# Dialing - in new boat/motor



## fl.graderman (Jan 30, 2016)

Hello all,
I am a new member here, but have been reading and absorbing knowledge on this, (and a couple other), sites since last summer when I decided to sell my kayaks and buy a boat for fishing mosquito lagoon. 

For those not from here, mosquito lagoon is a large, shallow, saltwater estuary on the east coast of Florida. It has some of the best redfish and seatrout fishing in the country. It's not uncommon to see huge schools of redfish tailing in 18" of water on the seagrass covered flats...

To fish this area, I bought a new 2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX. It's an all-welded, aluminum hull weighing in at about 540 lbs. It has an 18", (approx.), transom and Tracker Marine recommended a 25hp, 20" shaft outboard. 

I then purchased a 1996 Evinrude 25hp, 3 cylinder, 2 stroke to mount on it. The motor weighs 156 lbs. Mounted directly to the transom, the ventilation plate hung 3 inches below the keel. To offset this somewhat, I put a 1" aluminum spacer on top of the transom and clamped it down. Taking it to the lake to test it out, revealed 28 mph, 5570-5600 rpms, (fsm says wot operating range is 5200-5800 rpms), and a whole bunch of spray coming off the back of the boat.






Because I was putting this thing together to fish shallow water, I was not happy with the idea that my lower unit was too deep in the water and all the spray while on plane proved it.

Next I purchased a manual mini jack plate made by Bob's Machine Shop, sealed the holes previously drilled through the transom and mounted everything up. Now at the lowest setting, the ventilation plate is 1/2" below the keel and at its highest setting, it's 1 1/2" above the keel. I currently have it set dead even.

Today I took it out and at wot, I dropped to 26 mph, rpms at 5690-5730. It rides nice, seems to get on plane good, but not only did I lose 2 mph, if I come off plane too quick, I come close to swamping the motor.

I am trying to get everything dialed in so I can get on the flats while we still have some cool weather. Am I missing something? I was under the impression that the jack plate, while lifting the motor, would also increase speed. And I'm not sure why my motor gets swamped now coming off plane when it's 3 inches higher now than when mounted directly on the transom.

If anyone has some insight, I am ready to be schooled...







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## Fishfreek (Jan 30, 2016)

Welcome graderman \/ , 

I am also still setting my boat up to fish the lagoon. Seems every time I have a chance tooget out it has been raining then today perfect day and to much family visting to get out. Where do you launch from? I'll be out tomorrow running a few test laps still workjng on getting motor height correct.


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## Stumpalump (Jan 30, 2016)

When you installed the jack plate you also moved the motor back and up changing the center of gravity. 
Hard to believe that few inches matters but it's weight on a lever. You may need to move weight foward in the boat like the battery, tools and cooler to compensate. Have you fooled with or changed the trim pin location? Moving the pin up gives more bow rise. Down brings it down. You need to adjust height and trim along with weight a whole lot to dial it in. Go for top speed first then back things off until it handles other conditions like not cavitating in turns or extreamly high bow when taking off. Swamping the rear is caused by weight and trim. You will get used to not throttling back so fast when you slow down to help if it's still a problem. Generally your fastest top speed is with a lot of positive or trim up and as much weight as you can back. If you can stand that for normal driving then leave it if not adjust, adjust ,adjust till you find just the right compromise.


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## fl.graderman (Jan 30, 2016)

Fishfreek said:


> Welcome graderman \/ ,
> 
> I am also still setting my boat up to fish the lagoon. Seems every time I have a chance tooget out it has been raining then today perfect day and to much family visting to get out. Where do you launch from? I'll be out tomorrow running a few test laps still workjng on getting motor height correct.


Usually from eddy creek or biolab. I typically fish the southern end of the lagoon. I was planning on going out tomorrow as well but life happened. Once I get all the bugs worked out, I'll be out there at least one day a week...

Stumpalump, I did fiddle with the trim pin. I started with the lowest hole and ran it, shut it off, raised it one hole, etc until the third hole when it began porpoising. I put it back in the second and called that good. 

This evening, I cranked the jack plate as high as it would go. My ventilation plate is now almost 2 inches above the keel. I'm going to try in the morning what you said about moving weight forward and have a buddy go with me to sit on the bow. 

On a side note, I was reading about flotation pods. Cabelas sells them and the ones that would fit my hull are only about $270. It seems to me that might offset moving the CG back...what are your opinions on these?

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Bea...=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03069793&rid=20


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## Stumpalump (Jan 30, 2016)

Pods are supposed to be bad or dangerous in ruff conditions and since you are in Florida you may see some swells. Following sea danger. Personally I think they are a bandaid for overloaded or poorly set up boats. You may gain a bit in skinny water but the trade off of lost speed and the way the boat performs in waves would not be worth it too me. It's time for a larger hull when you need pods. Your not there yet. Keep tweeting. Your on the right track. I'm waiting for sombody to build the only pods I'd consider. Built off of a Bennett hydrolic trim tab. Makes so much sense I can't be the first to think that up......


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## fl.graderman (Jan 31, 2016)

Ok, just came back from tweeking and testing and these are my findings:






Jack plate all the way up, (ventilation plate almost 2" above the keel)
Tilt pin in 2nd hole, and my 100lb daughter sitting on the front deck...no change in speed (26mph), no porpoise and no blowout. But it did alleviate the motor swamping when I throttle down.

Moving the pin up to the 3rd hole, speed increased to 28 mph, mild porpoising, and blows out in turns.

Rpms at wot never went below 5640 and never above 5750 in either scenario.

This leads me to believe that I need to lower the jackplate about 3/4", move the pin up to the third hole, and find a way to keep about 100 lbs in the front of the boat. This will keep me at optimum rpm at wot, minimize porpoising, stop swamping the motor, and top speed will be constant 28 mph.

That being said...I want to change out the 3 blade, aluminum prop for a stainless steel. My current prop is 10.3" x 12. The closest thing I've found is a solas new saturn stainless spec'd at 10.25" x 12. I know stainless is less flexible so I'm thinking that's why they downsized it 1/16" to make up for that...

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## fl.graderman (Jan 31, 2016)

BTW, I'm keeping the pod idea on the back burner. I'm not sure I would have a problem with waves or following seas just because I will rarely be in water more than 5' deep, but it does seem like it would be a counter measure to a previous counter measure...if that makes any sense...

