Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

[tawd77]

Hi, I just bought a 91 18' bass buggy pontoon boat with a 93 40hp manual tilt evinrude tracker motor. The thing is a slow terd, which i somewhat expected. But I noticed that the engine is not sitting 90 degrees to the ground when the trailer is level. It is tucked under the boat some down at the prop. Doesnt it need to be 90 degrees, or slightly tilted outward at the prop to help it get the front of the toons out of the water? It seems to me the way it is, would just shove the front end down into the water...

Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks!!

 

[kynolan2183]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

I would put it out 90 degrees to the boat when you are moving. The boat is going to be very slow but tucked under is wrong if you don't have tilt and trim. The 40 will most likely never plain the boat out with people on board and duck feathers on the water will more than likely pass you in a good wind.

The max horse power (2008 model) for that boat is 75 so with a 40 hp you are at 53% of the max hp. Tracker says the boat will do 18 mph with the 40 hp and also the 50 hp and 22 mph with the 60 hp.

My bass boat plains out a 16 mph so I don't think the trim will make all that much difference as I don't think it will ever plain out for you.

good luck
kyle

 

[tawd77]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

I would put it out 90 degrees to the boat when you are moving. The boat is going to be very slow but tucked under is wrong if you don't have tilt and trim. The 40 will most likely never plain the boat out with people on board and duck feathers on the water will more than likely pass you in a good wind.

The max horse power (2008 model) for that boat is 75 so with a 40 hp you are at 53% of the max hp. Tracker says the boat will do 18 mph with the 40 hp and also the 50 hp and 22 mph with the 60 hp.

My bass boat plains out a 16 mph so I don't think the trim will make all that much difference as I don't think it will ever plain out for you.

good luck
kyle

Thanks kyle for the help. The max rating for the boat is 60hp - It is tucked in quite a ways. Now, it has the manual hydraulic tilt. Do i just pull hte motor up, and then adjust the engines angle with the hydraulic release, or do I need to adjust the pin that had 3 position settings?

 

[5150abf]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

The best way to see where it need to be is to keep moviing it and see which setting works best for the way you use the boat.

With one setting you need to find a compromise, with the engine tucked under you are pushing the bow down when you want to raise soi would move it to the last hole out and see what that does.

And I have never heard of a hydraulic manual tilt, does it have a switch on the side of the engine to raise and lower it?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

what you have is tilt assist, not made for running. i have the same motor. the motor only has 3 adjustment holes at the bottom of the transom bracket. when you tilt you motor all the way up, there is a lock lever on the side, to lock it up. once locked and the assist lever in locked position, you can loosen one of the nuts on the bottom, but leave the nut on, now tap the nut to start to drive the rod out. once out start the rod back into another hole. VERY IMPORTANT, do not move the tilt assist lever, lift up on the foot, and release the manual lock, now adjust the motor up or down, to line up the holes. once back together you can use assist lever. that piston has a very high charge on it.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

The optimum running position for an outboard is with the anti-ventilation plate parallel to the water surface at the cruising speed. Experiment for your maximum operating level.

BTW, you can plane that unit easily with the right propeller.

 

[tawd77]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

The optimum running position for an outboard is with the anti-ventilation plate parallel to the water surface at the cruising speed. Experiment for your maximum operating level.

BTW, you can plane that unit easily with the right propeller.

Thanks to everyone for the help.

How do I figure out what would be the best propeller for my application? The prop needs to be replaced as the edges are kinda chewed up.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

you need to know what your present wide open throttle rpms and the size and pitch or your present prop. you want a prop, that will let your motor turn +-5800 rpms, at wide open throttle. this will prop you motor so that it will perform at is optimum, at any speed.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

If you want, go to this link and scroll to the left bottom of the page for a lot of useful information on propellers.

http://boatpropellers.iboats.com/Johnson-Outboard-Propellers/

Once you decide on a plan, the fellows who spend a lot of time on the propeller forum can give you a lot of specific advice:

http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=35

 

[tawd77]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

you need to know what your present wide open throttle rpms and the size and pitch or your present prop. you want a prop, that will let your motor turn +-5800 rpms, at wide open throttle. this will prop you motor so that it will perform at is optimum, at any speed.

Thanks for the reply. The engine runs at around 5250rpm's at WOT. Im not sure what the current pitch and size of the current prop. I will go look in a bit. What would I do to get the RPM's up a little? Lower number pitch? Thanks!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

own a v hull boat yes,, toons are totally different animals. post your situation in the Prop forum, they can advise you best. may be a bigger diameter, and less pitch. or smaller with more pitch. as i said toon run of different rules. we hope to have toon forum, very soon.

 

[tawd77]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

Ok, I took the boat out with the engine adjusted out to the 3rd adjustment hole on the transom bracket. I slowly raised the throttle and noticed that anything over about 3/4 throttle just makes the engine rev up higher and the boat seems to either not speed up anymore, or maybe lose a little speed. So now what do I do?

I finally got a speedometer in the boat and it made it up to 14mph. This about right for this boat?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

drop back to next hole, you are blowing out at higher rpms. also notice where the water is on the motor, when running full out. it should be right about the plate just above the prop. once you blow out the prop is grabbing air not water, so you can loose speed, and possibly over rev the motor.

 

[tawd77]

Re: Where should the tilt be set on a pontoon?

ok, I will put it down 1 hole on the adjustment. My new prop should be here soon so hopefully that will help some too. Thanks for the help!