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I posted this question on BBC but it was suggested that I add it hear too. Took my new 2013 Bass Cougar with a Mercury Pro-XS 225 (w/ a 25P Tempest Plus Prop) out for its first post-break in shake down cruise. She ran really well but I think we need a little tweeking. When I take off, about 2-3 seconds into take off, just after she pops up on plane, I get a short blow out. My top speed I could get was about 72 MPH at about 5,400 rpms. A little chine walk at top end. It wouldnt chine walk all the time but if there was any wakes or waves to get it started it would then walk a little. Here are my questions:1) On the blow out we tried removing one of the three plugs from the prop. Didnt seem to help as much as just backing off the throttle a little when she breaks over. Should I remove more plugs, add plugs or just manage it with the throttle? If I add plugs do they have smaller diameter ones I can buy?2) My Mercury manual says my top end RPM should be 5,500-5,600 with a rev limiter at 6,300. I had the hot foot pedal maxed out, should I adjust the hot foot stop to get more fuel?3) I had an experienced Ranger/Yamaha guy as a partner today. He suggested raising the motor 1/2 inch to try and take care of the chine walk, would you agree?As you can tell I am new to high performance bass boats and appreciate the second opinions. I would like to get a little more top end but dont want to fight a chine walk either. Thanks.
Dennis M, We think we hit this on another site. 1. You need more restriction on the exhaust as you already have too much ventilation. Plug the holes with PVS plugs. 2. Dealer should have checked full throttle at dealer prep. 3. No we do not agree as venting will increase and this is no way like an R boat. He cant help you. Only raise it if the Steering wheel torque is light and you cant raise it till you plugged holes. Odds are you are over trimming. You should not need more than 2/3 trim. Your welcome to visit the Bass Cat section here or our Owners Board which we rotate posting on almost every hour daily and every couple hours at night.
Ive had my puma for almost 3 years. I came from a different brand and it does run different than my other one. Seems to ride higher up (more lift).When I first got it I was like you, wanting to get it set up. I raised the engine, took plugs out, trim, etc etc. (never raise it or lower it more than 1/4″ at a time)After all that I have it back just a little higher than where it was originally. When I first started driving I couldnt control the chine walk. Now I almost have to make it do it. I think I control it without thinking now, guess I make small corrections before it starts. So for my suggestion (as someone that was in your shoes not that long ago) I wouldnt do much of anything too soon. Just drive it for now and get a real good feel of the boat – one or two people, tanks full or almost empty, tackle storage layout, rough or smooth water, cold or hot day, etc . Say maybe 10 trips out. Then when you start making changes you will really know what the change did.
That is great advice! Another suggestion is try sticking the throttle TRIMMED DOWN which will make the boat turn hard, drive terrible and nose chase. Then start tweaking the trim in small bumps to loosen it. Work your way up on trim in bump stages and letthe boat run a few hundred yards between bumps to learn how that last bump effected it. Bump it again and letit eat a few hundred yards again. Most other brands you drive by trimming up as soon as you hit the throttle. The throttle controls performance and speeds. Mais is a reverse on most BCB hulls.On a BCB Model you hit the throttle trimmed down and work up in small stages controlling performance and handling with the trim. This really is quite different and why we suggest you dont use input from friends with other brands. You will be messed up as mentioned above. Of course we also feel they (other brand owners) dont understand their own boats as when we drive those hulls the BCB way of working through the trim actually increases their performance also. The difference is their way does not work on most BCB hulls, which they have no way to understand. The other brand hulls are forgiving and allow them to just drive it, sacrificing performance while just driving down the lake.
Same experience as you when i first got my 09 cougar. Three easy steps to START to learn on how to drive a BCB#1. Trim all the way down on take off.#2. Let it plane off Full Throttle#3. Trim up in Bumps as BCB said and you will NEVER use full trim when achieving full performance (assuming no damage to prop etc.)As far as engine hight. Engine hight will be determined more off of steering torque and water pressure than anything else IMO. Lean to drive it as is, If steering is light and responsive, raise 1/4″ and see what happens, raise motor untill torque gets excessive or pressure drops, then drop it back 1/4″. As far as blow out, blow out happens because of too much venting, removing plugs will only worsen the problem. A LITTLE blow out on brake-over is not the end of the world. I would throw a bigger plug in the prop and see what happens.Ive had my engine VERY high on purpose a few times, the only thing that did was make the boat nearly uncontrollable and slow the boat down. So higher isnt always better. If you can find a BCB owner in your area and take them out, they will do a world of help for you.Good luck, Beautiful boat!
Thanks guys, this is what I needed to hear (again!!). Sounds like I just need to learn to drive a little. Ill return the motor height to the original setting. As I said, it wasnt walking bad, just a little and I can probably learn quickly how to recognize it and prevent it. A couple follow up questions, is 72 MPH about the correct top end? Should it be a “goal” to get my RPMs to the 6,000 range? And finally, can I get more restrictive plugs for my prop at my dealer or just put the third one back in and run with it?Thanks Again!!!
That will be close
I believe there are 3 different sizes of plugs that you can try for the prop.Jim EbarbMany, LA (Toledo Bend Lake)2004 Cougar/ 225 OptimaxHumminbird Helix 12 Chirp SI on BalzOut Mount at bowLowrance HDS 7 at bowHumminbird Helix 12 Mega SI on Ram Mount at ConsoleLowrance HDS 8 in dash at console
toledobasser wrote:I believe there are 3 different sizes of plugs that you can try for the prop.And you can also get solid plugs and drill the holes yourself, which makes for almost infinite “tune-ability”.
Its going to take 30 hours of engine time just to get proficient and to get a feel for your boat and its characteristics. Be patient with adjustments until you get past that point.
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