anyone set up a vegas skier?

[johnboy 88 vegas]

I have a Hydrostream Vegas Skier with a 200 Merc stock fishing motor except for the heads being cut. Took the hook out bottom of the boat after running it bout a month cause obviously this hull aint set up for bow lift. This increased top speed by about 5-7 mph. I'm running a 6" Bobs jackplate and a 26" Yamaha style wheel but the boat still doesn't get enough bow lift to get on the pad like it should. The last time out it was runnin 72 mph at 6100 before the motor fried a piston. I heard that these boats like a lot of set back but haven't tried anything yet. Any insight on the bow lift would be appreciated. Thanks, John

[wideglide55]

If it is an unchanged skier you need to move the fuel tank from the bow to behind the back seat.

[johnboy 88 vegas]

yep its already behind the back seat and it runs better with about half tank instead of empty

[wideglide55]

You need a Mazco RE-3 or RE-4 with some extra cup,they have alot of bow lift,without more power that hull is hard to get to fly without some wind chop to help.Mine was a pig in flat water but in chop it ran good.

[johnboy 88 vegas]

In the chop it does run a lot better and i've tried a few different style choppers in 3 and 4 blade with no luck. Picked up another block and had it cut to drag specs and changin over to a 7 petal intake with bigger carbs so hopin the extra hp's will let it pack some more air under it cause this thing rides so flat a three year old could drive it. Thinkin bout addin some more setback too. How much set back were you runnin?

[wideglide55]

I ran 5'' on mine,after I sold it my buddy put a healthy 225 ,once that hull hits 70-75 then it will lift the bow and take off,once you get it to lift off you can tuck the trim back down a little so it won't get flighty.XT are kinda heavy and need more power than a v-bottom Stream to be as fast.
You said you took the hook out,do you mean out of the pad or out of the whole back of the boat.Try a Mazco you will see a difference in the amount of bow lift from other choppers,a RE-3 28 will wake that boat up when you get the extra power.

[hydro]

Do you have to take the hook out of the whole back of the boat?

[wideglide55]

Best to take a little out at a time and run it to see what happens,don't take out to much at first,it can ruin the handling of the boat.

[johnboy 88 vegas]

I took the hook out of the last 4 feet of the bottom from the pad up to the first set of strakes. Believe it or not the handling improved a good bit especially at higher speeds. I'll definitely try a Mazco when I get the motor back together since it sounds like the one that I need. Thanks for all the info, John

[Frank Molé]

i run mine with 11 inches of set back,lots of lift....:thumbsup:

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa158/frankmole/shaunsfastshot.jpg

[A-train-97]

I have a Hydrostream Vegas Skier with a 200 Merc stock fishing motor except for the heads being cut. Took the hook out bottom of the boat after running it bout a month cause obviously this hull aint set up for bow lift. This increased top speed by about 5-7 mph. I'm running a 6" Bobs jackplate and a 26" Yamaha style wheel but the boat still doesn't get enough bow lift to get on the pad like it should. The last time out it was runnin 72 mph at 6100 before the motor fried a piston. I heard that these boats like a lot of set back but haven't tried anything yet. Any insight on the bow lift would be appreciated. Thanks, John

I have the same problem with my Vegas. Sounds like the same set up that I'm running. Stock 2.4 with 6" jackplate and a 26P chopper. Tacking 6-61 @ 71mph. ( Gas tank is in the back also)
At 1 time I heard that they run good with 8-10" setback but them others tell me that 6" is about all you want? I too want more bowlift so any sugestions that work out good for ya let me know.
Thanks

[Frank Molé]

I have the same problem with my Vegas. Sounds like the same set up that I'm running. Stock 2.4 with 6" jackplate and a 26P chopper. Tacking 6-61 @ 71mph. ( Gas tank is in the back also)
At 1 time I heard that they run good with 8-10" setback but them others tell me that 6" is about all you want? I too want more bowlift so any sugestions that work out good for ya let me know.
Thanks

my boat with 2.4 11 INCHES OF SET BACK RAN 82-3 :thumbsup:

[150aintenuff]

setback, and a SOLID transom, and Power...

[johnboy 88 vegas]

Thanks for all the good advice guys and cant wait to go run this thing again when I get it back together. I'll report back with the new speed numbers when the time comes.

[A-train-97]

I'm gona try running 10" of setback with my set up this year. I'll let you know how it works out for me. Also going to install a lwp & solid motor mounts before I get her wet.
Hope 10" isnt to much seeing that I have the paded v and not the xt hull?

[johnboy 88 vegas]

Yep I was thinkin the same thing on the set back. Already have the lwp and solid mounts. With my Yamaha style wheel it runs the best with the propshaft 1" under the pad but I would imagine it would need to come up a little more with the increased setback. Bout to have my new to me motor together in a couple of weeks so i'm gonna go try it out with the extra hp before I change the setback. Oh and if your boat rides as flat as mine does I seriously doubt that 10" would be too much setback.

