dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

[atcra]

As far as i know it is a Bass tracker 18 jet with a 115 Mec outdoor that he can't get to plane out. I am just wanting to know if an outboard motor mounted on the back of a boat designed for a jet outboard will have issues like my dad is describing? He is tired of it and said that i could have it if i want it. Does it need a jack plate, or be mounted deeper or more shallow than usual? thank you.

 

[canoemang]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

is it a basstracker with a jet inboard and your dad put a merc 115 propped outboard on it?

 

[FLATHEAD MAC]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

caN YOU POST SOME PICTURES of boat and motor so we can see. does it have power tilt n trim?? or manual ?? might not be trimmed proprely but can tell better seeing picts:facepalm:

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

PICS of what you have. Pics are worth a thousand words.???

 

[atcra]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

I am located in Dothan AL and he is about 3 hours north of me in GA...i will get him to send me some pics...as far as i recall...it is a bass tracker that he bought that already had a 115 propped on it with pwr tilt/trim...but the side of the boat says the model # 175 Jet. I will post some pics very shortly....i know what you mean about the picture thing! thanks!

 

[CharlieB]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

The boat may have originally came with an outboard jet, replacing the standard ''prop" lower unit. As long as the mounting height is correct for the prop there should be no problem other than you will not be able to run in very shallow water as the jet was designed to do.

Boat performance with a prop will be much greater than the same craft with a jet. Greater acceleration, fuel economy, handling. It should work well once any motor problems are figured out and taken care of.

 

[atcra]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

View attachment 118770View attachment 118771

I just spoke with him and he told me that looking at the back of the boat you can tell where someone pulled the inboard engine out and welded the back of the boat. He currently has a jack plate on the back of it with alittle extra alum. stock pushing the motor off the back alittle more. Thanks for all the help! Sorry...it's a 1993 Pro 18 Jet (that is what the side of it says)

 

[atcra]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

tried to post a few pictures but did not post correctly...tryin again! View attachment 118814View attachment 118815

 

[fisherman81654]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

tried to post a few pictures but did not post correctly...tryin again! View attachment 118814View attachment 118815

They still don't work.
Try clicking on edit,delete the pics and up load again.
They work now.

 

[atcra]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

thank you...i did not the paperclip attachment tool the other time...the pictures are posted above. Dad said it will trim down alittle bit further. thanks for the assistance!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

That rig ought to friggin scream! Unless someone is smuggling lead bars under the decks.....

It looks like the jack plate is mounted unside-down, setting the outboard too low on the transom. Though, the pictures are at a bad angle to see where the outboards anti-cavitation plate is sitting, in relation to the bottom of the hull. I doubt that alone would cause that OB not to plane the boat. My SWAG would be a performance issue with the outboard, outboard not performing correctly, down a cylinder, fouled carbs, starved for fuel, timing, spark, etc. etc...

I don't see anything showing the boat used to have an inboard (I/O???) or welding on the transom to fit an outboard on it. Actually, I would be quite surprised to see anything but an outboard (prop or jet) used on a hull like that.

Good luck!
Dan

 

[CharlieB]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

I agree with Dan, the A/V plate, just above the prop, looks like you have an aftermarket 'fin' screwed onto it, should be even with or up to 1 inch higher than a line drawn straight back from the bottom of the hull. Mounted as low as it is now leave more gearcase dragging in the water, reducing top speed. This alone should not cause the boat not to plane out, simply reduces your top speed a bit.

Again, as Dan pointed out, you may have other problems with the motor and should do basic engine troubleshooting to ensure all is well.

Test spark on each cyl to ensure you are getting a hot blue arc, capable of arcing across a 7/16 inch gap, any less and the motor cannot perform.

Next test compression on all cyls. The actual # depends on the quality of the gauge used, manly you want to ensure that all cyls read very close to the same #.

Disconnect the fuel hose to the carbs, crank the motor and verify a strong fuel flow, these baby's need a good fuel supply to make power.

Make sure the carbs are clean, that the linkages are set exactly as spelled out in the factory service manual. Even slight variation can significantly reduce performance.

Many service manuals are available for download, check these links.

http://1manual.com/Mercury manuals/Service_Manual_Index.html

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=309079&p=2072211#post2072211

 

[atcra]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

Thank you both for your comments. I spoke with my dad again and he send different pics that may better confirm your thoughts of the issues.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

The cav plat (which is the lower one with the fins on it that you have there) should be even with to about an inch above the keel on a standard setup. When you add in set back from a jackplate like you have, you can raise it even further (I forget the exact equation). So your motor is definitely mounted too low.

 

[The_Kid]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

One other thing to check that could be causing some of the problem is the prop. I'm no prop guru, but in the last picture you posted it looks like the prop might have a pretty high pitch to it.

 

[idonthaveaname]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

I agree with the previous posts. My 2 cents is that the motor needs a good look at. I have a Basstracker 17 with a Johnson 70 and it hauls tail--easily 40/42. I can put four men in it and it still flies. Your hull looks perfect, but there is always a chance that your motor/jackplate mount is causing leakage so check the foam...wet foam = slow boat. And it is a tracker, aluminum, and the general leak like a sieve. So, in order.

1. Check the motor for good operation
2. Check for leaks and wet foam
3. Ensure the mounting of your motor is at the correct height.

That's what I would do. Other than that....sweet little boat!

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

Raise the motor to at least level with the bottom of the transom and lose the whale tail.

 

[atcra]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

Thank you for your comments/tips...i just returned home this weekend with a 1993 Basstracker Pro 18 Jet (side of the boat says). Underneath the back bottom of the boat you can see where some funny angled welding was done making me think that it had a jet inboard/outboard. I will be lifting the motor up quite a bit to get it to the level everyone has suggested...should the propeller be as high as where the jet outdrive would have been? At this moment i am going over the engine which does not not start. Pulled the spark plugs expecting to see normal plugs and saw different ones...should the spark jump on those like typical car plugs do? I looked for a spark jumping but did not see one. Fuel bulb pumped tight but no fuel making it to the smaller carb fuel lines? Dad said he thought fuel pump was bad...not sure how to test it. I will post more pics if needed. Thank you.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

Congrats on the boat!

Underneath the back bottom of the boat you can see where some funny angled welding was done making me think that it had a jet inboard/outboard. I will be lifting the motor up quite a bit to get it to the level everyone has suggested...should the propeller be as high as where the jet outdrive would have been?

Post up a couple pics so we can see what you are seeing, were any modifications (welding) done to the bottom of the hull?

To adjust OB height, place a straight edge across the bottom of the hull, then raise the OB until the anti cav plate is about 1" above the straight edge. Use that as a starting point.

I'm not a Mercury person, so I'll let the Mercruy guru's answer your OB starting problems.

 

[atcra]

Re: dad giving me a Bass Tracker with issues!

I will take some pictures of the bottom so you can see what i am looking at....it looks to me that someone welded (did a good job) a plate over the area where the intake/outdrive of the jet stuff came out of. I will do as you suggested and use a straight edge and see how high i have to go...being that it is currently sitting on a jackplate of about 4-5 inchs off the back i will try to get it as close to 1" as possible...maybe a little higher. Thank you!