Questions regarding Setup on 21' Starflite

[F150GT]

Thanks Mark
I have made up several in this design, the upper tubes are mounted just above the swim platform ( I like to go higher but theres no wood any higher in the transome on a Starflight) There are 2 lower tubes extending down to about the bottom of the original transome plate and anouther 2 tubes from the bottom of the motor plate to the center top of the transome. I use 1.25" roll cage tubing and powder coat them. this one on my boat I integrated with a CMC jack plate, this plate is not right for the application so I'm working on some options. I have a bracket on my brothers Baja that is 18" , I'll try to post A pic of that one.

I'v seen some real awsome performance increases with adding excessive set back and height but you just cant do it safely from the standard outboard mounting pad, These redistribute the strain much farther out on the stronger part of the transome and give the mounting point a big 2'x3' foot print.

Boston I bought the decal off this site a couple years ago, it's COOL.

 

[dkramer]

cool looking plate

F150,
That is a cool looking plate. Did you fabricate that yourself or did you have someone else make it up? I like the idea of moving the weight distribution further out on the transom. How much does your motor weigh. If I did something like that I would need it to support 505lbs. give or take a few.

Dave

 

[dkramer]

2" in below V

Mark,
When I drop it level and pull a level line off the V I am approximately 2 inches below. Give or take a little. I need to re-measure it to get an exact.

Dave

 

[Mark]

Dave
2" is about right.
There is something wrong here, you should be spinning that prop to the limiter. My 200 EFI spins a 25" to 6000 rpm and 68 mph on the same hull. A couple of thoughts:
1) Is motor putting out full power? Check and see if cables are giving you WOT.
2) Prop is bad. Try a different prop.
3) Nosecone is slowing you down. Some say they can scrub 5 mph on a boat that is running under under 80. You are about 10 mph slower than what that setup should do.

 

[dkramer]

Thanks

Thanks Mark. I am going to try my buddy's 23p Trophy and I have an old 3 blase 23p prop I am going to try. I want to see something bounce off that rev limiter. I checked the cables when I first put them in and adjusted them out for WOT. I am going to recheck them and make sure the butterfly is opening all the way. I agree about the cone as well. When I bought the motor the cone was already on the LU so I am pretty much stuck with it. It really couldn;t come off easy plus the side inlets are brazed over or welded close (whatever you want to call it) I want to see if my buddy will let me try his LU that is stock unconed, but that LU is also an 1.62 not 1.75 so that wouldn't really be an accurate test for me. Alot of different possibilities here. Like you said at least 10mph is lost somewhere. Now I just need to find it

Dave

 

[aaronmt]

I tried spacers last summer and unless your going to install a second jackplate , the bobs 2 1/2 as well as the 3" cmc just continue the angle burring the motor deeper yet. I wanted a hydraulic plate myself but once I got it set at the right height ive never had to move it. I sometimes will run with 6 people other times just myself and havent needed any different height. I do like the braces F150 Im just a bit gun shy of drilling holes in the transom.So you drilled four , whats size bolts and how far out from the jack? Aaron

 

[aaronmt]

Grrr I know I should of just left well enuff alone but..... F150 can you post closer up pics of how you did the braces? You sent me some pics a while ago and I think the gf cleened up my mail box. I guess since my motor is torn down to the motor mounts now this would be the time to do this. Does it weeeken the jack when you drill through it , or is that what your doing iIts hard to see, I defianatley am a picture guy they help me a tramendous amount. Thanks Aaron

 

[dkramer]

Aaron,
Sorry thought that ques was for me I didn't drill any additional holes in the transom. I am bolted up to the originals through the transom and into the bottom holes of the jackplate. I have a ques for ya. Does the Vance help compensate for the transom angle? You said that you have a Vance 12"? Is that the 4630? I spoke with the guy last night and got some pricing on it. Pretty reasonable.

Dave

 

[aaronmt]

Give me a call i sent you a pm with my number.

 

[aaronmt]

I think mines the 4600 I dont see the 4630 on there, Aaron

 

[dkramer]

flipping the CMC

Aaron,
Thanks for all the info I really appreciate it. 1 More question. Have you or has anyone ever tried turning the cmc around and putting the engine side to the transom and the transom side to the engine and just reversing the leads on the switch so that up/down works correctly? Do you or does anyone know if that would even work. Just trying to think out of the box while I order up the Vance.

