Prop and Engine Performance

[THEFERMANATOR]

If you still have the engine hook just raise it up one more hole and try it. You'll know right away if it's too high as it will try and blow out coming on plane, or you will hear a buzzing sound when you trim it. When trimming for your top speed run, you want it trimmed to the point that the bow feels like it's airborne and almost jumpy. When I get em trimmed out high for top end runs and feels like it's trying to take off on every wave. your numbers still aren't bad for that boat and engine combo as it sits, and the MIRAGE will give you goo cruise numbers offshore. It isn't a top speed prop though from what I have found, it actually seems to work better on heavy tanks. I put one on a SEARYA 250 cuddy cabin and it made that boat fly compared to a regular stainless prop.

[RidgeRunner]

Joe, I had a 200 merc carb on the 20 cc for a while. It would turn a small diameter Quicksilver 17p past redline to 6100 and when I put the 17p Mirage it brought the rpm back to 5800. If you were not heavy when testing with the 15p sounds like a smaller pitch or diameter may help. IMO Prop testing should be done at high speed, trimmed out all the way. If you get to the redline with a light load it should be pretty close to perfect. I am pretty sure they build in some break in time in the computer on the Opti, you won't know what you have until you get past break-in. But I am not sure how many hours that takes or what the computer is doing during this time (I expect it isn't seeing max timing at WOT)
How does the boat sit in the water with the bracket?
I misread the first post. It should definitely turn the 15p

[joe7670]

Actually, it's very possible that the electronics limit something cause there is a "Break in" period of 120 minutes on the guages. I'm down to 60 minutes or so.

I added a picture of how the boat sits below. It sits a little lower that it used to in the back. Not that I ever had it in the water but just basing on the prior water line. I'm talking maybe 1/2" lower, nothing crazy.

Sounds like i'm going to have to go out on one more trip to get out of break in mode, get better pics and maybe take a friend that knows how to drive or take pics. After that trip I may have more info.

[RidgeRunner]

Sweet, that picture says it all. I knew it would work. My cc sits much lower in the stern. I think about up to the top of your stripe.
I agree that motor height needs to be checked. You will get it figured out it just takes time. I have a smaller diameter 19p Quicksilver if you want to try it.

[joe7670]

Thank you for the offer, but the shop is willing to work with me on the props. which is pretty cool. I am waiting for them to get in to bounce the #'s off of them to see what they think as well.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Get your break in out of the way, and I from what I have read I would strongly reccomend running the MERCURY DFI oil in that OPTI all the time. That picture of her at rest looks like an ideal weight balance, just looks like it is time to dial in your set-up.