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## AllOutdoors (Jan 31, 2016)

Stumpalump said:


> Pods are supposed to be bad or dangerous in ruff conditions and since you are in Florida you may see some swells. Following sea danger. Personally I think they are a bandaid for overloaded or poorly set up boats. You may gain a bit in skinny water but the trade off of lost speed and the way the boat performs in waves would not be worth it too me. It's time for a larger hull when you need pods. Your not there yet. Keep tweeting. Your on the right track. I'm waiting for sombody to build the only pods I'd consider. Built off of a Bennett hydrolic trim tab. Makes so much sense I can't be the first to think that up......


Interesting. I've never heard of pods being dangerous. I wander why they are standard on many production boats? They helped my boat turning and reduced draft. Increased planing time as well and made the boat more stable. Everyone that fished with me couldn't believe the boat was 17ft hull. They said it fished and rode like a longer boat. I was running a jet though. Maybe that was the difference? I know several bay/flats boats with prop tunnels run pods.


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## Stumpalump (Feb 1, 2016)

AllOutdoors said:


> Stumpalump said:
> 
> 
> > Pods are supposed to be bad or dangerous in ruff conditions and since you are in Florida you may see some swells. Following sea danger. Personally I think they are a bandaid for overloaded or poorly set up boats. You may gain a bit in skinny water but the trade off of lost speed and the way the boat performs in waves would not be worth it too me. It's time for a larger hull when you need pods. Your not there yet. Keep tweeting. Your on the right track. I'm waiting for sombody to build the only pods I'd consider. Built off of a Bennett hydrolic trim tab. Makes so much sense I can't be the first to think that up......
> ...



They have their selling point in shallow calm water with a small boat and a heavy load. If your under powered you may like the increased planing time. Nobody has ever claimed they increase top speed but many note the loss. They not only raise the transom but seem to funnel water higher above the prop. That lets you run the engine higher on the transom. All good and most can live with a loss of 3 or 4 mph. Speaking from experiance, broaching a boat or controlling a boat in a follow sea is no joke. Most never experiance it but when you get on the edge it really catches you off guard and makes you say wow. It happens quite easy and fast. You go with a wave and the front starts digging in while the back gets light. You raised the engine and have pods that push you higher on the wave. The stern slides out sideways and you broach. For decades I just thought it was somthing to just keep you on your toes until a 26'er I was on broached on a lake. Wave overtook us from behind and sideways we went. Let me rephrase. The rear gets light (loss of steering) and abruptly turns or pivots 90 degrees on the face of the swell. Of course you also have wind pushing you. Now that you instantly got spun on the swell out of nowhere and you slam sideways into the trough. With pods already pushing a raised engine in the air you have no rudder. The front is digging in and trust me that boat will wip side ways so fast that you will not believe it. You can drive out of it if you have extra power and can usually not get yourself out of shape but this is the worst weather condition a mariner faces. Modifying a boat that will make this condition worse needs to be mentioned with the positive aspects of pods as a major trade off. I doubt the wave we broched on was 6' and we were in a 26' boat. What is that 4" wave in high wind going to do to a tinny? You will be fine but just be aware. Bone up on following seas because those are the ones that send people to the Davie Jones Locker.


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## Fishfreek (Feb 1, 2016)

Graderman, before you you bought the jack plate did you try just lifting the motor straight up? Just curiouse what you went through before deciding on the jack plate.


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## fl.graderman (Feb 2, 2016)

I raised it by placing 1" aluminum square tube between the motor and transom, but that was as high as I could go because my clamps were running out of meat to clamp to. Plus with a 1" lift, my ventilation plate was still over 2" below the keel.




On a side note, I kept looking at your console until I decided I have to have one. That will push more weight forward as I'll be standing basically in the middle of the boat. I emailed the guys who built yours and hopefully they respond soon...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Feb 2, 2016)

Did you send them a picture of mine? I was able to raise my motor just over 1 3/4" today before I started running out of transom. I will be testing it after work tomorrow. I hope they get back to you. They make a VERY good living off the fisherman in the area.


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## fl.graderman (Feb 3, 2016)

Hopefully that'll get you where you need to be without having to raise it any further. If you have to go any higher, I would advise looking for a way to elevate it with no setback. Especially since you have a heavier 4 stroke. In retrospect, If I would have known the effect of putting my 160 lb motor 4" further aft, I would have done the same. The jack plate was only necessary because tracker grizzly 1448's have odd sized transoms and they recommended a long shaft. I could have a) elevated the motor 3" with no setback or b) bought a short shaft and set it back 4" with no changes in elevation. I believe on the 1648 and up, the transom is a full 20+ inches tall.

Also that email was sent two days ago and they still haven't responded. They don't know how childishly impatient I am. I wound up going with this one








from a company in Atlanta called Fish on Fabrications. Except for the paint, (I didn't want black so they're shipping it bare).

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Feb 3, 2016)

Fish on is a great company to deal with. I know how you are about the email thing. I was lucky and able to stop by and bug them in person. If the wind holds down today I will get out and test it and see what happens.


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## screamensemen (Feb 3, 2016)

Welcome. Glad to have another East Coast Florida member. I was tackling the same issue you are doing now "motor placement". Mine is still sitting a little too low for my liking and will be raising it soon. I went with a side console for my boat and when you have a weight to the side of you (your buddy or cooler or whatever) it rides straight and pops out the hole quick. I did the side console to give me more walk around room and to be able to transport my crab traps. I like the way your CC looks simple and clean. Boats looking good keep at it.


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## fl.graderman (Feb 3, 2016)

screamensemen said:


> Welcome. Glad to have another East Coast Florida member. I was tackling the same issue you are doing now "motor placement". Mine is still sitting a little too low for my liking and will be raising it soon. I went with a side console for my boat and when you have a weight to the side of you (your buddy or cooler or whatever) it rides straight and pops out the hole quick. I did the side console to give me more walk around room and to be able to transport my crab traps. I like the way your CC looks simple and clean. Boats looking good keep at it.


What size motor and type of hull are you running? What area are you crabbing? Indian river?

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## fl.graderman (Feb 3, 2016)

fl.graderman said:


> screamensemen said:
> 
> 
> > Welcome. Glad to have another East Coast Florida member. I was tackling the same issue you are doing now "motor placement". Mine is still sitting a little too low for my liking and will be raising it soon. I went with a side console for my boat and when you have a weight to the side of you (your buddy or cooler or whatever) it rides straight and pops out the hole quick. I did the side console to give me more walk around room and to be able to transport my crab traps. I like the way your CC looks simple and clean. Boats looking good keep at it.
> ...





2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## fl.graderman (Feb 7, 2016)

Thanks to the 45° temperature and 25 mph wind gusts, my boat is again drydocked for the weekend. Hey you northern guys don't have to share the cold with us...feel free to keep it all to yourselves. Ha ha. 
So I took advantage of some free time and built a pair of guide-ons for my trailer.








