My goal is to get my 14' Livingston to do a consistent 25 mph top speed with two guys on board. By tweaking my outboard mounting height/angle and going to a slightly smaller prop size, I've gotten my current top speed up to 23 mph from 19 mph. There are still a few minor tweaks I can do, so hopefully I'll get there. My outboard is a 30hp Tohatsu 2stroke from the mid 80's. It's ugly looking, but super reliable and lightweight at about 110lbs.
My previous Livingston was 12' with a late 90's Honda 15hp 4stroke. My top speed on that boat with two guys on board was about 19 mph.
Some recommendations:
Raising your transom mount a few inches above factory standard will generally decrease outboard drag and cavitation without any loss of power.
If you are not achieving close to your engine's maximum recommended rpm's at full throttle, consider trying a smaller prop. Likewise, if your rpm's are too high, then the reverse can also be true.
Install a drain plug in the back of your center stabilization hull. Both of my Livingstons had a couple of gallons of water that accumulated in there over the years. Not only is this a safety issue, it added a lot of extra weight that decreased performance.
My previous Livingston was 12' with a late 90's Honda 15hp 4stroke. My top speed on that boat with two guys on board was about 19 mph.
Some recommendations:
Raising your transom mount a few inches above factory standard will generally decrease outboard drag and cavitation without any loss of power.
If you are not achieving close to your engine's maximum recommended rpm's at full throttle, consider trying a smaller prop. Likewise, if your rpm's are too high, then the reverse can also be true.
Install a drain plug in the back of your center stabilization hull. Both of my Livingstons had a couple of gallons of water that accumulated in there over the years. Not only is this a safety issue, it added a lot of extra weight that decreased performance.