1995 Stratos FS 278 Slow?

[Landons130]

I just bought a 1995 Stratos FS 278 with a 1995 johnson 130 v4 I’m currently running no jack plate and a 14 1/2 x19P and it will only run 39 wide open 1 person empty tank working on getting the tac to register now motor sounds good and dosent sound screaming at top end on pad, good hole shot ik without tac I can’t dial it I’m just curious before I start if that boat should be faster thanks Landon.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,...... Without the Rpms @ Wot, it's an unknown,....

 

[briangcc]

18' with 7'6" beam and 130HP? You might not be getting much more out of that boat.

Given the age, I'd start with weighing it as you could be carrying around a lot more weight than you should.

 

[Landons130]

18' with 7'6" beam and 130HP? You might not be getting much more out of that boat.

Given the age, I'd start with weighing it as you could be carrying around a lot more weight than you should.

Not much on the boat I could, cut a few things I just read some forums from back in 2011 people getting 47 mph with a 115, considering the extra 15 horse I though 50 may be possible. Thanks for y’all’s replies

 

[Hookin.Bookin]

Stratos are set from factory from the boats I’ve owned, I run no jackplate on my 201 pro xl with a 200 and get 72 on glass water, 4 blade 25p

 

[briangcc]

Not much on the boat I could, cut a few things I just read some forums from back in 2011 people getting 47 mph with a 115, considering the extra 15 horse I though 50 may be possible. Thanks for y’all’s replies

Not what I'm referring to.

Boats of that age are made out of wood - transom and stringers. Unless it's been a pampered boat, always dried out after use and stuffed into a climate controlled garage, changes are good to very good that its water logged. Foam, wood, etc. You could be carrying around a few hundred pounds of weight that a dry boat wouldn't. And you wouldn't know it unless it was weighed on a scale.

So my first order of business, besides getting the tach operational, would be to take the entire rig to a certified scale, weigh it, launch the boat, and reweigh the tow vehicle/trailer. The difference gives you the current weight of the boat.