I bought this trailer for $300 on craigslist and have modified it to "fit" my boat. I do intend to replace it with a new aluminum one from Ameritrail at some point, but until then, I don't want to spend any more on it than I have to.
It was originally for a 17' vee hull of some sort and I have already bought new hub kits, coupler and safety chains, light kit, spare tire and carrier, winch tower and winch, a jack, and a couple rollers. I cut 3 feet off the tongue, lowered and narrowed up the bunks, and mounted new rollers down the center.
I drew the line after all that and refused to pay $100 more for a pre built guide-on kit and went to home depot...
They are made from 2" schedule 40 pvc that I slid over a 12" long 1 1/2" galvanized nipple. The pvc is plenty stiff enough to guide the hull onto the bunks, the only reason for the galvanized is so I could torque down the mounting bolts without crushing the pvc. 

I still need to change the impeller in my motor, but it's too cold out there. I think I'll just spend the rest of the day watching wicked tuna!

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Feb 7, 2016)

I agree. .... this weather can't go away fast enough. It was 52° when I got up this morning and the wind. Ugh!!!


I see a new boat cover in your future once you put that new console in place . I got the motor raised but can't test in this weather.


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## fl.graderman (Feb 7, 2016)

Fishfreek said:


> I see a new boat cover in your future once you put that new console in place . I got the motor raised but can't test in this weather.



That occurred to me right after I ordered the console. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that...
Speaking of the console...the guys in Titusville finally responded to my email. They must have realized that there might be a market for these small tiller consoles. They quoted me $475. I'm glad I went with Fish on Fab at $330 including shipping. Can't wait for it to get here.

How far did you wind up raising it? I actually have to lower mine 1". Then I can trim it up one pin hole. I figure with me standing centered midships at the console, I'll be running at optimum speed, rpms, and weight distribution. Then I'm swapping my aluminum prop for same pitch stainless...

I just hope mounting a new Minn Kota rip tide SP and battery under the bow don't throw everything back out of whack...


2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Feb 7, 2016)

I got mine up just at 1 3/4" . It looks right and measures level with the keel but won't know if it helped or hurt until this weather lets up. I am going over to fish the Hillsborough river next week and hope to figure it out before I leave.

Not sure how good your existing boat cover is but you could take it to an upholstery shop and have them do a cutout where the console is and sew a bag / sleeve in place.


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## Fishfreek (Feb 15, 2016)

So I finally got to run the boat with the motor lifted 1 7/8". What a difference I am amazed how something so simple can make such a difference. I went from 22.3 mph with just me and a normal load to 28.2 mph and from 17.4 mph with 2 FULL size guys and normal load to 22.7 mph. Still getting plenty of wa terrible to the motor and the boat feels great in turns .


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## fl.graderman (Feb 15, 2016)

That's awesome...6 mph gain. Sounds like you got it where it wants to be...

I'm not expecting to see 6 mph, but I'm hoping for a couple. 

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## fl.graderman (Feb 19, 2016)

Woo hoo! Look what the fedex man brought me...









Guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## fl.graderman (Feb 19, 2016)

Thinking I want it about here.








Any thoughts?

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Feb 19, 2016)

That will be a LOOOOOOOOOONG tiller handle extension. Have you stood in it to see how being that far away feels?



By the way the console looks AWESOME!!!


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## fl.graderman (Feb 19, 2016)

I stood in it and held a tape measure behind me...
I think a 36" tiller extension will work. Funny how far away it looks in the picture...remember it's only a 14 foot boat.
I agree that they did a super job building the console. They used 1 1/4" shedule 40 tubing. And I hope you don't mind Fishfreek, I stole another of your ideas...




These will fit perfectly. I can't help it...you've got good ideas. ..


2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Feb 19, 2016)

Awesome. .... great minds think alike  


We need to get together sometime soon and compare. Do you ever do any fresh water fishing on Toho?

I love those rod holders and they seem like they will last a long time. I have 2 extras that I bought with the original order.


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## fl.graderman (Feb 19, 2016)

I used to be a freshwater guy, but about 10 years ago I caught a 42" redfish from a kayak and never looked back. I know where the holes are in west lake though if you ever wanted to do some speck fishing. Still a good month or so for them.
I ordered the ironwood pacific helmsmate tiller extension that extends to 50". It says it's for up to 15 hp, but I figure I can make it work until I can find someone to make me a "heavy duty" version. The main problem is the size and shape of the grip on the motor. It's about 5" long and 1.65" at the small end and tapers up to 1.83" at the big end. Not many people advertise extensions that look to fit my tiller...and even less seem to sell them for less than about $300...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Feb 19, 2016)

Check out Carbon Marine over on the west coast. They make them to fit anything but they are expensive.

I used to fish several bass tournament trails some years up to 45 weeks ago year. Not into tournaments anymore and no matter how many or what size reds and trout I catch I will always keep going back to bass fishing..


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## Stumpalump (Feb 19, 2016)

I had to make an extension to fit a vintage Honda outboard. The Honda twist throttle did not like the mod and it broke the plastic twist mechanism. The good thing was the twist grip went into a cable that was just like a bicycle break cable. I added a longer cable to extend down the length of the extension and tried a thumb throttle at first made from an old shifter but settled on a BMX bike break lever. I used it like that for 5 years and loved it. One finger is all the throttle needed. A dirt bike throttle would have worked but I really liked the break lever.


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## fl.graderman (Feb 23, 2016)

I've been trying to make a decision on whether to use a transom mount hand control trolling motor on the bow or a full on bow mount motor. The way I fish, it will get A LOT of use and since all I will use this boat for is fishing, it doesn't need to be removable. 
I decided on the Minn Kota Riptide Terrova SP...
https://www.amazon.com/Minn-Kota-Saltwater-Bow-Mount-Trolling/dp/B000MQNSLU
I ordered it today and I'm pretty sure I already know how I'm going to mount it, but was curious as to whether anyone has a picture of this, (or the freshwater version ), mounted on a Tracker Grizzly bow. My hull is a 2015 and it seems like the only year that Tracker did NOT build a trolling motor mount into the bow.
This is what I'm working with...




Any pics...or tips...?

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## killintime (Feb 24, 2016)

I have a 2015 1648 MVX. I just mounted mine directly to the nose. There is a piece if wood underneath that I guess they put there for added strength. Mine is not a terrova it's got the gator style mount that came on the cable steer motors. I'll see if I can get you a pic.


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## killintime (Feb 24, 2016)

Here's the only two pics I have at the moment.


