My X Dimension?
 

I measured the bottom of the hull to the bottom of the gimble housing and it measures 8" exactly. If I am correct, that means my X dimension is 17- 1/4" right? What is everyone else running for an X on the 24 ??

I am very pleased with the Bravo 1 28P and would like to get one labbed and tweeked for optimum performance. Going out for a few "test" runs to get true GPS speed @ RPM info.

I'm sure the prop shops will want all of the above info to work the prop properly.

Hey Kirk,

We cut the drive height on the 24 model at 17' for Bravo 1 drives for many years now.Did you change to a right hand rotation on the 28 Bravo 1 ???

Regards,

JO

Yes Jo, finally running the right way!!! Much better handling. I wasn't able to max it out today, too many boats on our lakes. Maybe tomorrow. Big difference in hole shot and overall control though. I'll check out the numbers tomorrow am, then have the prop labbed for a few more RPM/MPH.

I tried to match the gel coat to fix a coulpe little dings, having a hard time. Do you have the same color gelcoat that my boat was laid up in? I'd like to get some. The boat looks awesome, somebody asked me if if it was new today!!

I'm going to LOTO for the shootout. Going to meet up with Von Bongo and check out his boat, my wife loves it and has given me the green light!!!

Thanks for you help (again)!! Say hello to Linda and Pepe!!

Kirk

Jo, Has anyone tried 18" or 19" on the 24' It seems like the Cavitation plate would only be 2.5" above the bottom with a bravo at 17" which would end up the same as my TRS at 18"?

pretty close
 

When I measured bottom of hull to bottom of gimbal, I got 8 7/16". So that should put me at 17 11/16". Jo said that when he built my boat for the original owner, he put a little higher X on it. I am hoping to try a 1/2" spacer on it this year. I just don't want to drop the $400 on buying a new one that may or may not make a difference since I just had to replace my drive. But the good news is a B&M 174 just showed up on the front porch Friday so it looks like I will be buying another prop anyway. Maybe I'll only have to write one check for both (easier to explain to the wife).

Has anyone tried a lower X dimension? I can't seem to get my boat dialed in. i'm running only 4650 RPM WOT with a 28P Bravo 1. I should be able to spin that blade much faster shouldn't I?

Hi Kirk,

You will not want to lower the X dimension from where it is at.We cut the drives on all the 24s at 17' for many years now on race and pleasure 24s.The customer that owned your boat originally was running I believe 92 MPH with 600 HP on GPS.He was turning a 29 Mirage plus 3 blade.I get 82-84 MPH with a stock 500 EFI Mercruiser package spinning a 28 Bravo 1 on the limiter ( 5350 ) or a 30 pitch 4 blade at 5000-5100 RPM.

I would say make sure your throttle cable is adjusted properly to open at WOT. Also make sure the drive you are turning is a 1:50 gear ratio.Go ahead and try running a 26 to see if your RPM increases to 5000 RPM or more.Check ignition, fuel on the motor also.

Bottom line is if you have over 600 HP you should be running over 90 MPH.We have delivered many 24s with big power and it sounds to me you have a motor issue or drive gear ratio that is not a 1:50 and not turning up enough RPM.

The customer that owned your boat previously had a 7.4 MPI 310 HP Mercruiser package that we put in with a 23 mirage 3 blade and would run 66-68 MPH and decided to add the Pro Charger and additional work to the motor to get it over 600 HP.Did you do anything else since to the motor ??

Let me know.

JO

Throttle goes wide open. I am draging the left tab almost 3/4 down just to trim the boat straight. Would this cause that much load to limit the RPM to 4650? That doesnt seem right to me.

Why do I have to drop the left tab so much to offset the torque?

Dragging that flipper would have a lot to do with it, I do not know why the torque is so bad. I run a little left tab on the 28 at 40-45 but once over that I don't need it. And when I say a little I mean like 1 notch at the most If I ran it with one 3/4 down on one side it would be a scary ride I think

The previous owner agrees and told me thats why he never ran the Bravo 1 props with this much HP/Torques on the narrow beam it pulls too much. I have the port tab down and I still need to steer a little left to counter the prop torque. He said he always ran 3 blade priops in the higher pitch only. Saved the 4 blade for lower pitches on rough water days.

I'll try a Mirage plus 29 this week. Although it tends to blow out, maybe i can get more RPM once I'm clean and steering straight!!

Any other ideas/input??

On my 28 I have to run the left tab (@4 1/2 on the indicator)level with the bottom at cruise speeds. This is with equal weight on each side of the boat. Once I trim up and get above 50mph, both tabs are all the way up. The tabs are mounted a full inch above the bottom and dropping them down half way to 4 1/2 just gets them to grab.

