Shorty on Stingray 230lx
 

First post on this forum. First off, this forum has been really helpful to me over the years. Thanks to all who contribute.

I have a 2007 Stingray 230LX with a new Mercury Remanufactured 385PT with headers, cc exhaust, bravo 1 and 21 pitch Mirage Plus. Old 350MPI toast after 400 hrs due to a very unusual internal gear failure. Boat is running faster than the last engine but runs only high 50s GPS in hot weather and best I have seen is 62 GPS with cool weather, light chop, me only, etc. It runs a little faster with my original 21 pitch Laser SS prop but hits the rev limiter at 62 mph GPS often and blows out easily when trimming at high speed. I feel like there is an opportunity to improve my setup given that there was a 1999 Powerboat Magazine article where they got 70mph out of a 360hp 377 Scorpion at 5000 rpm with a laser 23 in salt water in a 220sx. I am on a lake in NH at 600 feet so not terribly high altitude but that and fresh water are enough to reduce top speed a few mph.

Has anyone ever used a short drive on a Stingray? I feel like the Merc xr sport with ITS could reduce drag. The short drive would hurt bow lift but the ITS set back would help. My bravo 1 is approaching 450 hours and needs some work on steering this winter anyway so I would save that cost. Other drive setup ideas? Thanks for your help.

I have. I had a -2 sportmaster on my 01 when I had 383 (500 Corrected Dyno HP). I was running 68-69 with the stock B1 and I swapped the lower to the -2 and did testing with and without the bolt on cav plate. The -2 at the most was worth 2 mph, but planing, turning both suffered. Unfortunately DonRoc passed away way to early. He had a wealth of knowledge that I was picking at until his accident. He told me not to bother with a shorty until 80 and around 90 the boat will start to get real wicked. I ditched the shorty and built a new motor to replace the 383, a 414 SBC with EFI and a procharger. That motor is making a little over 600 (Corrected Dyno HP) and i'm hanging around 80. I've got some setup issue to work through, and I am now waiting for a -2 imco to appear. If I throw some bigger injectors and my smaller pulley at it, I'm sure I'd be 83-4 with my P5x-25, maybe faster with a -2 SC.
Best I had with my stock 350TBI B3 setup was 58MPH. A mag would be 61-62, the 6.2 shoudl be 63-64. My favorite all around prop would be a Vensura or Offshore Mercury Prop (same prop), probably 21P.

Thanks for sharing the info. Sounds like a shorty is not worth the money. That sounds like an awesome boat. Must be fun doing 80 on that hull. Any chine?

I have thought about doing a blower on mine once the new engine is broken in. How did you deal with the ECM? What PSI are you running? Intercooler? Any issues with fitment? I am guessing a Whipple will not work easily as it would not fit on top without modifying the lid of the engine compartment.

The prop thing is tough. I have researched a lot and found no magic bullet yet. I think the Mirage is too much diameter and prop drag but I like the way it holds the water on turns (cupping?) and does not blow out. The Enertia looks interesting or I could just go back to my old 21P Laser SS and get it cupped which would make it more like a 22P and maybe reduce blowout? Just not sure I have enough HP yet to make a four blade worth it. I am also running on a medium sized lake and so no worries about wave jumping like the ocean.

I purchased a very clean low hour 1997 230SX w/502MAG(415) and so far only able to get 64MPH GPS with provided props from former owner. 25 Mirage+, 23 and 25 Rev-4. YEP... read the various test reports including from Stingray it will run 70+. That must be with Stingrays HAPPY speedometer. Engine checks out fine and only has 450hrs on ECM. I spent my last 20yrs running 90+ outboard cat hulls and had to slow down having a stroke... but thought the Stingray was a good choice since it would run 70. For now just working the bugs out and may try different props after some research but not until next season.

Oh yeah for rocking back and forth. You definitely have to drive it. That may just be mine as there is a very minor rocker on on side of the keel. I have an Accel DFI EFI system and am shortly going to switch it to a Holley Dominator EFI ECU. I run right around 6 PSI with the Procharger 350Mag intercooler and my setup is all custom. I kind of forgot about the Enertia. Great prop, good hole shot very good in tight turns, if I were to run a 3 Blade that's the one to go with. Very deceiving prop with the small diameter, but the blades are huge, just a lot of rake pulling the dia. down. As far as I'm concerned the Laser II is a garbage prop for these boats. Maybe it works well with the shorter, but it can't carry the bow or do anything other than go fast. Couldn't even get on plane with the -2 shorty and a Laser. Only problem with the Enertia is you might not be able to turn the RPM and they only go down to 22p, but if you can test one, totally go for it, you'll really like it. PM me your email and I'll send you a spreadsheet with some of my tested props and RPM and some noted. All speeds are GPS.

PA - That is interesting to hear about the 502 and top speed. Are you on salt water? My old engine was a 350Mag MPI and the best I got on the old happy speedometer was 64 but now that I have used the same prop on GPS, I know was actually only getting 58mph based on rpm. That was one occasion in cool weather with large following wake. I usually would get something between 58 and 62 which I now know was really 52 - 56 GPS. That is consistent with your results because we are both about 10% below what the Stingray speeds were on the website.

AC - That Holley Dominator looks really interesting. How much programming did you have to do to make that work? Did you have to modify your hatch at all for the Procharger? Is it side mount with intercooler on top? I sent you a PM with email. Thanks so much for offering the spreadsheet. Will be helpful in figuring out what prop I want to try next. I had the Laser for years with the old engine and got on plane but it was slow. I am 200lbs and pulling me out of the water on one ski usually involved people sitting in the front of the boat. Handling is much better with the Mirage. I just feel like it may be too large a prop for the boat. Maybe the Enertia is the right compromise.

StingrayBR- I run freshwater about 750FT elevation and about 1/2 fuel(89octane) Got a few other issues to work on including the props that was included as they look like not well taken care of. The REV4-25 was repaired after former owner had hit something. The lower unit has a lube leak into the water intake pickup along with the SEI lower unit gears are worn badly. Can't locate cause of leak... thinking has a case issue so getting a new drive unit(boating is FUN)! Also has tabs which just slightly till upward above hull bottom and going to remove to see how boat performs then as I don't need them with having the 502. I turn all 3 props to 64MPH at REV4-23 4800, REV4-25 4700RPM, Mirage-25 4600RPM. All tested same day and weather... so I'm thinking I need maybe to start with a new prop??

I would like to add, was stated in another OSO post the Stingrays need more air entering the engine compartment for improved performance? Anyone know what the MOD would be?