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## fl.graderman (Feb 24, 2016)

My first thought was to mount it like that. The concern I have is, (and I guess I'll know for sure on Friday when it gets here), is that the control head would be hanging over the side of the gunwale. I can't tell if yours is hanging over.
The reason I went with the terrova is simply because the mounting footprint looked to be smaller and it looked shorter when stowed than the others with the gator mount.
So there's wood under the bow...hmmm.
I'll crawl up under there tonight and check mine. Can you get to the back of your plug under the bow or did you have to drill out the rivets and remove the plate it's mounted in?

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## killintime (Feb 24, 2016)

I had to drill out the rivets to get up under there. But I had planned on putting a plug in one of the plates anyway so removing the plate was no big deal. The best way to do it was to drill it with a1/4 inch drill bit till the head spins of then punch it the rest of the way out with a 1/8 inch punch. There is also some foam up under there that you may have to remove. Once I got everything mounted and wired (nab lights depth finder and power port) I just riveted the plates back on and it looks perfect.


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## fl.graderman (Feb 27, 2016)

My trolling motor got here last night and I spent this morning installing it.
First off, it's not a Terrova as it was listed on Bass Pro's website. It's a Riptide SP which I believe stands for saltwater powerdrive. It does have the copilot remote and is upgradeable to ipilot.




It looks big on my little 14' boat, but I bet it'll drag me around the flats without breaking a sweat and get me back to the ramp if my gasser quits.
Killintime, thanks for the heads up! The install went like clockwork. I think the plywood is there to give you something to bolt onto besides the 1/8" of aluminum.




I didn't mount it in the center because at some point I may add nav lights and would want the bow light centered. Besides with the length of the tm shaft, the head would have hung over the gunwale when stowed. I think it'll be fine where it's at.
There are two things to note:
First for everyone wondering how to run wiring for lights, I found a chase that goes all the way to the stern sheet under the floor. I found it by accident and had to cut away a little foam to expose the end of it...




The second thing is DON'T DROP YOUR WRENCH when tightening the tm mount bolts! I did and it took nearly an hour fishing around in the bottom of the hull with a magnetic pickup tool.
Mounting the battery, 50A circuit breaker, Plug, and motor took about two hours total. Now if the wind dies down, I'll test it out tomorrow.
One question. When I hook the battery charger to the battery, do I need to disconnect the trolling motor first? 

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## killintime (Feb 27, 2016)

Glad it all worked out good for you. I wish I would have known about that chase for the wiring I hated having my wires exposed, so I may have to rewire down the road.


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## Fishfreek (Feb 27, 2016)

Your install looks good. I've never disconnected the trolling motor to charge but I've always had a off switch installed so that the trolling motor doesn't constantly have power to it. Our wonderful saltwater loves to corrode powered connections.


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## HeavyHook (Feb 28, 2016)

With both trolling motors I have had they say in the manual to disconnect the trolling motors when charging. I simply just bought a quick disconnect that ends right at the battery.


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## fl.graderman (Feb 28, 2016)

HeavyHook said:


> With both trolling motors I have had they say in the manual to disconnect the trolling motors when charging. I simply just bought a quick disconnect that ends right at the battery.


Yeah I guess I should have read the owners manual...
Not only does it say to disconnect when charging, but it also says I need a 60A circuit breaker. I installed a 50A.
If I would learn to read the manual BEFORE I installed stuff...

I ordered a 36" carbon fiber tiller extension, a grab rail grip cover for the console, and a stainless prop today. That should do it for awhile...time to start hitting the coast and enjoying this thing while my credit cards cool off...
2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## fl.graderman (Mar 4, 2016)

Tiller extension arrived today along with the stainless prop...










Heading over to the lagoon in the morning for our maiden saltwater voyage...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Mar 4, 2016)

Where are you headed in the morning?


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## fl.graderman (Mar 4, 2016)

Was thinking eddy creek. I haven't been there in about 6 months so I don't know how much water is in there...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Mar 4, 2016)

Cool, just curious if I'm going to be out with one of my nephews but won't be that far north.

Enjoy your boat hope everything works as well as you planned.


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## fl.graderman (Mar 4, 2016)

Thanks, I hope so too. If you're gonna be south of me, you must be headed to the banana river? 
Good luck!

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Mar 4, 2016)

Yep or maybe 1000 islands in Cocoa Beach. The wind will dictate.


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## PsychoXP18CC (Mar 5, 2016)

fl.graderman said:


> Fishfreek said:
> 
> 
> > I see a new boat cover in your future once you put that new console in place . I got the motor raised but can't test in this weather.
> ...



I skimmed over the thread, and the one thing that was jumping out at me was swapping the aluminum prop for a SS model. Everything I've ever heard says SS will stay hooked up better than Aluminum. Another item to look into might be a permatrim tail on the motor. Boasts better planing at lower speeds, and no speed loss when properly setup. When i put the jackplate on mine it will be getting a new 4 blade SS prop and permatrim. 

I'd also contact a true prop guru and fill them in on your setup and desires. Many features about a prop determine how it performs, much more than just pitch and the amount of blades. Cupping, rake, etc all make a difference in how they perform. 

Either way though, the speeds you are seeing are actually pretty impressive for that size of rig. My Xpress with the factory setup isn't running much faster. Granted, I have a larger rig with larger motor, and still a factory setup that is much less than ideal, but I'm not anticipating any great gains in speed. I'm looking more to enhance handling characteristics and increase my draft by about 5-6". 

Great thread!


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## fl.graderman (Mar 5, 2016)

I went out this morning to run the boat and try to do some fishing. I need to think about what direction to go in next, because I am really less than impressed by a few things.
First, the new prop made a big difference in performance all the way around. Quicker holeshot, faster to 5700 rpms, no noticeable loss in top speed.
Second, I love the trolling motor. At top speed it leaves a wake behind me. Have to pay attention when changing direction, I wasn't at one point while standing on the front deck and almost threw myself over.

Now the bad:

I don't like the console/tiller extension. Especially when I have to be at the motor to work the shifter, ie. launching and loading or maneuvering around the dock. Plus the console takes up too much valuable real estate and doesn't help as much with weight distribution as I expected. In fact, just the weight of the TM and it's battery up front stopped my porpoising. After I rebuild my twist throttle assembly, (trying to remove the extension on the water resulted in pulling my throttle apart.), I will continue to use the extension, but will cut it back to about 18" long. I do, however, see my console going up for sale. Anyone needing one, pm me.

