Honda 150 performance issue on Hewescraft Searunner 190

[sircharles009]

First run last Friday, with 1/4 fuel (from original owner) ran just fine. Planned within a few seconds and topped off at 3 mph on flat water, 3 adults, 2 kids, 1 ice chest.

Yesterday, I added 20 gallons of fuel (maybe cheap, but I run it in my cars all the time...yeah, I know it's different, but worth mentioning). Added some Honda fuel stabilizer in case I do not use all the fuel. I ran the boat in Tahoe with 4 adults and 3 kids, 2 ice chests, maybe another 150 lbs of gear and supplies (tubes, backpacks, food, snacks, etc.). The boat would top out at 10 mph and would slowly get up to 13-14 and to out there for the rest of the day. We later towed a tube and would not get it to "whip" outside the wake, which was fantastic on the first run. At the end of the day, upon returning, I was able to top out at 25mph, but if I slowed down, it would take a long time to get back up to plane again...like 1-3 minutes. The water was flat in the morning and a little choppy (by tahoe standards, flat by salt water standards).

Any ideas? Do you think it's really just bad gas? I realized later that should have used half the dosage of the fuel stabilizer if I was using the gas immediately as a "cleaner", but have never noticed this to be an issue on any motor I've ran whether boat or not. Should I stop and get better gas? Was I too heavy (wouldn't think it'd be an issue with a SeaRunner).

 

[Sea Rider]

Running a motor with a high load along pulling water toys adds a lot of stress to any motor, probably running at the lugging side. Without posting individual wot rpm data at both mentioned scenarios won't know. Check if the prop is doing its homework right, the hub could be on its was to become fully spun...

Happy Boating​

 

[dingbat]

I'd bet good money that it's not the gas.
Performance bulletins for the boat put WOT at close to 40 mph although I see a couple of red flags in your post.
1. Are you quoting GPS speed or speedometer speed?
2. What was your engine rpm when all if this was happening?
3. New owner... do you know the proper use of engine trim?
4. Did you have the motor adjusted for operation at 6,000' elevation?

Combined with items 1-4 above, 7 people, 2 ice chests and #150 of gear is one heck of a load for a 19' boat.

 

[sircharles009]

I'd bet good money that it's not the gas.
Performance bulletins for the boat put WOT at close to 40 mph although I see a couple of red flags in your post.
1. Are you quoting GPS speed or speedometer speed?
2. What was your engine rpm when all if this was happening?
3. New owner... do you know the proper use of engine trim?
4. Did you have the motor adjusted for operation at 6,000' elevation?

Combined with items 1-4 above, 7 people, 2 ice chests and #150 of gear is one heck of a load for a 19' boat.

1. GPS speed, no speedometer
2. Wouldn't go past 4k during the morning half while stuck at 10mpg and 14 mph mid day
3. Yes, I trimmed motor but it didn't make much difference.
4. No I didn't have the motor adjusted for operation above 6k

My WOT was stuck at 4k on Monday when it was crawling stuck at 10mph, and by mid morning 14mph. By end of day, I my WOT was a little over 45000 and running 25 mph.

On Wednesday, I did put in 91 Chevron gas and took it back on the Lake with 2 adults, 2 kids, minus one ice chest. I would say it was maybe 300-400 lbs lighter. It seemed to take off to plan much better. Was able to get to 25-28mph and plane right away and was over 4500k rpms. Didn't have the fussiness of feeling like I was accelerating off 3rd gear.

So was it the weight or gas you say? Well, later that Wednesday, I put 4 adults and 5 kids (yeah I'm one over, but had enough life jackets), and it was able to run well at 14mph-25mph. I never had the bog down of 10 mph like I did Monday. So I think I did have bad gas. I do believe I was also definitely heavy. And I would say that i lost ~10 mph due to high elevation and choppiness of the Tahoe wake.

A few people told me to try a 4 blade and 2-4 less pitch. Will be experimenting with it.

 

[sircharles009]

Running a motor with a high load along pulling water toys adds a lot of stress to any motor, probably running at the lugging side. Without posting individual wot rpm data at both mentioned scenarios won't know. Check if the prop is doing its homework right, the hub could be on its was to become fully spun...

Happy Boating​

That is an interesting theory. What is the best way to check the condition of the hub? Is it hard to remove? I've done pretty much all my mechanical work on my cars, just don't have experience yet with boats, but sounds like I will have to... to a certain extent. I'm tired of mechanical work.

 

[Sea Rider]

For that test must remove the prop out of the prop shaft, draw a straight visible line across the whole extension of the middle hub, install prop back, go for a wot run lightly/medium loaded for some minutes, remove the prop and check if the line has moved/traveled from where originally was marked, if so, that hub is shot, need a new 3-4 blade prop. If the prop it's not shot, the ambient temp is playing against the motor along other issues described in the lines below.

For high altitude boating, don't know if 6 K feet is a lot, need less octane fuel rated, spot on carb rejetting for that particular altitude along a correct prop, the only down issue I see is that you run too much variable loads, number of passengers which stresses the motor compared to running fixed or near fixed loads correctly propped at sea water level...

Happy Boating​

 

[Faztbullet]

Not a prop hub problem as RPM would be high and speed low...

 

[Sea Rider]

If a prop fails prematurely, when banged hard into a rock, sand bar, etc will experience that described scenario. If begins failing gradually over time will experience wot rpm variation till shot. It's so easy to perform a hub slip test.

Happy Boating
​

 

[Faztbullet]

If prop hub starts to fail ...RPMS will start to increase and speed and holeshot will get worse. A bad hub will not reduce RPM as OP is experiencing

 

[Sea Rider]

If the OP manges to operate that motor to run healthy and strong will need to face issue that are serial killers such as :

-Too much variable loads, number of passengers to play with with current prop. -High altitude boating. -Carb was not rejeted for 6 K feet altitude boating. -The current prop probably it's only good for pushing light loads, awfull performance while highly loaded. -Motor is being lugged unnecessarily under such mentioned conditions...

Happy Boating​

 

[ahicks]

Fazt-
You likely already know this, but if not, Searider is an expert. Arguing with him is like talking to a wall. Logic is useless. He's OK working on 40hp and under 2 strokes, but is flailing on anything else.

 

[Sea Rider]

Fazt-
You likely already know this, but if not, Searider is an expert. Arguing with him is like talking to a wall. Logic is useless. He's OK working on 40hp and under 2 strokes, but is flailing on anything else.

Ahicks, keep your stupid brit sarcastic comments to yourself, gee now arguing about a prop. The OP is the only one called to perform or not that simple hub slip test to begin with throubleshooting his motor's issues.

The C-19 Pandemic have definitely altered the brain's gray matter in some of you guys and you are not the exception, so M.Y.O.B, get off your pedestal and stop giving yourself airs of technical superiority which is very limited to just your beloved Honda motors period.

Happy Boating
​

 

[ahicks]

I wasn't going to say anything, but somebody advising a user regarding the potential for "hub slip" when he's claiming a max rpm of 4500, needs to be called out for the sheer lack of thought and/or experience behind a comment like that.

It's not that I'm technically superior. I know better than making a claim like that. Where we differ is that I refuse to offer nonsense advice regarding something I have no knowledge of. Basicaly I would much rather not say anything than to offer advice that might potentially waste somebody's time and money. BAD advice is worse than none....

 

[Faztbullet]

BAD advice is worse than none....

Bravo!!