Uhh, am I Ok??

[Alex621]

I just put on my true tracker from BMS. I lined it up perfect so the circle hole on the bottom was perfectly around my zinc under the cavitation plate, drilled bolted, stood back to admire my work....but now I’m second guessing. Is it ok that there is that gap between the cavitation plate and the BMS plate? I ordered the 40+ hp model for my 60 hp Yamaha. I’m kind of in a buyers remorse panic

 

[Offshoreman]

That looks correct, and there are others here that praise their performance improvements with the addition of that particular plate. Did you fill the void between the anti-ventilation plate and the BMS plate? If not, take it off and use a good marine grade silicone to "bed" the two together.

 

[Alex621]

Yes, I sealed in between the two and was even planning to run a perfect bead around the perimeter of the seams. It is just that slot that is left open at the rear and how far the bolts stick up that started bugging me. I will probably trim those studs down a bit.
Otherwise I have been really excited to try it based on all that I have read here. I have always felt like the boat just needed a little extra performance that this should provide.

 

[Offshoreman]

I don't see any need at all to trim off the bolts. I think all you would be doing is creating a problem for yourself if you ever had to take it apart and put it back together with the same bolts. they are above the plate which should be skimming on top of the water when you're running. If the plate is not doing that you might consider raising your outboard one hole.

 

[Dave LeGear]

Looks like it was mounted a little too far aft then again, the shape of that model Yamaha lower unit "might" dictate such.

Be that as it may here is how most look (including all the ones I have installed on mine or friends Skiffs) and yes on some the bolts were too long for my taste (just being anal, not a performance issue) and knocked off a few threads for a cleaner look

Hope this helps?

Dave

 

[Alex621]

Thanks for the replies. Good points on the bolts, 50/50 if I get around to trimming them since it is cosmetic after all.
That picture you sent is the same one that threw me into a slight panic. Certainly a different model plate, the shape and 4 bolts instead of 6. But I double checked their website and my packing list and the one I got is definitely marked as 40-70 hp. The thing that is reassuring can be seen in this pic. I had no other mounting option possible. Unless I wanted to box in my zinc, which would be a real PIA anytime you want to change it or remove the lower unit for water pump service etc, since that bolt that holds the lower unit on is hidden under there.
Maybe I will shoot water up in the air like a jet ski through that hole . I would be fine with it as long as performance isn’t effected! I will try to follow up how it works once I get in the water. I have a prop issue I found when I started this project that needs fixing before I can get out there. I will post that next

 

[Dave LeGear]

Test it and see if water shooting up becomes an issue and lard back on the Outboard? If so, just have a local Metal Fab shop weld in a plate for you and some welders are mobile, and will even come to you

Let us know how it works out for you!

 

[Codfish]

I think you will find that the water being forced through the hole will be an annoyance. Test if you must but I would find a way to plug it and be done with it.

Trim the bolts also, you will thank yourself.

Just my two cents based on personal experience.

 

[Alex621]

I will be in the water by the weekend and will update on how it goes. I’m also waiting on a propulse propeller that I ordered after my education on this site. Since I have a few seasoned vets ears though; my motor is mounted in the top hole/lowest position. The anti-cav plate is below the bottom of the keel by at least an inch. Generally speaking is this too low, not ideal?

 

[Offshoreman]

That's a common misconception. Starting with the anti-ventilation plate even with the bottom of the boat is just that, a starting point. What you want is, at your optimum cruise speed and faster up to wide open throttle speed, you want the anti-ventilation plate skimming on top of the water. That may be higher or lower from boat to boat, and will be affected by how you load it. So run it and have somebody at the wheel so you can go back and take a look. If it's buried, bring your outboard up.

 

[Codfish]

Yes, what Offshoreman said. I neglected my outboard height for many years. Now I run a setback bracket and love it. You cannot believe the advantages of a properly mounted outboard, speed and fuel consumption.

 

[Dave LeGear]

Or take it one step further and install / see the Beauty of the powered Flats Jack...
Real time Outboard running adjustments to really help with less fuel burn, and more speed to out run storms that look like mini Hurricanes

 

[Offshoreman]

Much more expensive, and adding yet another system to your boat, but a hydraulic setback jack plate would be the ultimate in adjustability.

 

[Dave LeGear]

Also good ROI if you use your Skiff / Boat a lot in fuel savings and... use it also!

You would be surprised how many hardly use it once running? This including to help launch and recover at shallow angle / shallow water ramps as you drive her off and back onto the trailer

 

[Codfish]

I will be interested in your opinion of the ProPulse. I have run one for several years now and really like the way it works. Once I get the boat out this year I plan on tweeking my pitch some to see if I can't eek out just a little more speed now that I have reduced the total drag of the boat while on plane.

Can't beat it for adjustability and the price is very reasonable.

 

[Offshoreman]

I, too, I'm interested in your experience. I think they probably aren't best suited for the large outboards in the 250 to 300 and beyond. But for the 150 and 200 4-cylinders, they may work well.

 

[Alex621]

The stabilizer plate has certainly improved performance. Gets on plane in a much more reasonable amount of time and steers better at speed. Seems to allow me to hold plane at lower speeds. All and all a good investment. No funny spray patterns even with the hole open.

I still don’t have a complete verdict on the propulse. When I ran the boat with my stock prop and the stabilizer plate it felt better than ever, me and 1 son in the boat, plus the trolling motor and it’s 2 batteries. Next time I went I put on the propulse, but 2 sons and the TM in tow. I think we hit the tipping point for weight. Performance was just not as good. Not a fair trial. The only thing was, I had the propulse at it’s factory pitch, dead middle of its range, and it could not accelerate or get up in rpms. So I dialed it all the way to its least pitch and the performance was just “ok”. Not a fair trial because of the weight, but I was hoping that it would do things I just couldn’t do before. I guess once you get too much weight for the motor there is no magic bullet.

 

[Dave LeGear]

How many blades is your stock prop and what is it made from?