Lastly, I definitely need pods. Psycho, I've never heard of permatrims but after reading about them, I think they'll only fix 1/2 of the problem.
I couldn't get on plane today in less than 2 feet of water! The boat is sooo azz-heavy, everytime I gave it throttle, the skeg drove right into the bottom and churned up mud. This is no good considering most of my fishing is done in 2' or less. When drifting, I like to leave the motor down and tach the wind to control direction, but there again...2' or less and I'm dragging in the mud. If pods do nothing more but offset the weight of the motor, it'll be 100% better.

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Mar 5, 2016)

Wow man sorry to hear about all the disappointment with your console. Had mine out today with the nephew and the only thing I would change is to remember to turn the headlights off on my van after launching. Might list the console of. Microskiff.com probably get rid of it fast that way.

Where did you get the SS prop? Having a hard time finding one for my 20hp Honda


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## fl.graderman (Mar 5, 2016)

Yeah I'm a little disappointed. I believe I've done all I can do with weight dist. and setting up the motor. 
These are the facts:
It planes fast in deeper water.
It rides smooth and accelerates to 5700 rpms very quickly.
No porpoising, no blowout, reaches 29 mph.
It sits too deep in the water. In 18" or less my skeg becomes a shallow water anchor.
In 2 feet or less it becomes a plow and won't get on plane at all.

I like the console and the extension. They are both quality pieces and both do exactly what they were intended to do, but I bought them thinking that if I moved my body weight forward it would lighten up the aft end of the boat...it did not. And it made maneuvering and functioning the gear shift awkward.

I've been thinking about it all day and the only two options I see are either forget about shallow water (flats) fishing. Or lighten up the stern. Since I can't (won't) go to a smaller, lighter motor, the only solution I see is flotation pods...and it wouldn't hurt to lose a few pounds myself. I may ultimately have to lose the jackplate as well, bringing the motor 4" forward.
Oh well...any thoughts?
The prop came from Dan's Discount Props. It was $157 shipped in one week. It's a Solas New Saturn.

BTW...What's up at the lagoon? I was expecting the usual crystal clear water...looked like chocolate milk.

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## riverrat717 (Mar 5, 2016)

Pods will deff help with squat on take off, and help channel water to possibly even raise your motor higher.


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## fl.graderman (Mar 5, 2016)

riverrat717 said:


> Pods will deff help with squat on take off, and help channel water to possibly even raise your motor higher.


My thoughts as well...
https://www.cabelas.com/product/Beavertail-Performance-Flotation-Pods/847206.uts




Incidentally the console is out of the boat and is now up for sale...





2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## fl.graderman (Mar 14, 2016)

Parts finally came in for the twist throttle. Just like new again...




Console is out, extension cut back. Gonna stick to deeper water for awhile until I get those pods. Planning to run the crap out of here and try to get the motor decarb'd in the mean time.

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Mar 14, 2016)

Did you sell the console or is it still available?


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## fl.graderman (Mar 14, 2016)

Fishfreek said:


> Did you sell the console or is it still available?


Still here. It really wants to go though...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Slough Runner (Mar 16, 2016)

Sweet build. I have the exact same motor on 1648 alumacraft. I love how quite it is while trolling. I took the oiling system off immediately. Not sure if you have done the same. They had problems with them and have smoked a lot of rings. Anyway...nice boat...keep up the tinkering.


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## fl.graderman (Mar 17, 2016)

Slough Runner said:


> Sweet build. I have the exact same motor on 1648 alumacraft. I love how quite it is while trolling. I took the oiling system off immediately. Not sure if you have done the same. They had problems with them and have smoked a lot of rings. Anyway...nice boat...keep up the tinkering.


I didn't take it off, but the po did. What type oil do you run through yours and do you get a lot of unburnt oil out of the exhaust? 
Just ordered a set of trim tabs last night. I really liked the idea of pods, but finding a welder that can, (and will), install them is tough. So I'm going to try these instead:
https://www.cabelas.com/product/Nauticus-Smart-Tabs-Self-Adjusting-Trim-Tabs/737574.uts?productVariantId=1191972&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=41-165069518-2&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=02489581&rid=20

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## boatman2 (Mar 19, 2016)

I have the same year boat as you. I would like to know how the trim tabs work for you. I have a 4 stroke suzuki 20 on it. I have CM power tilt and trim, made a jack plate and no matter how I set it up I can only get 22mph with just me in it. (185lbs) With one other person its hard to plane. I've tried 2 ss props, 200 hydrfoil. it's a very heavy boat that I set up for floundering.


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## fl.graderman (Mar 19, 2016)

boatman2 said:


> I have the same year boat as you. I would like to know how the trim tabs work for you. I have a 4 stroke suzuki 20 on it. I have CM power tilt and trim, made a jack plate and no matter how I set it up I can only get 22mph with just me in it. (185lbs) With one other person its hard to plane. I've tried 2 ss props, 200 hydrfoil. it's a very heavy boat that I set up for floundering.


They just arrived today, and I probably won't get them installed until next weekend, but I will definitely post pics and my opinion.
Do you have any weight up front? Mounting the TM on the bow and putting a battery up front did more for the way my hull rides than anything else.
As far as speed, 22.5 seems to be typical for a 20 hp 4stroke...from reading through posts here...
What pitch prop are you running? Three blade or four? What are your rpms @ WOT? 
A couple of weeks ago I posted that I got to 29 mph with my brand new stainless 12 pitch prop. I haven't been able to do that again since. Maybe it was because I was in salt water, (more buoyant), or the stiff tail wind, I don't know. But ever since that day, I'm running between 27-28. Not that 1 mph makes a big difference. 


2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## boatman2 (Mar 20, 2016)

I have a 10" solas SS prop. I had a 9" SS thinking it would be better with another person, it wouldn't plane with just me, so I tried a 9" alm. 4 blade same thing wouldn't plane. Then I tried 11" SS prop got to 24mph with just me, but yery long time to get up.it only got 5700rpm. With the 10" ss it would 6200 rpm and gets on plane quick. the red line on the motor is 6300 rpm. I do have a lot of weight in it. A 24 volt minn kota 80 lb trolling motor with two 27 DC batteries up front and another battery it the rear for the main motor. I'm thinking smart tabs and doing away with the hydrofoil. I'm satisfied with just me in the boat, but I can not figure out how to do it with another person. I also thought a 4 blade Power tech prop may be good but I'm not sure.


