Tritoon set-up

You know the drill..

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DWRAT
Posts: 142
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:17 pm
Location: Phx,AZ

Re: Tritoon set-up

#16 Post by DWRAT » Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:20 pm

[quote="Luke0351"]Update... tried a bunch of stuff today. Realize that a 16p on the merc 150 no matter engine position just won't turn more than about 5100-5200.

Settled on middle mount hole which put cav plate at surface of water at WOT, ran 5000rpm and got 34 on gps. Dead calm water, 95 degrees, 2 people 40 gallons of fuel. Speed was disappointing but performance in all was good. Thinking 14p will get me to 5600 rpm just afraid to lose speed.[/quote]

How are you moving your motor up and down so easy? Jack plate?
2012 SouthBay 722CRO 115hp Merc 4-stroke. Edit, make that a 150hp Merc 4-stroke now.

Luke0351
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 1:17 pm

Re: Tritoon set-up

#17 Post by Luke0351 » Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:28 pm

Easy...that's not the description I would use! It was 95 degrees and 400% humidity.
I pulled the boat onto the trailer, found a nice level spot, chocked wheels, then blocked under the skeg with wood till it was just touching with the motor close to perpendicular to the ground. Once all set up I used the jack on the trailer (actually my son did that part) to raise or lower the front of the boat to impact the rear. I removed top bolts and loosened lower bolts to allow the motor to slide getting it close with the jack then using the power trim for smaller adjustments until the top bolts slid back on easily. Made 4 changes and test drove in about 2 hours.

DWRAT
Posts: 142
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:17 pm
Location: Phx,AZ

Re: Tritoon set-up

#18 Post by DWRAT » Wed Jul 19, 2017 6:01 pm

[quote="Luke0351"]Easy...that's not the description I would use! It was 95 degrees and 400% humidity.
I pulled the boat onto the trailer, found a nice level spot, chocked wheels, then blocked under the skeg with wood till it was just touching with the motor close to perpendicular to the ground. Once all set up I used the jack on the trailer (actually my son did that part) to raise or lower the front of the boat to impact the rear. I removed top bolts and loosened lower bolts to allow the motor to slide getting it close with the jack then using the power trim for smaller adjustments until the top bolts slid back on easily. Made 4 changes and test drove in about 2 hours.[/quote]

Wow, very impressive but it sounds super risky to me....
Any pictures of the wood and jack in action, I would love to see the setup.
2012 SouthBay 722CRO 115hp Merc 4-stroke. Edit, make that a 150hp Merc 4-stroke now.

Luke0351
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 1:17 pm

Re: Tritoon set-up

#19 Post by Luke0351 » Wed Jul 19, 2017 6:12 pm

Didn't seem risky and was pretty easy. The bottom bolts keep anything catastrophic from happening. Literally, I just stacked 2x4's under the skeg and used the trim to put a tiny bit of pressure on the wood. Once you start cranking the jack everything just slides. Just maybe wait until it's not a million degrees.

DWRAT
Posts: 142
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:17 pm
Location: Phx,AZ

Re: Tritoon set-up

#20 Post by DWRAT » Wed Jul 19, 2017 7:03 pm

Okay, I just went and looked at my motor and I see the lower bolt holes are elongated.
I thought you were removing all 4 bolts and then jacking it up.
My 115 didn't have elongated lower holes but I see my 150 does...
2012 SouthBay 722CRO 115hp Merc 4-stroke. Edit, make that a 150hp Merc 4-stroke now.

crookedlaker
Posts: 184
Joined: Fri May 16, 2014 7:45 am
Location: angola IN

Re: Tritoon set-up

#21 Post by crookedlaker » Tue Jul 25, 2017 6:24 am

I tested a 14 pitch prop this weekend

5600 RPM at 36 mph with the 14 pitch enertia
i was at 5400 RPM at 38mph this spring with the 15 pitch enertia prop

I guess the 15 wins however it was a lot warmer and the water was a little rougher but i still think the 15 was better on my boat
I will try it our this weekend and see if the lake is calmer.

I may keep the 14 for a spare or sell it

Mike
2017 Harris Sunliner 200
Tri-toon P+ Package
2017 Mercury 150 4 stroke

2014 Harris Cruiser 200 Sold!!
2014 Mercury 90 four stroke (120 HP via Simon Motorsports) Sold!!

captain28570
Posts: 85
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2016 9:49 pm
Location: Baton Rouge LA

Re: Tritoon set-up

#22 Post by captain28570 » Tue Jul 25, 2017 7:18 pm

Here is mine with a 19 pitch viper. Its on the bottom hole. I might move it up one hole. Anything over 4000 rpms I get 3 mpg or better. WOT is almost as good as midrange MPG. The faster I go the better the MPG. Its only burns around 12.5 GPH at WOT.

The Merc and Yamaha 150 4 strokes burn 16 GPH at 5800 Merc to 6000 RPMS on the Yamaha. But most of the Toons only get 5400 to 5600 rpms so its more around 14 or so GPH at WOT.

The Evinrude G2 should be propped between 5600 and 5700. I'm right on those numbers.

This was 3 people, 35 gallons of fuel, all the normal stuff and gear and top up. Top doesn't really change the speed like I thought it would.
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2017 22 Manitou Aurora LE SHP Tritoon Evinrude G2 HO 150

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haganjeff
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Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Re: Tritoon set-up

#23 Post by haganjeff » Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:26 pm

Thanks so much for the advise. I also raised my motor yesterday in the parking lot at the boat ramp using a floor jack and several pieces of wood. The floor jack was too short so had to keep adding wood blocks. The jack was moving the motor up and in instead of straight up. Using the trailer crank trick referenced worked like a charm!