Dave

 

[merc245]

heres the setup I ran for years on my 92 starflite without any of this can't get up issues 10 in cmc bracket and cmc hyd lift for a total setback of 15 1/2" I think it was one clean rig.A 92 2.5 245hp cle lower. Never propped it for top end but would spin a 21 lazor II 74/7500 for a speed of 73/74mph.

 

[Mark]

Aaron,
Thanks for all the info I really appreciate it. 1 More question. Have you or has anyone ever tried turning the cmc around and putting the engine side to the transom and the transom side to the engine and just reversing the leads on the switch so that up/down works correctly? Do you or does anyone know if that would even work. Just trying to think out of the box while I order up the Vance.

Dave

At 2" below, I think you are high enough for 10" of setback. I think your problem lies elsewhere.
Now, if you want more setback and a little more height anyway, just stack a manual plate. Should go between transom and hyd. JP. I have an 8" Detwiler and a 5" Land & Sea on mine for a total of 13". Can go as high as I want.

 

[F150GT]

Here's some better pics of my set back brackets. One is mine which is 10" of bracket with a 5.5" CMC. The second is 14" bracket only, this is my prefered method if you dont want the versitility of a jack plate. My prop is very sensitive to height so I am trying to maintain the jack.
Set back is the key to Starflights, Last fall I took off the jack and ran 10" only and couldnt get past 67mph, I went home and put the jack back on everything else the same and ran 72mph.

 

[F150GT]

Here is a bracket I made for my brothers Baja. This boat was a real dog, 21' with 200 Merc 55mph we added a 14" bracket and got to 65 but didnt have enough height so I built him an 18" bracket and it now runs a strong 68. with some more dialing in it will breake 70. Hes turning a 28 chopper to 6800 and the prop shaft is 1/2" ABOVE the V.( he has a low water pick-up) The cool part is the boat pops on plane much faster than it did before with little cavitation.
My theroy is these heavy bow 21' boats need a lot of leverage to get the bow up and light weight mercs dont help, the heavier outboards actualy add more leverage=less set back is required.

Arron I use the original lower bolt holes and upper center then add an outter set of 1/2" bolts on the outter upper support pipes. In the end only 2 additional holes drilled. These plates are all custom fit to the hull, the Starflights have a complicated number of angles to deal with.
F150GT

 

[dkramer]

straighten transom angle

F150 have you ever just tried making a plate to straighten out the transom angle? That seems to be really what is killing me right now. How much to make one of those custom setback brackets for me?? LOL

Dave

 

[Boston Predictor]

I know I want one too! You do fine work f150! Ill pay good money if you make me one for my rallysport/300GT. Not sure if that could hold my 550lb motor though

 

[Mark]

F150 have you ever just tried making a plate to straighten out the transom angle? That seems to be really what is killing me right now. How much to make one of those custom setback brackets for me?? LOL

Dave

Dave
I think you may be barking up the wrong tree. The Starflite has a pretty typical angle. And all JP's follow the transom angle. Some just adjust for the loss of height better than others. I'd try your buddies prop and/or LU first before I did another thing.

 

[F150GT]

Boston Your Rally Sport is a perfect contender for one of these brackets and weight is not an issue, determining how much set back you want is the key. when you get the boat out have someone take some vidio of your fly by's to see how the boat is flying, also pay attention to how it performs at different trim angles. Find out the optimum hieght your prop runs at.
There are some quirks with extreme set back, I have found sometimes you have to add more negitive trim(trim angle wedges) to prevent porpising at low speeds with a full load of people. Also pad hulls dont require as much as true deep V. I Ski with mine and has not adversly affected its pull at all.
I would gladly build a bracket for outhers, I hadnt thought about $ yet but will. These are custom fit so I would need your boat here in upstate N.Y. to make one.
F150GT

 

[F150GT]

Mark I agree there sounds like there is anouther problem somewere, this boat should run atleast 68 before you start playing with big set back. try a bunch of diffrent props and heights and document everything so you can see what works.