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## fl.graderman (Mar 20, 2016)

Boatman,
I'm by no means an authority on prop selection ...but I have a few thoughts based on what I've learned during my own experience with this boat.
First off, you're right about it being heavy. Dry weight on just the hull is 548 lbs. And since it's only a 1448, I decided to set it up just for me alone. With another person performance may suffer slightly, but more often than not I'll be alone and that's when I'll want it to perform the best. 
I don't know yet how the tabs will affect rpms. I do know they'll help you get on plane faster, allow a slight increase in speed, and give you a more stable ride...
One thing I'm a little concerned about is that I'm right at the upper edge of my max rpms with the 12p prop I'm currently running. If the tabs raise my rpms by as little as 200, then I'll need to go to a 13p. The last thing I want to do right now is buy ANOTHER prop. I guess we'll see what happens...
Im surprised that you only have 5 hp less than me but you're prop has 2" less pitch. I always heard the 4 strokes had much more torque than the 2 strokes.
Oh well...I learn more every time I log in and read through these pages...

Oh yeah...I also figured out that I need to reconfigure the way my boat sits on the trailer before I can install the tabs. As it sits now, they're going to hit my bunk boards and I can't imagine that being good for them or my transom...






2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## boatman2 (Mar 21, 2016)

fl. graderman
I'm a retired Boat dealer (lol) To me setting up these small boats is very different then the bigger boats I've dealt with. I don't think you will have a problem with your RPMs, If you do just add a little cup to the prop. As for your trailer the bunks will not cause a problem with your transom, but they will be in the way with your tabs and a transducer. Bunks should be even with the transom, DO NOT make them shorter then the transom that could put a hook in the bottom of your boat. I think my problem is I need a prop with a bigger diameter,
but that could be a Witch Hunt.


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## fl.graderman (Apr 2, 2016)

I finally bought my new fishfinder and decided to install it today. Don't want to go fishing today anyway because it's raining all day...
The new unit is a Lowrance Hook 5 DSI. It's a sonar/gps combo. 
Anyways, I studied lots of posts about mounting the transducer at least a foot away from the gear case, but I don't have that luxury. When I finally finish getting my new trailer set up, I'll be sitting properly on the bunks and installing my trim tabs. I measured to find the trim tab location and then tried to space the x-ducer evenly distance - wise between the tab and the gearcase.
I'm hoping it'll still read properly at speed but kind of expecting it not to.
Here's the x-ducer mounted on the new stern saver. I really didn't want to drill any more holes in the transom than necessary...





I made a simple bracket for the head unit that attaches to the versa trac with 1/4"-20 carriage bolts. The base will be super easy to read when I'm sitting at the tiller, but will also swivel so I can see it while sitting on the front deck trolling...









And the coolest part of it is that I was given a battery that was to be used for one of those power chairs. It is a 12v 27ah agm battery. Its approx 5"x7"x8" and weighs only like 16 lbs. I also found a small battery box from Attwood that fits it perfectly. Now my electronics are powered independently from the trolling motor and I don't have the weight of another group 27 battery at the stern.





When the rain moves out. I'll be ready to try it out!

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Catch Release Repeat (Apr 2, 2016)

Very interested to hear how your battery holds a charge and how often to pull it out and juice it up. I've been contemplating the same thing! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## fl.graderman (Apr 2, 2016)

Catch Release Repeat said:


> Very interested to hear how your battery holds a charge and how often to pull it out and juice it up. I've been contemplating the same thing!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Will probably be putting it on the tender every Friday night. According to the units manual it uses 1.1 amps power. If I'm doing the math properly, the battery should be good to go for about 24 hours. Since I typically only fish for about 10 to 12 hours between sat and/or sun, I should have no problem going all weekend. The battery is fully charged now. I'll check the charge tomorrow afternoon and post it up.
One thing to note...this battery was given to me, however, I priced them on their website and they run pretty close to $100. About the same as what I paid for my group 27 on the trolling motor...saving weight and space...pesos not so much...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## fl.graderman (Apr 10, 2016)

I finally got the right, (or at least as close to the right as I could find), trailer for my boat. 








This places the bunk boards where they needed to be for me to install the Nauticus Smart tabs. 








Not a terribly difficult process, however, it took about 20 minutes for my blood pressure to come down after drilling 16 holes in the transom of my $3k hull. It felt like my heart was beating in my neck the whole time that drill was running...haha...
I used a lot of 5200 to seal up all those screw holes so I won't be able to test it out until next weekend, but I'll post my results. Worse case scenario I guess I could always scrape them off and still have pods welded on over the holes...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Apr 13, 2016)

Have you had the boat out since installing the trim tabs? Just wondering what you think.


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## fl.graderman (Apr 13, 2016)

Fishfreek said:


> Have you had the boat out since installing the trim tabs? Just wondering what you think.


I'll be running it this coming weekend. There are 5 different tension settings so I'm going to tilt the motor up another pin position and play with the settings to find a happy medium of speed vs porpoise. Im also hoping to get rid of some of that squat in the stern that drives my skeg into the bottom in shallow water when trying to get up on plane. As ridiculous as they look on the back of my transom, I hope to get some benefit from them. 
Anyways...I'll post up my opinions on saturday evening. Wish me luck.

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Apr 13, 2016)

I've used them on several boats in the past mostly to fix squat issues. You should be fine. It's pretty cool how something so simple can work so well.


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## fl.graderman (Apr 17, 2016)

I didn't get out to play with the tabs until this morning. Wind was gusting to near 30 mph yesterday and it's supposed to pick back up this afternoon as well. 

Anyway...I tilted the motor up another hole to the 4th pin position and left the smart tabs set on position 3, (the middle of the tension adjustment range). When I hold a straight edge against the keel of the boat, it is perfectly parallel with the anti-ventilation plate on the motor. The anti-ventilation plate is a touch above the keel, but they are both running on the same plane, if that makes sense...

With this setting:
THE PROS:
1) It planes MUCH quicker and at a lower speed.
2) No noticeable stern squat upon takeoff. This along with #1 is what I wanted to accomplish for fishing the saltwater flats.
3) The bow rides lower with no porpoising. 
4) I feel like I can turn sharper and at a higher speed without feeling like I'm about to spinout.
5) I can slow down and cruise as slow as 15 mph and still be on plane.
6) And finally I gained a small amount of top speed and could probably gain a little more if I changed the tension setting to the number 2 position as long as it doesn't start porpoising. I wasn't really looking for more speed though.

THE CONS:
My rpms at WOT increased. The WOT range on my Evinrude 25 is 5500-5800 and now with the 12p prop it will run up to 5870.
This is a con because I just bought the new stainless 12p and am thinking I now need a 13p to keep from over speeding and damaging my powerhead...another $200!

Oh well. The pros far outweigh the cons. I am very happy with the way the boat performs with the tabs and have 0 regrets. For $130, the Smart Tabs offer a solid performance upgrade and were a great investment. 