Unfortunately, I only picked up 75 to 100 rpm at WOT by raising my motor 2 holes (5750 RPM). Gained maybe 1mph, but the boat seemed more lively and quicker out of the hole. Think the 14x18 stainless steel prop is one size too big for my 115HP Suzuki. Pretty sure a Stainless 14x17 would get me closer to 6000 rpm's where the motor seems to make the most power.
2016 Bentley Elite Admiral 220 - 115HP Suzuki
Strakes, LED Package, Hydraulic Steering

Bamaman
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Re: Tritoon set-up

#24 Post by Bamaman » Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:39 am

Do you really need to haul around so much fuel? And speeds on a very hot summer day are lower than when temps are more moderate. You may have a little more speed left to pickup.
'12 Bennington 24' SSLX Yamaha 150

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teecro
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Re: Tritoon set-up

#25 Post by teecro » Thu Jul 27, 2017 6:13 am

I really wish my memory was better but I just raised my motor 2 holes as the prop plate was hanging well below the transom and I could not see it while underway. But I swear that I lost RPM and the best speed I saw after raising the motor was 33/34 MPH @ 5600/5700 RPM whereas last time home I swear I was turning nearest to full 6K and at least 37/38 (?) MPH... Now this is a brand new pontoon but it does stay wet 24/7 so it was 6 weeks in the water and I realize that will take a toll, but the toons had been wiped down with a Scotchbrite pad so there was no real growth... Overall raising the motor has had no negative affect as it handles fine and accepts trim and reacts accordingly.

24 foot Berkshire with 2.75 sport toon and 2 inside lifting stakes and Yamaha F150 with a Solas New Saturn 14.5 x 15 stainless 3-Blade...
T CRO
2017 Berkshire CTS 24 RFX with Yamaha F150/Simomized 200
2015 Caravelle 16 EBo with Mercury 90

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rancherlee
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Re: Tritoon set-up

#26 Post by rancherlee » Fri Jul 28, 2017 6:51 am

[quote="haganjeff"]Thanks so much for the advise. I also raised my motor yesterday in the parking lot at the boat ramp using a floor jack and several pieces of wood. The floor jack was too short so had to keep adding wood blocks. The jack was moving the motor up and in instead of straight up. Using the trailer crank trick referenced worked like a charm!

Unfortunately, I only picked up 75 to 100 rpm at WOT by raising my motor 2 holes (5750 RPM). Gained maybe 1mph, but the boat seemed more lively and quicker out of the hole. Think the 14x18 stainless steel prop is one size too big for my 115HP Suzuki. Pretty sure a Stainless 14x17 would get me closer to 6000 rpm's where the motor seems to make the most power.[/quote]

The Solas Amita 4 props work pretty good on my DF140, and can be found for under 120$ online. My DF140 has the 2.38 case which is a slightly different ratio than the DF90/100/115 and later DF140's have. My fastest prop is a Johnson/Evinrude 4 stroke series 13.875x17 3 blade stainless, it has large ears and works very well for lighter loads, the Aluminum Amita 4 17p is only 1-2 mph slower than that prop. The DF115 on my parents fishing boat runs its best when propped to turn 5700-5900 rpm, anything more and power/speed drop off.
1988' Kennedy 20' "Haley's Comet"
Rebuilt 2016 with 25" single strake outer tubes and a 25x23" straked U-tube
2003 Suzuki DF140 - Yamaha 9.9HT kicker - 39.1@6300rpm

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haganjeff
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Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Re: Tritoon set-up

#27 Post by haganjeff » Mon Jul 31, 2017 11:04 pm

[quote="rancherlee"][quote="haganjeff"]Thanks so much for the advise. I also raised my motor yesterday in the parking lot at the boat ramp using a floor jack and several pieces of wood. The floor jack was too short so had to keep adding wood blocks. The jack was moving the motor up and in instead of straight up. Using the trailer crank trick referenced worked like a charm!

Unfortunately, I only picked up 75 to 100 rpm at WOT by raising my motor 2 holes (5750 RPM). Gained maybe 1mph, but the boat seemed more lively and quicker out of the hole. Think the 14x18 stainless steel prop is one size too big for my 115HP Suzuki. Pretty sure a Stainless 14x17 would get me closer to 6000 rpm's where the motor seems to make the most power.[/quote]

The Solas Amita 4 props work pretty good on my DF140, and can be found for under 120$ online. My DF140 has the 2.38 case which is a slightly different ratio than the DF90/100/115 and later DF140's have. My fastest prop is a Johnson/Evinrude 4 stroke series 13.875x17 3 blade stainless, it has large ears and works very well for lighter loads, the Aluminum Amita 4 17p is only 1-2 mph slower than that prop. The DF115 on my parents fishing boat runs its best when propped to turn 5700-5900 rpm, anything more and power/speed drop off.[/quote]

Thanks for the feedback. The gear ratio on the newer DF115A's is 2.59. I think 14x17 in aluminum and 14x16 or 14x17 in stainless seems to be the best compromise. I am hitting 28mph @5,750 with 2 adults and light gear with the Suzuki 14x18 SS. A 14x17 stainless may get me 30-31 mph.. Pretty happy overall, but it is fun trying to squeeze every last bit of performance out!
2016 Bentley Elite Admiral 220 - 115HP Suzuki
Strakes, LED Package, Hydraulic Steering

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