Is my boat too slow??

D

Don Macleod

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 2, 2012
Messages
36
Ok so my 19 foot cuddy with a 4.3L Alpha 1 Stern drive with a 17 inch pitch three blade prop runs at only 30mph at 4700 rpm, the boat runs smooth but I cant help but feel it should be running faster than that. Is it my prop set up or could it be an engine set up issue not overly mechanically inclined, could a service tech get my boat running faster?
 
oldjeep

oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
Re: Is my boat too slow??

Seems pretty slow, but you seem under propped with a 17 on a 4.3L. Might want to post the full specs on your boat in the prop forum for a recommendation. Off the top of my head I would think you would be running a 21 pitch
 
metriccrescentwrench

metriccrescentwrench

Commander
Joined
Oct 22, 2007
Messages
2,598
Re: Is my boat too slow??

Is that speed measured with a speedometer or GPS? The reason that's important is that speedometers lie (though they usually lie in the positive direction).
 
C

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,148
Re: Is my boat too slow??

I had a 19' SeaRay BR (actually 18 foot plus swim platform) with a 4.3LX and an Alpha I drive. I ran a 21P Rapture prop and would get about 42MPH. I think you are underpropped, but be aware that different year Alpha drives had different gear ratios.
 
D

Don Macleod

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 2, 2012
Messages
36
Re: Is my boat too slow??

it was with a gps iphone app that i checked out for reliability and it seems very accurate. I believe it is a combination of pitch in prop and me not utilizing the trim properly, and to top things of, just found out that i have a small leak in bow from over the last couple of weeks and there is water in the bow. One of the rollers had fallen off and bare metal must of been scraping the keel, Im going to try to drain the bow cuddy tonight and then i will have a fiberglass repair job on my hands.... And here i was thinking that I would be able to test out my speed theories...Now it looks like I have a different more immediate concern....Geesh
 
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