Power Quest is getting some love
 

YUP :D broke down and got a IMCO 2" shorty lower drive unit and a Hardin-Marine Sea Strainer. Doller Offshore of Hollywood FL will be doing the work since it is down in FL. Also having a quick Perko Flush water inlet installed so its easier to flush the engine out. I can't wait to get down in FEB to test it out!!!!

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

Been thinking of doing that.What PQ do you have? Any idea where the X- deminsion was before? BOB

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

no idea, I have a 96 270 laser. I will give a report in Feb when I take it for a test drive.

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

Thanks,BOB

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

Bob, I have a 2000 280 Silencer, the previous owner actually installed a 1" spacer and picked up 2 mph or so. I am not sure if my boat had an un-usually high X or something but it works. The boat has seen 70.1 (gps) with a basically stock 502. It also has a labbed 26P Bravo. I have run side by side with a 2005 280 with a 496 HO and I blow him away, he is probably a 65 mph boat.

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

Going up 2 inches in the X dimension is huge. It will be interesting what kind of results you see. Keep us posted.

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

You are doing something right. I had a 1999 28' with the stock 502 with stock 26 bravo1i and could only get 65.

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

Just wondering how one determines whether your X dimension is set high or low? Or if it's simply a trial and error situation?

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

I was told that the regular bottom PQ's were set with a low X and the 280 with the step is a higher X That is why the 4 blade on the 280's. That is also the reason the 260 and 270's work with 3 blade props. It is basicly trial and error. Most Hi x demension boats are harder to get up on plane, but once on plane are faster on the top end. There is always a trade-off.
pkspx, if you aren't already you will probably need to go to a 4 blade prop with that shorty.

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

Mercury Marine has some guidelines for X dim. location, but every boat is different. The 4 and 5 blade props are more common on step bottom boats because the water coming off the bottom isn't as "clean" as the water coming off a standard vee bottom.

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

have the Hydromotive 4blade 23p but looking to go 5blade with the IMCO shorty. From the comments on this thread, makes me wonder if I am wasting my money. I was told Power Quest has the drive too deep because it is a pleasure boat making it easy for anyone to get off plane. Am I actually going to notice any difference in speed or stability? What else can I expect?

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

distance from crank to prop shaft

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

You will definitely have to go to a 4-blade. Depending on your HP and gearing, 5-blade may be too much to pull. Plus you may end up roaching your drive if you get that 5-blade hooked up. You can go too high on X dimension and lose speed. Worst case is you go back to the stock lower or use spacers at 1/2" increments to find the sweet spot. Takes time, testing, and $$$$. Good luck and let us know how it works out!

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

If I posted my drive x, would you guys be able to give a better guess? Drive is 1.5:1 bravo 1

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

Yea, the previous owner spent a considerable amount of time "tweaking" the boat, a couple other guys (Macklin and BillR) might chime in and shed some light on what was done to my boat. It also has Gil exhaust and a K&N filter but the increases came from the labbed prop and the 1" spacer. He felt like the prop was getting too much air.

HotBoat did an article on the 5 blades and they broke the prop shaft because of not enough slip.

Re: Power Quest is getting some love
 

Probably because the X-dimension was too high.

Might be good to ask a couple folks where the center hub of their prop is in comparison to the bottom of the boat. My guess is it is an inch or 2 below the bottom.