im about 230lbs, but you'd swear they were trying to raise the Titanic, or at least plow the bottom of the lake <br /><br />I look forward to any and all responses, yall seem like a nice bunch of folks.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br /><br />John

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Well yes it should be faster...didja glue the magnet EXACTLY to where it fell off of? There may be a North-South relation to how the magnet is mounted. You need to check the timing. You might have the wrong prop on the motor too. What are your RPMS @ WOT. could be a throttle linkage problem too.....Are you sure its a 50 Hp? Mixing oil with your gas? Any water in the bilge? Is it bogging or jus not gittn up an goin? Check compression on cylinders. One or two carb engine? Is it running rough? If so could be running on only one spark plug or carb. Git back to us....

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Hey, thanks for a quick reply. So here Goes <br /><br />Glue magnet back where was-Yup,it fits snug, no wiggle room. I am experience same performance after magnet was glued vs before. <br /><br />You will need to check timing - Ok, will get the service book out.<br /><br />What are RPMS at WOT - Don't Know. Don't have a tach. Looks like I might need to get 1.<br /><br />Might have wrong prop. - Not sure about that either. Old man that sold me the boat was orig owner didn't mention anything about replacing it. He said he only had bout 25 hrs on the boat. How would I go about determining if I have correct prop?<br /><br />Could be throttle linkage - Definatly could be. I think thats where the tach would come in handy.<br /><br />Are you sure its a 50 hp. Pretty sure, says so on motor and title. I think that was the El'Chepo package sold back in the 90's 14ft bayliner with 50hp force <br /><br />Mixing you oil w/gas. Yup 50:1 like book said.<br /><br />Any water in the bilge - Nope. Bone Dry. I had to dump some in there just so I could try out my new bilge pump <br /><br />Is it bogging or just not get'n up and go'n - Nah, she don't seem to bog down, just seems to take a while to get there.<br /><br />Check Compression on Cylinders - Will Do and report back.<br /><br />1 or 2 carb engine. - Think'n its a 1.<br /><br />Is it running Rough - Not really, WOT I think runs good, sounds good, though to me it feels and sounds like it shoul rev a little higher. (gotta get that tach)<br />She isn't the most graceful thing on the lake at idle.<br /><br />Ok, I hope I covered em all. I'll get me some goodies tomorrow.<br /><br />Thx!

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

outfishing; were you at in missouri? I have the same boat but 4 years older,mine will run about 25mph loaded wife,kids,and me,up river(MISS)and 30 down.I don't have a speed.or tac or any thing but light switch,so I'm guessing

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

BBQ Town, Kansas City

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Don't expect much performance, esp pulling an inflatable. There are a number of posts here on this same issue. It is said on iboats that a 50hp force has the same performance as a 35hp anything else! Tubes are hard to pull because of their surface resistance, the rounded stern tries to suck them deeper in the water, until you get going fast. On my 15" bow rider, I get top speed 29mph on gps, with wife and two young kids, I may get 25mph. As for pulling, I find it easier to pull up an adult skier than a tube, and not very well for either. You should get more that 18mph, even if trim and stuff are off.<br />PS.<br />I am not laughing, I got sucked in on the same deal. I thought I was buying a 50hp Mercury, not knowing that a 50hp Mercury Force was once a crysler. Figured 'force' was a model line. Now I am forced to use it, as anybody with knowledge would not buy it for near what I paid for it.

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

I have a usb gps unit on my laptop. I'll take it along next time and see what actual MPH is. Im hoping it may be something as simple as tightning the throttle cable. Hope to get a tach soon.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />John

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Ok, Checked throttle linkage, when the stick is set to wide open, so is the carb. Everything there seems to be just fine. I think I found a guy in town that specializes in the force engines, gunna give him a holler and see what he thinks.

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Even when at WOT, linkage to timing has to be correct as is directly related to lead the carb into the intake stroke...perhaps somebody was tinkering with it trying to set idle wrong way or something. I haven't got the smarts to elaborate more than that (leave that to experts) but it is just to note that the valve open is not the only factor to WOT performance.

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

what pitch prop are you running?? If the guy before you only had 25 hours on it, maybe it never was dialed in right. The original dealer might've stuck whatever they had most of, and overpropped it right from the start.<br /><br />That's my $.02<br />Brent

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Ok, went out and bought a new prop. I orig had a 12.5 and went to a 11.5 Paid $80 (was that good or too much?) Anyway I put it on the boat and off to lake.<br />One thing I did notice is I planed quicker. Only had 2 of us in there, the wife didn't go, and we were able to get 25mph pretty quickly - Much better than 18-19 mph. I still think the engine should go a little more, but I don't have a tach. <br />I was going to buy a used tach from the boat repair shop, but they wanted $88. Not knowing what they were worth, I decided to wait till I can shop around.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />John

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Be aware that Tachs for the Force Motors are a different breed. They use a 20 pole Tach. Keep that in mind when shopping for one.<br />A little info in Adobe form:<br /><br /> web page

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Cheap o tach: www.tinytach.com

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Hi Outfishing,<br /><br />At 25 mph, your doing pretty good. I have a tri-hull with an 89 force 50 and best I have done is 27. The trihull weighs about 750, which I assume is about the same as your hull. I had a similar load (two guys about 190 apiece).<br /><br />Now that yoour up on plane, start playing with the trim (manual or power). I have only manual, so I tried running with the trim pin in different locations until I got the best ride.<br /><br />Good luck and enjoy.

Re: What Performance to Expect from Force 50 hp

Just ordered my TinyTach. Pretty cheap $36.00 looking forward to installing it. <br /><br />Yesterday I started to play with the trim, I only have 3 sets of holes to choose from. I put the bar in the one farthest from the boat, did good, except the nose kept bouncing up and down, over and over. Moved it to the 2nd pin, and its a little better it does not bounce as much. The 1st hole doesn't bounce at all, but it slows down 2 mph.<br /><br />I'll get the tach installed and report back. Good luck fish'n and play'n this weekend!<br /><br />--John