Trimate II Setup - Attention 175Checkmate

[cbattles]

175Checkmate -- I've checked out your restoration thread and alot of your posts concerning the setup of your Trimate II.

I'm currently in the process of putting in a new floor, transom, and doing some other work to my Trimate II and I'm emulating a few of the things that I saw in your restoration. Like running the transom straight across instead of the double dip factory configuration.

I have a few questions though about the specific setup...

You run the prop shaft 3" below the bottom of the V, have you found that you need a low water pickup to run it this way? If so, how high were you able to go before you needed the low water pickup?

I think you used to run a 25p prop, but now you're running a 27p and you've tried a few others -- if your main concern was pulling skiers or tubers and not top speed, what prop would you run?

Same question but with your jackplate - did you find that the 6" of setback had any negative affects when it comes to pulling skiers, etc.?

At what point do you feel that the hydraulic or dual cable steering becomes necessary? I'm wondering if it's purely a speed thing, or a big motor on a small hull thing...

It looks like you modified your splashwell, but I can't really tell to what extent. I was thinking about reducing the depth of it since the top of the transom is going to end up quite a bit higher, but I can't really grasp where my steering cables are going to need to come out in order to function properly if the motor has 6" of setback... Also, do you have any pictures of your boat with your motor at full tilt up? I'm curious about the clearance that you have and whether or not you could have modified your splashwell further... Any words of wisdom would be helpful...

Sorry for all of the questions...

 

[lbfd48]

Hi, I have a trimate also, just a few things to share with ya. The 6" jackplate is a must I think, It was like night and day, my chine walk was gone, and when I raised my merc (150hp) from 9" to 5" below keel, I picked up 800rpms and 5mph and hole shot was still good at 5". With a 14x19p laser II, I ran 57mph @ 6600rpm. With a aluminum 13.5x23p prop I ran 63mph @6000rpm. I also rased it to 4" below keel w/ the aluminum prop, and my hole shot sucked and it was blowing out (not gripping) on plane, make sure you have a good ss prop. My next test will be a chopper and 3.5" below keel .

 

[cbattles]

Thanks lbfd48 -- do you have any water pressure problems with normal water pickups? Or are you running a low pickup?

 

[lbfd48]

No, I dont have a lwp, the highest I've ran the merc was 4" below keel, at this height I didnt have a water problem, just a problem w/ the alumium prop. I've heard with a 6" setback that you can get 3.5" to 3" max below keel, before you start having water pressure problems, but I have not had a chance to try it.

 

[Reed]

175Checkmate -- I've checked out your restoration thread and alot of your posts concerning the setup of your Trimate II.

I'm currently in the process of putting in a new floor, transom, and doing some other work to my Trimate II and I'm emulating a few of the things that I saw in your restoration. Like running the transom straight across instead of the double dip factory configuration.

I have a few questions though about the specific setup...

You run the prop shaft 3" below the bottom of the V, have you found that you need a low water pickup to run it this way? If so, how high were you able to go before you needed the low water pickup?

I think you used to run a 25p prop, but now you're running a 27p and you've tried a few others -- if your main concern was pulling skiers or tubers and not top speed, what prop would you run?

Same question but with your jackplate - did you find that the 6" of setback had any negative affects when it comes to pulling skiers, etc.?

At what point do you feel that the hydraulic or dual cable steering becomes necessary? I'm wondering if it's purely a speed thing, or a big motor on a small hull thing...

It looks like you modified your splashwell, but I can't really tell to what extent. I was thinking about reducing the depth of it since the top of the transom is going to end up quite a bit higher, but I can't really grasp where my steering cables are going to need to come out in order to function properly if the motor has 6" of setback... Also, do you have any pictures of your boat with your motor at full tilt up? I'm curious about the clearance that you have and whether or not you could have modified your splashwell further... Any words of wisdom would be helpful...

Sorry for all of the questions...

I have the same set up as 175Checkmate on my TrimateII I could raise the motor to 2.5 in below the V in the keel and still got good water pressure I'm running a 28 pitch prop and put a whale tail on to get rid of the chine walk ( I got her to 63 on gps last fall and abotu 1/2 throttle left to go ) every boat is a bit different and every boater needs to have his own set-up for his needs
Everyone on this site will help give advise if you need ( good luck on the over haul ) my motor is a 2.4 that is about 240+ hp

 

[cbattles]

Thanks guys - I was really concerned about losing water pressure if I went that high.

 

[hotdaddy27]

I have the same set up as 175Checkmate on my TrimateII I could raise the motor to 2.5 in below the V in the keel and still got good water pressure I'm running a 28 pitch prop and put a whale tail on to get rid of the chine walk ( I got her to 63 on gps last fall and abotu 1/2 throttle left to go ) every boat is a bit different and every boater needs to have his own set-up for his needs
Everyone on this site will help give advise if you need ( good luck on the over haul ) my motor is a 2.4 that is about 240+ hp

How does the whale tale help with chine walk???

At 63MPH, there is no way that there is that much lower unit in the water.

I must be missing something.

Either way, if it works for you then that is all that matters. Just wondering.

HD

 

[justincase]

Loaded up heading to the lake now, whale tale doesnt help with chine. Im going to re adjust my jackplate since i put intake scoops on it last week. ill let you know the set up on my exciter. Im at 3.5 inches below the pad now and im going up more.

 

[lbfd48]

Todays test was the 24p chopper @ 3.5 below keel. Water pressure was good, and the hole shot, "what hole shot"? The chine walk was really bad, I was by myself tho (unbalanced). I left the gps at the house but, the speedo read 66mph with current @ 5200rpm, (the speedo and gps are usually pretty close with-in 1-2mph).

 

[cbattles]

Todays test was the 24p chopper @ 3.5 below keel. Water pressure was good, and the hole shot, "what hole shot"? The chine walk was really bad, I was by myself tho (unbalanced). I left the gps at the house but, the speedo read 66mph with current @ 5200rpm, (the speedo and gps are usually pretty close with-in 1-2mph).

Sounds like the best setup you had, keeping the hole shot, would have been the 5" below keel with the 23p prop?

I'm hoping to get a workable setup out of the gate and fine tune it from there...

 

[Reed]

How does the whale tale help with chine walk???

At 63MPH, there is no way that there is that much lower unit in the water.

I must be missing something.

Either way, if it works for you then that is all that matters. Just wondering.

HD

HD the chine walk is gone and because of the set back from the jack plate at 2.5-3in the whaletail is still in contact with the water ( lever effect )

Anyone reading my input please make sure you install a water pressure / temperature gauge to monitor your engine so you have the proper temp and pressure for you motor

 

[justincase]

Whale tale is only good for getting on plane quicker, when setting up a jackplate make sure you have a passenger or equal weight on the other side, a water pressure gauge because when the motor goes up you will lose water pressure. For speed a boat with a pad should have center prop line 3 inches below the pad....everybody is different though. 5200 rpm is a little low, if you raise that motor from 5 inches to 3 the rpms should come up. rpm range should be 5500 to 6000. i run mine at 5900. but thats just my .02 cents Not all the chine walk will go away but most will, if you are by yourself it will still chine walk some.