2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## HeavyHook (Apr 18, 2016)

Thats great you are seeing the results you were looking for! I have been keeping up with your thread since the beginning so keep us updated if you change the prop also. It always seems like there is another thing to spend more money on when it comes to a boat lol.


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## fl.graderman (Apr 18, 2016)

HeavyHook said:


> Thats great you are seeing the results you were looking for! I have been keeping up with your thread since the beginning so keep us updated if you change the prop also. It always seems like there is another thing to spend more money on when it comes to a boat lol.


Thanks Heavy, 
Prop change is coming...I just ordered a 13p Solas stainless prop. Hopefully be here Friday. I read for every 1" increase in pitch your rpms will decrease by 200. If that holds true in this case, my new WOT rpm should be between 56-5700. I don't know if 70 rpms over the limit is enough to damage the motor, but figured why risk it...I just hope the 13p doesn't kill my holeshot. We'll see this weekend...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Apr 18, 2016)

Graderman, what kind of tach are you using?


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## fl.graderman (Apr 18, 2016)

Fishfreek said:


> Graderman, what kind of tach are you using?


It's a tiny tach. It was ~$50 on amazon. Real simple to hookup.





2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Fishfreek (Apr 18, 2016)

Cool, completely forgot I have a tiny tach somewhere in that mess I call a tool box.


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## fl.graderman (Apr 23, 2016)

Well the 13p was delivered and installed yesterday. 




It did what I needed it to do...it just did it a little too well. My rpms at WOT went from 5850 all the way down to 5490!
So much for the '200 rpm change for every 1" of pitch' rule.

My speed didn't increase at WOT, but I'm assuming it's because I lost over 350 rpms. It also seems to have had very little, (if any), effect on holeshot.

So my biggest question is this...

Both 12p and 13p stainless props give acceptable holeshot, top speed, and performance. 
My engines wot rpm range is 5500-5800.
The 12p spins up to average 5850.
The 13p spins up to average 5490.

Since they don't seem to make a 12 1/2p, I guess I need to pick the lesser of two evils. Which one would that be? I've read it's just as hard on a powerhead to be under the rpm range as it is to be over...

Any suggestions? I do also have a brand new 12p 4 blade aluminum, but that's a last resort as I prefer a stainless prop.

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## fl.graderman (Apr 23, 2016)

I think I may have an answer to my question.
The wife walks outside this afternoon and asks me when she gets to go on a boat ride...

Long story short...

Her 120 lbs of additional weight dropped my rpms another 100 to 5390 at wot. That's 110 below the minimum and unacceptable.
It's been posted in many places online that increasing your pitch 1" will lower your rpm's by 200...THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. In my case it was nearly twice that, and as such...12p is going back on in the morning.

Guess I'll either have to make sure I don't twist the throttle past 5800, or find a way to limit the throttle mechanically, or add about 100 lbs to the boat...

P.S. Feel free to contact me if anybody needs a 10 1/8" x 13p SS prop for Johnson/Evinrude 25...



2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Pappy (Apr 24, 2016)

The RPMs per 1" or 2" of pitch is and always has been based on V6 propellers. More specifically engine manufactures V6 propellers, not aftermarket. You can throw that out the window for small engines and aftermarket prop manufacturers. "Now ya' tell me!"
If you have read what I wrote about the heritage of the Mirage engine then you know it was born and bred a European race engine. 
Your worry about RPM is just that.....a worry. The engine will happily run up around the 7000 + range if it were not limited by the power pack. There should be a number followed by a letter on your pack....probably something like 61L or 62L. That represents the RPM at which the pack will kick in and limit the engine. (6100 or 6200) Anything under that and you are golden. Again if you have read some of my stuff on this engine you know I always like to use more oil than the normal consumer ratio printed in the Owner Manual. That manual is written just as much or more by Marketing department than the Engineering department. Additional oil will protect the engine much better during an overheat among lots of other benefits. The drool out the exhaust for a day or two can be limited by no prolonged idle period prior to shut down or run the fuel out. Mine does it as well. 
Propellers. The 12 SS sounds like the better prop for your application. You may want send it off since you have a 13 as a spare. One of the best propeller guys in the US is MAZCO propellers in Gravoios Mo. They did all my drag racing props. Not cheap to do but worth it. On the other hand you may not want to hit bottom after sending one off to them....$$
Any decent prop shop can add cup and bring the cup around the leading edge a bit for you. The earlier post about modifications including rake were accurate....it all comes into play but you do not need to be educated in it. Just say what you want the prop to do better and what it is not doing well. This is not a one time process. You need to make and evaluate changes in height and angle with each modification and record results if you want to be serious about it. 
You have changed your loads several times and load placements but still have a decent top speed so you are on the right track.


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## Pappy (Apr 24, 2016)

Pappy said:


> The RPMs per 1" or 2" of pitch is and always has been based on V6 propellers. More specifically engine manufacturers V6 propellers, not aftermarket. They never "got the memo" so to speak. You can throw that out the window for small engines and aftermarket prop manufacturers.
> I know....."Now ya' tell me!"
> If you have read what I wrote about the heritage of the Mirage engine then you know it was born and bred a European race engine.
> Your worry about RPM is just that.....a worry. The engine will happily run up around the 7000 + range if it were not limited by the consumer power pack. There should be a number followed by a letter on your pack....probably something like 61L or 62L. That represents the RPM at which the pack will kick in and limit the engine. (6100 or 6200) Anything under that and you are golden. Again if you have read some of my stuff on this engine you know I always like to use more oil than the normal consumer ratio printed in the Owner Manual. That manual is written just as much or more by Marketing department than the Engineering department. Additional oil will protect the engine much better during an overheat among lots of other benefits. The drool out the exhaust for a day or two can be limited by no prolonged idle period prior to shut down or run the fuel out. Mine does it as well.
> ...


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## fl.graderman (Apr 24, 2016)

Thank you, Pappy, for taking the time to read through my thread and offering up answers to several of my questions. 
Especially the part about the rpm limiter. I pulled off my engine cover when I got home tonight and tried to find the numbers on the power pack. I couldn't see them, but it doesn't seem to matter because my engine doesn't rev anywhere near 61 OR 6200 rpm. I'm glad to hear the setup I have with the 12p prop will work. I plan to put it back on and call it finished.
In hindsight the "issues" I had with the motor were apparently just me over analyzing...

I have replaced the impeller and housing, fuel filter, spark plugs, and thermostat. I have been running 50:1 mix, but have no problem adding more oil. I'll try 24:1. 

