79.5 GPS. Realized I have been over trimming.

I have the Tres Martin class this weekend so maybe after that I can hit 80!

yep,,step bottom boats do Not like too much trim

Every little bit makes it more fun

Boatnt and Prowench how much trim did you give your 300's mine seems to best around 4-5 but from your comments maybe I am over trimming too?

Sorry about the hijack, let me know how the class goes Keith.

What props are you running? and what is your max rpm your running.
I have 28 props and the best rpms I can get is 4700 maybe 4750, and that's with trimming out the drives. 75-76 mph on GPS, I was thinking of getting different props, would like to hit 79-80.

what I did with my 300 is I found were neutral position is in the tabs and outdrives,,you do this by placing a long 2x4 on the hull and slowly tap the trim tab button until its at the same angle as the 2x4(hull) I then did the same thing with the outdrive setting,,once I found the neutral spot for the tabs and outdrives I marked the gages so I always knew were neutral was and I knew never to make any turns with the outdrives lower then neutral,,(you just don't want to turn with the outdrives tucked in past neutral on a twin step boat)
so when I wanted to get the best performance out of the boat once I was on plane if the water was rough I would bring the trim tabs to neutral because all that does is extends the length of the hull and I would bring the outdrives to neutral setting as well and then I would slowly tap the outdrive trim button up until I got the rpms I wanted too,,and its not much higher off the neutral setting,,if the water was not rough I would leave the trim tabs all the way up..
you have to remember on a straight V bottom hull you want to trim up as much as possiable so you could get air under the Hull,,but in a step bottom boat you don't need to trim as much because you have all the air under the Hull you need from the steps..

hope this helps

Now I also just wanted to mention that this is all self taught things I do,,I have never taken any performance classes other than the auxiliary coast guard class I took 15 years ago,,

Merc labbed 28 Bravos 4 blade. About 5050 last weekend. Keep in mind load (weight) and air temp will be a major factor in RPM. I was loaded with fuel fresh water, 1/2 tanks fuel, all my wife's stuff and 2 people in cool air. In the summer when it is hot I can't get 5k. I have another rest of props from BBlades that I will try soon.


EXACTLY what I did except I used a 6 foot level.

I take Tres' class Saturday, I'll report back what I learned on this subject.

Wow guys I would have never thought about finding the neutral position but it makes perfect sense, I am going to find mine now. I know that even though we had/have the same boats and hulls there are going to be stacked up tolerances that make them different. ( I am talking specifically about the 300, I don't have viper money, Keith but I do have an adopted 380). We will find the neutral spot in the 380 as well. Thanks again probably one of the best things I have read, that you wrote, and you write a lot of great stuff.

then once you get the neutral location figured out you will be able to out run the helicopter and jump over boats..lol

this is my 1st 300 ,,2003 year model..great boat

Nice pictures, the first one, I am thinking the boat has found it's neutral position. Was that boat for sale at Hawkeye in IA about a year or two ago?