longbow

OK, what is less blow back. Less bow in the cable? thanks

What is the advantage of heavier weights? thanks

PM'd ya. thanks

Ok, blew my Optimax. Took 3 wks and 300 bucks for the fella to tell me it was blown. Bought a 225 Ocean Runner re-built. Power head blew on that one too about a week ago. Under warranty so no worries. Here is my dilema, repower the boat NOW with a Johnson Ocean Runner 150 or have them re-build the 225 again and use that or maybe wait until something comes in to the marina for re-sale during the winter. I've a 1989 23' proline walkaround. Talked with Chuck Wagner at PL in Fl. and he said that with the right prop the 150 will work with speed in the mid 30's maybe a bit better. That is the minimum he would go though. Boat weighs 2800lbs plus gas and motor and people so I am figuring close to 4000lbs with a full tank of fuel etc. in th water. Salt water transom on it and Mr. Wagner said that makes a bit of a difference in how the boat will plane out. You have a bit more variance with how the trim feature works, as in a bit more down into the water cause of the angle of the transom to the stern. 19deg dead rise on the bow. I did a formula thing where you take the weight of the boat and divide by 33 I think the number is, it might be 30 though. Either way over shooting the weight by 800lbs or so and it still comes in at a h.p. rating of around 145h.p. at 5500 rpms to move the boat about 36mph. Wide open throttle is 5800-6000 rpms, flat conditions and trimmed perfectly. I am thinking when fishing this year the farthest I went out was to 600' of water. Mostly between 400-200' though. I mean how much power do you need to run that far and how fast does one need to get there? I was considering just repowering with a 4 stroke but again Mr. Wagner told me I shouldn't put more than a 150 on it if going that route cause of the age of the boat and weight of the 4 strokes vs 2 strokes. Anyways opinions wanted on what to do. thanks

I was out of Hughes yesterday p.m. and pretty rough with the NE wind kicking up. Had one bite and because I had my clip to tight on the down rigger lost everything. At the same time my motor started over heating. But that's fishin. Marked a ton of bait balls out to 85', some nice blue colored jay hooks on the FF all between 60-35'. Can't wait to get out tomorrow and the weekend. Lake is low though which makes getting into the marina dicey at times, just ask my prop!

Its an 89 Pro LIne Sportfisherman, from the end of the engine to the end of the bow sprit it I would think a bit better than 30' it's long for sure. Inside its' like 25.5' from the inside of the stern to the inside of the bow. Heavy blue water boat in that it is a heavy weight when its loaded with fuel and stuff like my wife an I. I think if I recall its registered at 6300lbs wet weight. I could be wrong on that maybe that includes the trailer too? Nice boat though.

Was out Fri evening and didn't do anything. Went out Sat. p.m. and as I was rounding a point off Hughes when a squall came up and it happened in minutes. Was headed a bit past Pultneyville to set up and frankly I was amazed I was able to turn my boat around. Holy crap. What a year it h as been on the water. First time I've taken waves over the bow to break over the windshield and icin glass. I carry my dispey rods on the deck of the walk around and they were pushed back on to the floor of the boat. Now I've been in stuff on the lake this year it seems when I've had my motor quit on me and my wife, I've had my motor bark from waves coming from the stern that somehow cavitated the prop, but I ain't never had waves in a chop like that where they are just piling on in big sets that are steep like Sat. p.m. It was exhilarating. Not only that but visibility was very poor and I don't have radar. Once I got the boat turned that is when it became really fun surfing those big breakers, what a hoot. Then went out Sun. a.m. with my wife and she decided that the rollers were just a bit much for her. Not alot of water between the rollers either especially coming back in. So it was quite bumpy. I wanted to fish but she didn't so we didn't. So we headed back to the marina once we got past the St. Pete and wouldn't ya know coming back in to Hughes got up on a set of rollers that broke under boat on the starboard side and bam set the boat down on the shelf of rocks and took a chunk out of our propeller. That ain't happened in the 2 summers I've owned this boat either. So that's my story.

Heading out now out of Hughes, well in a hour or so. Will report back.

Thanks fellas.

I bought a gallon of Syntech TC W3 blue colored oil for my rebuilt 95 Ocean Runner 225. I bought it cause it was 12 bucks a gallon. The other oil I used from Arny's was 40 bucks a gallon. My wife is a chemical engineer and she looked at both and couldn't discern a real difference in either, such as one being better than the other. Both are synthetic blends and colored blue. Huge price difference though. So what say any of you folks. I haven't opened the jug yet so I can always take it back etc.etc. thanks

Wife and I went out of Hughes about 7:30 and she was "complaining" it was to rough. So we turned around at Pultneyville and headed back to Hughes. They were definitely big rollers though so maybe I can't blame her. Supposed to be better tomorrow but of course I have to work.

That is the man!