88 Baja 240 holeshot help.
 

88 240 sport 454 MAG, 24p 4 blade. No trim tabs. When it's just me on the boat, or me and one other I have no problem getting on a plane. This weekend I took three friends with me and had a lot of difficulty getting the boat on plane, fuel tank was only around half full which is generally where I keep it. Advice or is this normal?

Also would like to know proper trim for the motor to reach top speed. If the motor is trimmed to far down rpms don't get over 4000, I have to trim the drive up a pretty good bit to get top speed, but the boat starts to porpoise with the motor that high. Is a good set of tabs in my future???

Thanks guys!

sounds like you are propped to high with the rpm's where their at, 454 mag should be turning near 5k, as for the trim levels, take a gps out and run it wide open and trim it till you start to loose speed then back it down to pick that speed back up, thats where you trim for wot, the slower you go the less trim is needed, also note the rpm's at wot, if you are still around 4k then try a 22p bravo or try a 23p 3 blade, most baja's i've seen run the mirage plus's

Your prop is too big. You need a 22" Bravo 1 or a 21 Rev 4 prop with your boat and engine. The stock prop was most likely a 23 Mirage 3 blade and will yield the highest top speed.

Thanks. The 4000 rpm is xonly when the trim is all the way down. If I trim the drive up I can get the rpms around 4600. Would those suggested props help me get on plane better with a load?

I'm not to concerned with a huge top speed, 55mph is plenty for what i want to do, although I have seen 61 on my boat using gps, I was actually trying what you described with the gps and the trim. Would tabs help me hold a higher speed and rpm and lose the porpoise?

Your tabs will just create more drag and slow you down IMO, I use the **** out of my tabs to come up on plain. As soon as the boat starts to plain the tabs come all the way up and I start to trim the motor. I have a 25' baja

The 22" will get on plane faster/easier with a heavier load and will spin about 400rpms faster at WOT.

holeshot
 

I had a 24sport for 19 years, do yourself a favor and put some nice tabs on you Baja you will not be dissapointed. I sold me 24 to a friend and he still has it. Those 24's are bullet proof, but they don't come out of the hole well. (good luck)