vtbowfishn
Recruit
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2016
- Messages
- 4
OK I have a 16' 1991 Tracker Bass Buggy that I stripped down and re decked a few years ago. I put all new furniture on it completely changing it from it's original state. I also added a raised deck on the front for bow fishing. It had originally come with a Johnson 28 HP Special and the lower unit got a hole in it from some granite rocks. I purchased a 1990 40 HP Johnson 2 cylinder 2 cycle with the small gear box. It came through with a 3 blade 12 1/2" 13 pitch Aluminum Prop. This year I finished the project adding the 3rd pontoon to the center. I cut down a new 18' 24" log that was pulled from a brand new pontoon boat that got road rash on the pontoon when the dealer was bringing it back from a boat show. I cut the pontoon to 13' and added a cross between lifting strakes and tap fins to it, more like a longer water glide. I finally got the Tach on it to check it out, but before I got it hooked up I ordered 2 Props I guessed would work, figuring the 12 1/2 13 was over propped and based off info found on Prop Mfg sights. Not even close. The prop I had was not as bad as I thought the RPM with just me on it came up to 5100 RPM and 22 mph, the WOT for that motor is 4500 - 5500. I usually have quite a load on it so I decided to check out the Vortex 4 blade 11 1/2" 9 pitch. I knew it would probably go above the 5500 but I figured with the 4 blade it would not go past 5800 with just me on it. Wrong again I gave it some throttle and it seemed to just sit and spin churning the water with hardly any push. I gave it more throttle and it spun up to 6300 RPM with more throttle to go. Bad match for the boat and motor. The smaller Dia. had a bigger effect on it than I thought it would. I guess someone will get a good deal on Ebay when I list it New used prop with less than 3 minutes use.
So any ways I ordered a Michigan Match aluminum that is the same as the 3 blades Johnson used on that motor, only I went to the 13" 11 pitch that should get me to 5500 or close, with more push larger diam by 1/2" and yes it will clear by 1/4" and it is the same as a Factory Johnson Prop.
Back to the 3rd pontoon, it came up quickly and planed out flat, I do have a Hydo foil fin on the Motor and that brings it up fast. The nose no longer dives when I kill the throttle as I positioned the pontoon about 18" ahead of the other 2 21" logs. With just me on it, it leans a bit on sharp corners not banking like a lot of tri toons. I took it out today and tested it with 3 other people and myself about 700 lbs I had 24 gal of fuel and I also have 3 deep large cell batteries on it. It would get up to 18 MPH but not come completely out and plane flat even with the extra people towards the front. It did tend to handle better with the extra weight. RPM still came up to between 5000 and 5100. I think the new 13 - 11 will work out well.
Oh yeah hello every one I am new here, but have read many post over the last few years.
Shane from Vermont.
So any ways I ordered a Michigan Match aluminum that is the same as the 3 blades Johnson used on that motor, only I went to the 13" 11 pitch that should get me to 5500 or close, with more push larger diam by 1/2" and yes it will clear by 1/4" and it is the same as a Factory Johnson Prop.
Back to the 3rd pontoon, it came up quickly and planed out flat, I do have a Hydo foil fin on the Motor and that brings it up fast. The nose no longer dives when I kill the throttle as I positioned the pontoon about 18" ahead of the other 2 21" logs. With just me on it, it leans a bit on sharp corners not banking like a lot of tri toons. I took it out today and tested it with 3 other people and myself about 700 lbs I had 24 gal of fuel and I also have 3 deep large cell batteries on it. It would get up to 18 MPH but not come completely out and plane flat even with the extra people towards the front. It did tend to handle better with the extra weight. RPM still came up to between 5000 and 5100. I think the new 13 - 11 will work out well.
Oh yeah hello every one I am new here, but have read many post over the last few years.
Shane from Vermont.
