artg2707

I have just purchased a 92 Baja 290 with twin 454's 23p props. Stepped up from 95 mph hydrostream outboard. Speedo doesn't work well, maybe 65mph???? Also, how do you drive these things? trim good or bad?? tabs up or down?? Help.

MACDAD260

First thing I would do is get a GPS so you can accurately measure your speed. Then find some flat water without much traffic and experiment.

Start with the drives all the way down. Shove the throttles smoothly ahead about one third to start and see what happens. If it comes on plane, start trimming the drives up once the bow goes down. If it needs more throttle to get up on plane then you will have to play with it until you figure it out. Once on plane keep trimmimg the drives up until you feel it start to slip and then trim them back down a little. With time in the seat you will get the feel for it. When turning, you should trim the drives down a little before starting the turn. Again, you will develop a feel for how much to trim under different conditions.

You may want to try putting the tabs down a little to help get the boat up on plane. Otherwise, you should only need the tabs if it is rough. It will help to keep the bow from bouncing up and down. Don't put them down any more than you need to get a good ride because they cause drag and slow you down. On smooth water you should not need to use them at all.

That should be enough to get you started. There are a lot of guys on here that know more about driving twin engine boats than I do so don't be afraid to ask for advice.

Good luck, Doug

artg2707

Thanks for your reply. I noticed if I trim too far up, right on the edge of slip, I get the best speed, but the bow starts to bounce up and down, even in smooth water. Might I need more prop? I have 23p mirage props now and it will run 5000-5200 rpm wide open. Also, what would be the best way to get this thing to go 75-80 mph?? I don't want to lose my ***** pad, so top mount blowers are out of the question. Any blowers for carbed motors that are front mount??

MACDAD260

If the boat starts to bounce, or porpoise, try putting the tabs down just a little at a time until it stops. Or, you could try reversing the rotation of the props to see if you get more transom lift. To do that you switch the props on the drive and put the boat in reverse to go forward. If you like it better that way you can then change the cables on the shifters to make it shift normally. Be careful though, don't forget that the direction of the boat is opposite of what you are used to. Another thing you could try would be some Bravo 1 four blade props in a 24 pitch. They have more transom lift that 3 blades. It might help balance the boat and get rid of the bounce without taking away any speed.

There are several low mount blowers available. Whipple and Procharger are a couple. Can get spendy though.

Good luck

artg2707

Thanks for the advice, I think I will try the four blade props. If any other advice comes to mind, let me know. Thanks.

artg2707

As to the props, the starboard prop spins clockwise and the port counter clockwise. Is this the best rotation for lift or should I reverse it. Also, does anyone know where the sending unit for the trim tab indicators (electric indicators) are??