Check the bottom for a rocker or hook...As I've found with mine it does matter.

He cannot get close to that with the current setup. That is how the non-box 33's looked on the lake over Memorial Day.

Any new updates? Did you ever find the right prop? I happen to be one of the 33's out on Monday last year.

He got a new set of labbed 30" Bravo I 4-blades with the infamous "Baja cup" and ran 82 a couple weeks ago. Motors need to be put on the laptop again and tweaked as it runs way too rich. The new props have picked the nose up a bit but it still runs way too flat IMO. Hopefully it will pick up a bit more speed once Brad Smith gets the motors tuned properly.

Hopefully it will pick up a bit more speed once BRAD SMITH gets the motors tuned properly.[/QUOTE]

Excellent choice!

Excellent choice![/QUOTE]Brad built the motors last spring. They only got a short tuning session on Grand Lake last year (on top of the dyno tuning) before the boat returned to Illinois. Brad told the owner at the time he would like to adjust some things after the boat got a few hours on it and the plan was for him to come to Illinois last summer and do final tweaks. I think after the Joplin tornado the owner was hesitant to bother Brad. I think the plan this year is for the owner and Brad to meet up in LOTO for a final tune. I still think the setup with the boxes may not be quite right from the factory.

Brad built the motors last spring. They only got a short tuning session on Grand Lake last year (on top of the dyno tuning) before the boat returned to Illinois. Brad told the owner at the time he would like to adjust some things after the boat got a few hours on it and the plan was for him to come to Illinois last summer and do final tweaks. I think after the Joplin tornado the owner was hesitant to bother Brad. I think the plan this year is for the owner and Brad to meet up in LOTO for a final tune. I still think the setup with the boxes may not be quite right from the factory.[/QUOTE]

As long as the prop shaft is around 4 inches +/- .25 inch it is fine. But I can guarantee he needs labbed props from Brett. At that prop height the cup makes all the difference in the world. My boat wouldnt hit 80 with stock bravo 1's and 600 HP and now the hull airs out gets loose and runs over 85 and feels ten times better.

Yes, he has BBlades labbed 30's with the extra cup.

What are his speed numbers lately? Running correctly?

I believe he hit a best of 82 with the new props. Runs much less flat now but I believe it should still carry the bow a bit higher. He is supposed to hook up with Brad Smith this spring for some tuning as it runs way too rich IMO. Headers have no O2 bungs so I'm guessing Brad loaded up a rich tune for the break-in and now has a leaner tune he loads up after the motors gets some hours on them.

Damn site keeps logging me out. attempt # 3 after I lost a massive post!!

Figured I would revive this thread as I have the next Gen Baja and starting to Dial in now!

454 mags (385hp) prior and now 450rs egg beaters!
68-69 to 78.7mph so far.

34" set back with Bobs jackplate. Have 3 left of lift.
Currently running 22.5" Rev4 xps and 11-12% slip from 50mph+ @ 12% and 10-11% at WOT
Getting a lil stern lift and have to use tabs as I trim out at speed and take just a lil negative 280 tab to settle and lock down.
Hitting Rev limit in cool weather now and can barely get past 75, so 75-76 at most if im lucky.

Coming back from Fun run last month, 6ppl, light fuel, ran 77mph and usually run 75-76 easily with any load.

Spoke to Brett and ordered a set of 26p B1s to test and raise drives a little. Brett thought I was good at 4.5"- 5", I need to confirm this!
He talked me out of 5 blades and want me to test the B1 both IN and OUT along with drive height dial in best slip/rpms/speed and then figure out what labbing needed.

All crap is in bilge on rack built, fridge removed, 4 agm batteries under bench still.

Considering moving Batteries to stern as well.


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More pics of bilge and new helm.

The bilge rack is removable so that I can still have access without unscrewing anything. Anchors are in each side gunnel in bilge.
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I like what you did there. Not sure anyone will be alble to help with that set up .

Well, that makes a few of us!! LOL.