I bought this motor on ebay from a seller in kentucky for $1100. I didn't know ANYTHING about the Mirage motors or what I was buying...I'm glad I chose this motor! I am happy and now satisfied that this little powerhouse will do what I need it to...get me to the fish and back for years to come.

Thanks again!


2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Pappy (Apr 25, 2016)

I found that 24:1 was alot for this engine and for me to say that.....well.....it takes a bunch. The ratio I settled on is around 32:1 - 40:1, anywhere in that range. When measuring the oil I always err on the safe side hence the difference in ratios. 
The engine has alot of port area in it and the offset powerhead allowed the engine to have a huge exhaust system starting under the cowling. A straight fore and aft facing powerhead would have had limitations right off the bat.


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## fl.graderman (Apr 30, 2016)

Status update:
Since my last post I made one final adjustment to the jackplate that lowered the anti cavitation plate to 1/4" below the keel of the boat and keeps it on the same plane. 
There is very little if any stern squat at holeshot.
The boat goes from a dead stop to top speed in about 9 seconds.
My top speed varies between 26.7 and 27.6.
At a fully-rigged weight of 900 lbs, I am convinced that this boat is running as shallow as possible.
My motor is decarb'd, starts and runs perfect and max rpms don't go over 5850 rpms with my 12p stainless prop. And I'm now feeding her a 40:1 mix to keep it that way...
For me, a boat is a means to an end. The end being getting to the fish I want to catch, where I want to catch them. I believe this little boat is finally up to the task. It's taken about 4 months and a total cost of about $6800, but it's done. Now I can spend less time messing with it and more time fishing. 

All that said...THREAD CLOSED!



2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## HeavyHook (May 2, 2016)

Now you just need to get some video of it and post it on here! 8)


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## fl.graderman (May 2, 2016)

I thought about it Sunday morning, but those darn seatrout wouldn't stop hitting my mirrolure long enough to pull out the camera. Oh well...I've had worse problems. LOL. Maybe next weekend...

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## fl.graderman (May 2, 2016)

I do have this video for now...
The bouncing you see isn't porpoising, it's me running over the waves created from my last pass. This was taken after the final jackplate adjustments.
https://youtu.be/Rm1s0xM5w5Q



2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## HeavyHook (May 5, 2016)

Great video! That ride seems as smooth as can be - definitely nice seeing everything come together. Oh and Go Noles lol.


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## fl.graderman (May 5, 2016)

HeavyHook said:


> Great video! That ride seems as smooth as can be - definitely nice seeing everything come together. Oh and Go Noles lol.


Yes I am very happy with it. 
You had me right up until...Noles!

Gooooooo Gatoooors!!!!

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX 
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper


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## Pappy (May 5, 2016)

+1 for the Gators!


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## surfman (May 9, 2016)

I just read the part about the addition of the 13p over the 12p and how it dropped rpms and performance seemed to be the same except when added weight, not sure if you decided to go 12 or 13 but I would go wit the 12, the 12 will give you better overall performance especially when you add weight, also you will see a noticeable decrease in fuel economy with the 13. basically the 13 is adding more load to the motor so unless you make it lighter and/or trim it up and want to only run for speed, go with the 12.


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## fl.graderman (May 9, 2016)

In the factory service manual it says the wot range is 5500-5800. With the 12p prop it runs up around 5850 to 5870 depending on load, wind, chop, etc.
I let my own OCD cause me to buy the 13p to try to lower the rpms, thinking the 50-70 rpms over may damage the powerhead.
I also didn't understand that the rule about rpm change per inch of pitch applies to larger V-6 engines and not our little 2 and 3 cylinders...
So...
The 12p is on the motor, the 13p is sold, my OCD is back under control and I have a really good performing little fishing boat.
When I bought this motor, it was supposed to get me on the water and last until I saved up enough pennies for a new 25 etec...
I'm tickled to death with the power this motor has and I have no plans for a new etec any time in the near future...


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## surfman (May 10, 2016)

That's great, something else that most people don't know but the max rpm is just a recommendation from the manufacturer to achieve the longest life and best all around performance however, there really is no max on 2 stroke motors, well of course you could rev it until it came apart but, the more rpms you generate the faster you are wearing out the motor basically. I have a buddy that runs a mercury 200 on his bass boat and he also runs a 27" pitch prop but the prop runs basically only 1/3 in the water at wot and his motor is turning 9000 rpms. It is rated from the factory at something like 6200. But he wants the thing to do 85 mph, and it does, not with me in it though. Anyway, long story short, the extra 50 to 100 rpms over the recommended won't hurt a darn thing and it is better that you can max it out than dog it, that is actually much worse for those engines.


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## Slough Runner (Jul 1, 2016)

Great thread. I'm in the midst of getting my boat setup also. We have the same motor except mine is a 1648mv. On my old boat I flew...this one not so much. I have a lot of additional weight though. Right now at wot I'm running 5,200 @ 21mph. Having the CMC trim and tilt helps but a new prop is the step I'm at now. I'm running an aluminum 3 blade 10 3/8 13 pitch. I gave the boat to a local prop guru and should hear back from him tomorrow. We will see. Reading thru your thread has helped a lot...trim tabs might be in my future as well.


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## fl.graderman (Jul 1, 2016)

If we have the same motor, I'd say your overpitched. My guess is a 10 1/8 x 12 pitch stainless or maybe even an 11 pitch aluminum would raise your rpms where they should be and get you on plane quicker. I'm sure your 1648 is heavier than my 1448 and the 13p was just too much pitch.

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## Florida Franco (Dec 7, 2022)

I have a 30 hp merc 2 long shaft on a jack plate stroke on my 1448 and it hauls butt. The propeller cupping makes a big difference on holding on to water. If ventilation and slippage is a problem take your prop to a prop shop and add 1/2 cup and decrease one pitch.


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## thill (Dec 15, 2022)

Stumpalump said:


> When you installed the jack plate you also moved the motor back and up changing the center of gravity.
> Hard to believe that few inches matters but it's weight on a lever. You may need to move weight foward in the boat like the battery, tools and cooler to compensate...


^^^This^^^ If anything, the Riptide and battery should improve things, 

Also, most 18" transoms are made for a short shaft motor. I just went through this same issue with a Tracker Sportsman 16, a similar boat.

I lived in Cape Canaveral during my teenage years. Spent a lot of time in the Banana River and port Canaveral. The fishing isn't what it used to be, but it's still pretty good.


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## Pappy (Dec 20, 2022)

*Looking good and if you decide to take the plunge and start playing with engine height again you can probably switch to the 13" or at least try it or have the 12" modified with additional cup for the increases in engine height. I had to send mine off 2 or 3 times before diminishing returns set in. *


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