@@KenSmithFishing I wish Merc would do a deep dive on the differences between certain props, why is a Bravo I XC able to be surfaced but it's not fast like a bravo I LT or FS. They make loads of different 4 blades if you include Merc Racing - Rev4 XC, Bravo I XC, LT, FS, XS, Fury4 I'm sure I have missed some 😎
This series has been helpful! Wish I had a good way to measure the center of gravity of the boat to help determine weight dist and jackplate setback needed.
Thanks Wayne, I love this series, not sure why they didn't get a ton of views, next video is going to be me fishing with wrenches with treble hooks on them, probably get a million views.
I found the info about the jack plate really interesting. I put a manual one on my 16' skiff because the transom was about .5" too high when i rebuilt it. The additional height caused the prop to ventilate, and i added the JP to add set back, and get it into what i thought was cleaner water....but this guy is saying its actually dirtier water. By adding the JP I was able to fix the ventilation problem, but it did shift some weight aft (which it needed) and also improved handling, but now that i think about it, it made my hole shot worse, and top end gained a smidge.... interesting.
I once took a bass boat out for some go-fast runs while the trolling motor was off the boat for repair service. The mounting bracket was still there, but the majority of the weight had been removed along with some front compartment tackle. It was an entirely different animal! I don't remember the absolute speed gain, but it was substantial. The boat also climbed much higher out of the water with an entirely different driver POV. It was like driving an entirely different boat.
Ken, great information thanks for sharing. If you get a chance to talk to Nick ask him about a stock box prop and a true pitched worked prop. Will it gain rpm? Will it improve mpg? Will it extend LU life and help in other ways?
Another great video. Thanks for clearing up so many bass forum misconceptions for me Ken. Starting to feel much better about the 4inch manual jack plate I have on my newer boat. Initially thought I would need a bigger one. Just hope the CoG plays along...
I agree keeping the motor closer to the transom allows for it to operate in cleaner water and moving it back via a jp allows for correction of the center of gravity. However you can also move the motor higher up to get back into the so called cleaner water and at the same time reduce drag on the lower unit if using a jp. This also contributes to higher speeds. Would be nice to know from the boat manufacturers where the design center of gravity is located on your specific boat when purchased to assist the owners in fine tuning their rigs.
Problem with that is they could tell you but then you add back batteries, wet vs lithium, poles or no poles, etc and that additional stern weight would screw up their COG
@@KenSmithFishing not only that, how about the amount of just stuff we all seem to collect in our boats. Not to mention the tackle and where it is loaded into the boat... Wouldn't make much difference if the manufacturer actually marked the cog, unless you ran it empty all the time. Great series, I believe that folks are learning from each one of them.
How do you "get back into so called cleaner water" by moving the motor "higher up"? "Higher" = VERTICAL in the English language, which will not move the prop back. If you speaking of trim, a performance boat wants/uses trim for leverage to position the bow to minimize water contact. You can't "trim more" to move the prop back because that will push you out of the correct trim setting to keep the hull drier. So, you statement doesn't seem to make any sense. As to where the CG is for a boat: It will vary all over the map for each hull based on what's put in it and where, just like the CG of an aircraft when loading payload. How many batteries? What weight? How much gear up front? How much electronics on the bow? Have or not have these things and you move the CG forward/aft quite a lot. So, where the CG is for an empty boat may not mean much by the time it is rigged and loaded.
@@txman201 Hard to describe without a picture but for arguments sake think of the water leaving the bottom of the pad at a 45 degree angle. If you go out horizontally only you will be in dirty water on the other side of the 45 degree line. However if you also go up vertically you will be on the cleaner water side of this 45 degree line.
@@KenSmithFishing Yes that is true but it would give you a reference point to refer back to when moving weight forward and aft to dial it in instead of just starting with a guess.
Excellent series of videos. I just bought a 250R and put it on my 2009 Ranger Z21 and really would like to talk to him about the right prop to run. I have a fury 3 now but am thinking I need to go to a 4 blade. Any way I can get in touch with him?
Hi Ken, great series bud, I learned a lot! Question I had when chatting with you that maybe we can ask Nick is, can a Torque Master LU be run a little above pad safely?
I’m running a 24p bravo 1 fs on a Phoenix, I have a manual jack plate and at higher speeds it is hard to steer. I was told that is called torque steer? Doesn’t pull one way or the other just hard to turn the wheel. My question for mercury or anyone who can tell me if raising or lowering the motor would help with the torque steer? My p2p is 3 inches on a 10 inch zlock jackplate on an 819 Phoenix with 200 pro xs 4 stroke.
@@josephjennings8660 you don't "out run" chinewalk. You balance the boat on pad. A lot of boats will settle down at higher speeds because it's starts to balance out.
One of the best prop videos I’ve seen. The mercury guys don’t like to give away too much information so this is gold
Man Nicks an open book, if you have questions let me know and he’ll answer
@@KenSmithFishing I wish Merc would do a deep dive on the differences between certain props, why is a Bravo I XC able to be surfaced but it's not fast like a bravo I LT or FS. They make loads of different 4 blades if you include Merc Racing - Rev4 XC, Bravo I XC, LT, FS, XS, Fury4 I'm sure I have missed some 😎
This series has been helpful! Wish I had a good way to measure the center of gravity of the boat to help determine weight dist and jackplate setback needed.
These prop videos were full of good information. Great questions. Thanks!