I figure its close and have read through all of the posts, just need to account for the additional setback and drive height, but its a lot easier that I have jackplates, I can adjust as needed on the first test!

still a few questions and consensus needed:

1. IN vs OUT: speed gains vs handling at speed, I know the docking has less thrust unless you raise the drives. But mine are back more...?
2. Moving more weight to the back? I can still move the batteries, and I would gain the storage under the bench again. so 2 positives there, just dont know the gains of added weight to the back.
I'll reassess once I test the B1s.
3. Height and labbing. Based on rule of thumb, I can go up 1" or 2" from the box guys as they should be around 24" of setback between box and gimble. Im probably at 34.5 to 35" or so with the lean of the jackplate as I raise.

But other than that, figured it would be interesting.

I played with an old cig set up for a long time.
The only way I could figure out what was best is to try every set up till you find what the boat likes.
Mine took about 12 years .
Turns out it liked 6`s on boxes, even with running surface, 18* rake and a 5 blade.

Turning in will lift the transom ...turning out more bow lift ... looks like in your pics it`s carrying the bow pretty good.

The pic is a lil not normal running attitude, I may have been bouncing a lil, I have some video that shows the water crushing closer to the front bolsters.

I did try to check my drive height and im currently at 4-4.5” below the hull and also my set back is actually 48” from transom to front of drives.

was only measuring the bracket and 4” jack plates, but the outboard mount actually adds some length. my bad lol

I am also getting some chine walk as I running over 65mph. Especially over 72ish, when I start trimming out, it gets loose and rocks until I add a touch of tabs.
So the B1s should let the stern settle and lift the bow. Never had this issue no matter how much I trimmed over 65 before with the stern drive and same style props, but now I running faster and higher X.

I would put 380 k plane bottom plates on it, switch the lowers to turn in
and I would probably go with 5 blades, and jack them up higher, but that’s just me

I actually discussed putting 5 blades on and Brett said it wouldn't make much difference b/c I'm not over 90mph.

I been on the lookout for the 380 plates, but they don't come up for sale very often, I was assuming that we can just swap the bottom plates, b/c I do eventually want to do this although I don't use tabs very often.

Aside from Docking issues... what benefits would I gain from spinning IN?

I tried IN with my stern drives, but I didn't have hydraulic steering and it rode much higher although it did have more bow lift, but it was a little unstable.
I think the speed was similar, but I was also high 60s at the time and I had forgotten that I tried that before I fixed my gimbals and removed the slack!

I have to change my impellers anyway this season, so I planned on testing anyway.

UPDATE>>>>. 26p B1s came in and are on the boat!!!

SO apparently Im doing some prop testing tomorrow.

I guess I will start raising jack plate till it stops gaining speed?

STAY TUNED…. Oh hows the weather up north…. Lol… just kidding!

When I ran them out, the props were more prone to break free right after it rolled over getting on plane, it also seem to have rapid, slight hop at the trim position I would run it at turning in

It did have a bit more of a slippery feeling when running in but
once I figured out the the boat likes the tabs at 5( which was a tick negative)
the boat takes a set and is stable, and is a mile per hour faster.

Something else you may want to test, since you have that huge storage area in the back is to throw some sand tubes on that shelf you built, that would determine if moving batteries and such will help

We’re in Ft Wayne Indiana this weekend for a youth Hockey tournament and it’s been very tropical;)

Thats a good idea about the weight test… .I didnt think of that. They have a guy who put 400s w/ bobs 10” standoff plates and is running 78, it may be a good test after I try to props.

Cool 65 now w/ 6mph wind and high of 75 today. Humidity is low as well. Feels good! I spent a lot of time in Indianapolis since June, wrapping up just as it’s getting cold!

When I use to run the boat @LOTO in the Shootout, I would take everything out of the cabin, one thing that weighs a lot is the big panel that the v berth that the cushions go over and that covers where the ports potty is stored.

It’s fairly heavy and it’s pretty far forward,
so if one could make something out of lighter material,that would be a gain

you could take that out of the cabin and throw it in your newly created trunk
and see how much that affects things

Yep, that thing is higher, my potty is in the head and my 12”sub is in that hole :) Just got back so I’ll post and update.

TEST #1. OUT and flat water. I may check water and test again later today or tomorrow again depending on water.
74 degrees, low humidity, slight breeze, flat A$$ water. Not even a lil baby chop, lil baby glass w/ a lil rolls..

