I put on the two pickup halo type and I swear it cost me performance, or am I just nuts?

I think it might have taken a mile or two off the top end. Only way to tell for sure would be to take em off and run it. Some of that speed may have been lost to the ethanol too.

Check how deep the pickups extend below the plate. I had a problem with prop slip while coming on plane with this shower until I placed a plastic washer under the roll pin to shim the height up a bit. Problem went away once it was shimmed such that the holes were flush with the bottom of the cav plate.

Tim T.

I installed a Simrek halo shower and lost no top end...not that I had a lot of top end in the first place!

Thanks Guys, I'll try that. I definetly noticed a decrease in performance out of the hole. WIll it hurt to remove them and leave the holes open in the cav plate?

Check how far they stick down. If you can, shim them up flush to test them. There should be enough flex to do that. I've got a Halo also.

I can't see coming on plane really being affected much since where you'd expect a problem would be where they are sticking down far enough to disturb the water just enough to cause aeration that might increase slip. I'd think that would be at speed.

nuts

Very good possibility!

do a back to back test and let us know your findings. I installed one on my previous boat and thought the prop was blowing out in turns. Never noticed that before. Installed them on my current boat before it hit water, so no idea if I lost anything.

You could put some masking tape over the holes to try it out.. It wouldnt stay there forever, but may stay long enough to find out if there is a problem.
Any time you disturb the water infront of the prop.. it has an effect..