These prop videos are absolutely priceless.. thanks
Thanks Wayne, I love this series, not sure why they didn't get a ton of views, next video is going to be me fishing with wrenches with treble hooks on them, probably get a million views.
ikr I feel like it should get a lot of views and that would be straight up hilarious.
I found the info about the jack plate really interesting. I put a manual one on my 16' skiff because the transom was about .5" too high when i rebuilt it. The additional height caused the prop to ventilate, and i added the JP to add set back, and get it into what i thought was cleaner water....but this guy is saying its actually dirtier water. By adding the JP I was able to fix the ventilation problem, but it did shift some weight aft (which it needed) and also improved handling, but now that i think about it, it made my hole shot worse, and top end gained a smidge.... interesting.
I once took a bass boat out for some go-fast runs while the trolling motor was off the boat for repair service. The mounting bracket was still there, but the majority of the weight had been removed along with some front compartment tackle. It was an entirely different animal! I don't remember the absolute speed gain, but it was substantial. The boat also climbed much higher out of the water with an entirely different driver POV. It was like driving an entirely different boat.
Ken, great information thanks for sharing. If you get a chance to talk to Nick ask him about a stock box prop and a true pitched worked prop. Will it gain rpm? Will it improve mpg? Will it extend LU life and help in other ways?
Another great video. Thanks for clearing up so many bass forum misconceptions for me Ken. Starting to feel much better about the 4inch manual jack plate I have on my newer boat. Initially thought I would need a bigger one. Just hope the CoG plays along...
Robert I learned a bunch doing these and still have more questions!
Great info. Really starting to figure out that I need a different prop
I agree keeping the motor closer to the transom allows for it to operate in cleaner water and moving it back via a jp allows for correction of the center of gravity. However you can also move the motor higher up to get back into the so called cleaner water and at the same time reduce drag on the lower unit if using a jp. This also contributes to higher speeds. Would be nice to know from the boat manufacturers where the design center of gravity is located on your specific boat when purchased to assist the owners in fine tuning their rigs.
Problem with that is they could tell you but then you add back batteries, wet vs lithium, poles or no poles, etc and that additional stern weight would screw up their COG
@@KenSmithFishing not only that, how about the amount of just stuff we all seem to collect in our boats. Not to mention the tackle and where it is loaded into the boat... Wouldn't make much difference if the manufacturer actually marked the cog, unless you ran it empty all the time.
Great series, I believe that folks are learning from each one of them.
How do you "get back into so called cleaner water" by moving the motor "higher up"? "Higher" = VERTICAL in the English language, which will not move the prop back. If you speaking of trim, a performance boat wants/uses trim for leverage to position the bow to minimize water contact. You can't "trim more" to move the prop back because that will push you out of the correct trim setting to keep the hull drier. So, you statement doesn't seem to make any sense.
As to where the CG is for a boat: It will vary all over the map for each hull based on what's put in it and where, just like the CG of an aircraft when loading payload. How many batteries? What weight? How much gear up front? How much electronics on the bow? Have or not have these things and you move the CG forward/aft quite a lot. So, where the CG is for an empty boat may not mean much by the time it is rigged and loaded.
@@txman201 Hard to describe without a picture but for arguments sake think of the water leaving the bottom of the pad at a 45 degree angle. If you go out horizontally only you will be in dirty water on the other side of the 45 degree line. However if you also go up vertically you will be on the cleaner water side of this 45 degree line.
@@KenSmithFishing Yes that is true but it would give you a reference point to refer back to when moving weight forward and aft to dial it in instead of just starting with a guess.
I'm looking forward to the next video
Excellent series of videos. I just bought a 250R and put it on my 2009 Ranger Z21 and really would like to talk to him about the right prop to run. I have a fury 3 now but am thinking I need to go to a 4 blade. Any way I can get in touch with him?
You bet, shoot me an email and I’ll connect you. Kensmithfishing@outlook.com
@@KenSmithFishing I did yesterday. Thank you sir.
Hi Ken, great series bud, I learned a lot! Question I had when chatting with you that maybe we can ask Nick is, can a Torque Master LU be run a little above pad safely?
I will ask Gary in the next video Mike
I'm trying to figure out what would be the best prop for my 2017 Skeeter ZX 200 with a Yamaha 200 SHO and atlas hydraulic jack plate.
I’m running a 24p bravo 1 fs on a Phoenix, I have a manual jack plate and at higher speeds it is hard to steer. I was told that is called torque steer? Doesn’t pull one way or the other just hard to turn the wheel. My question for mercury or anyone who can tell me if raising or lowering the motor would help with the torque steer? My p2p is 3 inches on a 10 inch zlock jackplate on an 819 Phoenix with 200 pro xs 4 stroke.
I have a 2018 Lynx 250hp with a fury 25pitch and at 68 to 70mph it starts to chine walk. Should I move to a 4 blade?
I have the same question. Is it a prop thing or a hull thing? Chine walk scares the crap out me.
Yes, me too! I don't think that I can drive out of it! I tried to bump the steering wheel to the left, opposite of the roll but it's too risky!
@@atthebrink74 my 08 cougar with a 225hp could safely out run it at 74mph
@@josephjennings8660 you don't "out run" chinewalk. You balance the boat on pad. A lot of boats will settle down at higher speeds because it's starts to balance out.
@@josephjennings8660 when the boat starts going squirrelly, I back off or trim down.
Lol, go find yourself a 1979 35 pound MinnKota 585 TM with a 36 inch shaft and fly with that on the bow. Ah, the equipment we had back then.
Ok