Stern jack question
 

What is everyones take on Land & Seas Stern Jack? I am trying to get a couple miles per hour out of my boat without changing durability/usablity. I just exchanged some emails with L&S and they tell me that my boat will pick up 5 MPH without a prop change and a little more with a prop change. Will it require external steering for low horsepower/speed? (65mph)

anyone have any thoughts?

They offer a really nice guarantee. If you don't go faster, you get your money back. The problem is that you'll have to cut your trim rams off and weld on longer eyes. When it comes time to return the extension, you'll need new trim rams. Several people have reported a speed increase and several have reported no change. I've also heard of some people reducing a porpoise condition. I belive that the unit will work the best on boats that require alot of trim to run fast. There is a problem though. This unit moves the prop further back thus increasing the leverage on the boat. That's why it goes faster. The problem is that it also increases the leverage on the gimble assembly. That assembly was never designed for a setback box. Because of this, the unit really shouldn't be used on high performance applications.

I picked up 1.5 to 2 mph when I tried it. My hull was heavy (1999 VIP Vindicator 2400). I had the 7.4 mpi (310hp). I picked mine up used and it came with the rams. I surly didn't want to hack off perfectly good rams.

If I didn't sell the boat, I was going to take it off this season and re-sell it. Bottom line, if a boat needs massive amounts of positive trim to get any speed at all, it MAY help. Every boat is different.

Would I try it again? Nope...I would apply that money to what really makes a boat go faster...HP.

If you have not done it yet, money would be better spent labbing a prop for about the same potential gains and a lot less $$.

Final note...I spoke to the person I sold my boat to a few weeks ago and he told me the boat was in the shop. He wasn't EXACTLY sure what broke but said it was a "coupler" in the lower unit.. His mechanic blamed the Stern Jack.

I used it for half a season with no issues at all.

Good information, thanks guys. My first step is to talk to Houston about working on the prop. I run at the rev limiter a lot in rough water. Pulls great everywhere. I tried a Hydromotive 4 blade and it really slowed the boat down and dropped about 500 rpms with the same pitch. I have a Mirage + on there now and it works great. I wonder how much speed I can get out of the prop work?
Brian

If you are interested in a used one I have the IMCO version which I am selling.

Kchotboat,
I sent you a PM.

Brian

I have 1 used setup including long trim rams. It needs a couple of parts but nothing land and sea cant handle. I had two sets I sold one last year. I can let this one go for $600.00 I can take more pictures if you are interested. I have U-Joints , bolts nuts ect. All I think you need would be a bearing (suggested) new seals and a shift cable.

Ray,
Why did you take them off? Can you email me the pics?

Thanks
Brian
[email protected]

I took them off because I upgraded my power to 700 hp, I then bought IMCO SC's and no one was sure if they would work with the new drives. I will have to snap some pictures tonite.

Thanks Ray. I am very interested. Send me some pics and we will go from there. Did they help your boat at all? L&S says 600HP 80MPH requires external steering, lower then that it is not a big deal. Do you agree?

Brian

Here is a link to the picts: http://www.raymondbaldwin.com/sternjack/index.htm

I cannot say on the performance, I bought the boat with them on it and I decided to re-work the engines and drives before I ran the boat very much. I would say anything over 70 MPH should have extenal steering. With the extensions I would reccomend external steering anyhow. You could try it and if the steering is a little sloppy you could put it on then. But me personally I would have it on especially on 80 MPH.

P.S. I had a manual here somewhere, But I know you would need seals 1 rub guide shift cable core wire (merc) and maybe a main bearing. It spins but it is a little loose.

I will check back this weekend but I will be away from the PC for a while - Gone boating!!!!

We will talk first thing monday.

Brian

Actually I am the one that bought the other Stern Jack off of Raypanic, and it just so happens that I got around to finally putting it on last weekend. Interested in results?? Well, I was going to wait until I had a chance to GPS the boat, but that isn't going to happen until this weekend, and then I'm on vacation for a week. SOOOOO.....The boat ran 66 on GPS and about 70-71 on the speedo, after the stern jack in not so great conditions, I was seeing 73-74 on the speedo. I believe with a prop change there is more to be had. I believe the boat will probably run 69-70 on GPS just the way it sits, with a little more to be had probably 1 mph with the right prop like I said.

Ray, I sent a PM.

Brian

Kchotboat.

PM.

L&S also posts results for specific boats. You may want to see if yours is on the list of tested rides. Like I said, every make and model is different and will react in different ways to the Jack. The deals floated on this thread are very good, especially if they include the extended rams. Worth a try for sure.

I bought the other one from Raypanic and I have a couple of questions for you

I bought the other one from Raypanic and I have a couple of questions for you. Baronbob

You need to talk to JeffWoods, he has the other one from Ray. I bought a IMCO version of the same thing from another member.

Brian

I installed one on a 26 PowerQuest and did not see any speed gain at all. Even after trying a couple differant props no speed gain. It doesn't work on all boats...