Do you have dual batteries???? If so, move them both to the starboard side. I did this on my 24 Outlaw and it helped. I'm thinking about doing it on my 28 also.

I only run 1 battery on the starboard side and need no tabs when running alone and it's very level. I prefer the 4 blades for the calm to moderate and 3's in the rough the 3 does not throw the boat around as much on re-entry and launch and runs very well at neutral to slightly positive trim. The 4 is a better all around prop it just takes a little more work to go fast in the rough stuff.I have been using only the 4 for a while now. I have no steering pull with the full hyd. steering no matter what prop I run. good luck..

Ironman,

What props are you runnig and what are your speeds & RPMs? You have a 24' I assume. What horsepower?

Bravo 1 26"pitch at 5300 is consistant high 70's with a 500hp, full fuel and three aboard. however, my boat is older and heavier than yours and the TRS with the transmission, fresh water, and altitude all contribute to slow the boat down. I think the boat would run as Jo claimes a new one with hp500, 82-84 at sea level in salt water with a 28 pitch even with the TRS drive. My other favorite prop is the Hydromotive but it is a 24 and I turn too many r's but I feel it is better on the rough water( has more holding power) because of the 15.5 diameter.
I am thinking that your motor may be running too rich if they dyno'ed it with dyno headers and not the marine manifolds. A few jet sizes can be 600 rpm's easily. Also I put the anchor on the starboard side so I do not need any tab when running to get a level ride. Good luck, Ironman.

Too Much Tab and Drive Full Down
 

Tried the 29P. Blows out at 3000 RPM like crazy. Once underway though, still had alot of Port tab and had to keep the drive trimmed full down to maintain any control. What is causing me to use so much tab and trim the drive full down?

Hi Kirk,

Did you ever have a chance to run the boat after you purchased it from Mark ?? Mark always told me the boat would run straight and I believe 92 MPH on GPS.

Go ahead and check the "trim in limit pin" on the Bravo 1 drive and make sure the drive is going in all the way.The pin can be set to allow the drive to come in further when tucked in all the way.

I have run many many 24s with the same drive height at 17' with 3 blade Mirage props and they all run great.

You will always notice a slight lean to port while getting up on plane with the tabs all the way up on the 24' due to the narrow beam and a single engine. Once up and running they run straight and level.


Also make sure your steering has no air and drive has no play side to side.

I tested your boat when I delivered it with a 7.4 MPI 310 HP Mercruiser in the bay and ocean and it ran perfect.

Did you add anything to the transon, For Example : External water pickup. Send me a transom pic. of your boat if you get a chance.

Stay in touch!!

Regards,

JO

Jo -

Nothing on the boat has changed except I added a Smirek drive shower and rebuilt the motor. No additional pick ups nothing added to change the balance of the boat.

I just can't understand why I need to have so much Port Tab and the drive trimmed full down to drive the boat under control. With the port tab down, if I raise the drive the bow really gets loose and starts chine walking.

I have a hydraulic steering helm unit I'm putting in soon, but Mark didn't have a hard time at all with the boat, so either I've changed something that I'm not aware of or I shouldn't be driving a boat!! I may be forced to drag the boat down to you so that a true rigger can find and fix this problem.

steering problem perhaps?
 

Make sure the steering is really tight maybe you have air in the system or something. 70+ is typically like going down the interstate at 70+ in a Porsche even on 2 footrers. When the trim is neutral or up the left heel is greatly reduced.

I don't know about the air, I've bled the system by turning the wheel back and forth several times all appears well. Its not theat the boat pivots to the left, it actaually rolls to the left so I don't believe its steering.

I am picking up a full hydraulic unit next week. i won't get it in for a few weeks though.

The previous owner didn't have this problem with the semi hydraulic set up though!?!?

If you are getting excessive bow lift, then try a hydromotive prop. They are a sternlifting prop. Also, a shorty drive will lessen the bow lift.
A mirage plus gives about the most bow lift of any of the props.

It almost sounds too me though that that the bow is down and the boat is bow steering and plowing:confused: :confused:

BTW, are you still going to be at the LOTO ShootOut????

I think Griff is on to something. If the drive is mostly down then it will bow steer and heel more to the left. Try moving any weight you can to the right, anchors...etc. then trim it up. it should be close to needing no tabs at 60mph. Less piched props will make it heel less but you will gain rpm's of course. Good luck.

I will have to try these things next week. LOTO tomorrow!!!!

We're leaving here at 1:00pm which should get us there at 10:00 - 11:00 PM

I will be sporting my Black Pantera Hat so say hello if you see me!! I hope to get a chance to look at Patriot Games, my wife and I are interested!!

Griff, I can be reached at (708)989-6017 if you'd like to have a cocktail!

Kirk