Any way.
Same height as Rev4, 5950-6150 @ 75-75.5mph
15.95 slip.
1 engine seems to have off a little. Tried to fix before with local shop by matching props and it flipped to P higher rpms.

Less stern lift, needed more trim to get bow lift at WOT. Less chine and went away trimmed out, but close to the point where is started slipping more.
Cruise was good at 300 less rpms at 50. 4050 at 50mph, mpg was 1.61, so that was up a lil from 1.53
But slip was higher at 17.54 (using 25.3 according to BBlades for 26b1)

As I lifted the motors, rpms rose but not speed. Once I got over 6200, I saw the 1 mph increase, but needed a lot of trim to get it there.
Tried 1/4” increments up to 1.75 inches higher (1 3/4”). So that would put me in 2.5-3” below the hull. (But 4ft back still)

At its best height around 1” lift, I was able to get 76.5ish at 6250-6400 rpms, but that last bit of rpms was trim to get the bow up.

Definitely needs to be labbed with some cup. I’ll try again this after noon if we get some chop. It’s never this flat around here!

Good news was that I was able to trim out enough to get the bow up and stern settled, but had to trim too far to get to that point and started to slip more.… i.e. need cup.
Even thought it was that high had about 17.33% slip and right up to 6400 on the Port motor.

1 motor is runs a 150 rpms differently. Should be able to balance at labbing.

I really need to test with a lil 6” chop or so to get at fair test run.

Can try putting some weight in the stern as well… from the bow, but definitely needs baja cup to get the bow up.
Labbing with added cup and get rpms to 6350ish in cool weather.

Will need to try IN as well, since I know that gets the bow up.

But based on this run, Ill need Labbing with cup and then can find sweet spot on height based on RPMS I need.

Round 2 Prop testing.

77 degrees. 8mph winds with 6-8” chop. W/ 8-9mph wind. Ran slightly cross wind into chop and crosswind down chop.
Not perfect water, but better than the glass flat ass water I had before.
I could probably pick up another 1-2 with some 1-2ft chop!

Best wot 77 but had to trim out to get rpms up.

77mph @ 6150/6350 rpms (trimmed the F out). 18% Diff of rpms 200
73ish @5800- 6100 depending on trimming OUT conservatively . 14.78 to 18.9% as I started to trim out.
70 @ 5300/5400 at 12.6%. (Diff of rpms down to 100)
65 @ 4900 at 12.29%
60 @ 4600 at 12.88%
50 @ 3900 lat 14.3%

Lowered motors to original settings with Rev 4s as it had less slip and I can trim out to get bow lift and rpms needed.

So Labbing will need some cup and rpms! Keep slip down and gain rpms on top without as much trim needed.

RPM Goal right now would be 6350 ish for cool weather and still hit >6200 during summer, but can still use trim to gain a little if need, 100 or so.

That was a quick 18 gallons of fuel! LOL

Also, it was odd that rpm difference started at 70ish mph at 100 difference and then 200 off at WOT trimmed OUT above 6k rpms.!


No tabs needed, Stern felt settled down and Bow was higher, but needed Trim to get RPMS and could feel more bow lift which helped get to 77mph !

I think this is the right height as cruise slip % was lower. I may even be down another 1/4” from before.

Shipped stock 26p B1s to BBLADES yesterday.. Stay tuned!!

He will have a few options as I can still raise my drives to reduce drag, so if Brett can get the bow up and reduce the slip, I should see some gains!!

Ok… this took a while, apparently Bblades closes for several weeks around xmas to new years.

26p B1 Labbed, Brett said he labbed with 27p recipe with cup and had to match all blades and cut 1/2” off the diffuser’s.
Blueprinted the hull and sharpened edges and ended up removing the 3/16” of hook in the last 12” of hull and smoothed 7-8’ forward.
The hook removed is definitely noticable at slower speeds below 40, though trimming engines or tab down slightly controlled it.

Need some more testing for sure, but touched 80 mph with 1.5-2ft sea’s.
Previous best was 78 and ran 77 with light fuel and 6ppl on board. Low fuel and weight in the stern seemed to run faster, but could easily get to 75-76 in flat water with 6ppl and over 1/2 fuel.

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