[samari]

I ran 12" with a stock 200 2.4 into the mid 80's last year, this year it will have a little more power.

[imq707s]

I run 10" of setback on mine, and with a stock 25 Trophy plus it's got tons of lift...and will run 78-79....and with my 27 SRX it will run low 80's. I thought it was a HUGE difference going from the 6" to the 10" setback that I have now. MUCH easier to keep the hull out of the water, especially with a boat load of people and gear.

Try a Trophy, you will probably like it! :thumbsup:

Call R&R Design direct if you are looking for a great deal on a nice jackplate....they will give you a heck of a deal. If I remember right (and I may be off), they sold me a new 10" Slidemaster jackplate for a little over $200.....and from Cabela's and other places that sell them, they are almost $400.

http://www.rnrd.com/mpa.main.html#

[THE HOGG]

i run mine with 11 inches of set back,lots of lift....:thumbsup:

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa158/frankmole/shaunsfastshot.jpg

uh huh, me too!

[opsdave]

I'll be setting up one of these in a week or so. My friend has an 84 Vegas with a 2.4 200, cut heads, and solid mounts. I'll be installing a 12" jack plate. Where should I start out with the motor height? Right now he has a 24P prop and is running around 63-64 with the motor bolted to the transom. I have a 26 and a 28 Trophy Plus to try after the jack plate goes on. There is no LWP at this time. He's going to try the scoops for this season and install a Bob's cone in the off season.

[imq707s]

12" sure seems like a lot of setback.......I have 10" and can't imagine ever wanting any more. I run my motor 1" under the pad....that seems like a pretty good starting point.

[opsdave]

12" sure seems like a lot of setback.......I have 10" and can't imagine ever wanting any more. I run my motor 1" under the pad....that seems like a pretty good starting point.

Thanks for the info! I'm going to start with my 26P Trophy Plus and see how the boat responds. I have a 28P Trophy Plus, but that may be a little tall for his stock 2.4.

[Brett]

12" sure seems like a lot of setback.......I have 10" and can't imagine ever wanting any more. I run my motor 1" under the pad....that seems like a pretty good starting point.

I have the same boat. With this amount of setback is there a problem with porpoising or can it be controlled with trim?

[opsdave]

He ended up buying a 10" CMC manual jack. It's a nice heavy jack, but does not get the motor high enough. With the motor all the way up it's still 3.5" below the pad. It will turn my 28P Trophy Plus to 6K no problem. It has no porpoise at all and is very stable.

[Brett]

He ended up buying a 10" CMC manual jack. It's a nice heavy jack, but does not get the motor high enough. With the motor all the way up it's still 3.5" below the pad. It will turn my 28P Trophy Plus to 6K no problem. It has no porpoise at all and is very stable.

Even at slower speeds?

[imq707s]

I have the same boat. With this amount of setback is there a problem with porpoising or can it be controlled with trim?

I did notice a little more porpoising at slower speeds compared to the 5.5" jackplate on used to have on the boat. Usually from the speed right where the boat planes off, until about 30mph it will porpoise a little...but if I trim the motor all the way down it stops. Usually I just try to make it a habit to cruise around at speeds over 30mph with some positive trim...and it rides just great.

I did notice a HUGE difference in how the boat handles when I went from the 5.5" to the 10" plate. I can get the boat flying much easier than before...even with a boat load of people and gear in the boat. But, you have to be easy on the trim with just one person in the boat...the front end can get flighty on you if you are not careful.

[imq707s]

He ended up buying a 10" CMC manual jack. It's a nice heavy jack, but does not get the motor high enough. With the motor all the way up it's still 3.5" below the pad. It will turn my 28P Trophy Plus to 6K no problem. It has no porpoise at all and is very stable.

Can't you just move the motor up to the next set of mounting holes? I'm running 1" under the pad...and I could probably go up another 3" if I wanted to.

[opsdave]

Even at slower speeds?

Yes even at slower speeds. With the motor tucked in there is no porpoise at all. He even pulls the kids around on a tube with no issues at all.

[opsdave]

Can't you just move the motor up to the next set of mounting holes? I'm running 1" under the pad...and I could probably go up another 3" if I wanted to.

The motor can only go up 1 more hole. That's only going to get him another 3/4" or so. What brand jack do you have?

[imq707s]

The motor can only go up 1 more hole. That's only going to get him another 3/4" or so. What brand jack do you have?

I have a, R&R slidemaster. It seems pretty well build, and you can get them pretty cheap if you call R&R direct. I think this 10" one was well under $200 new if I remember right.

http://www.jack-plate.com/jackplate-manufacturers/slidemaster-jackplates/

[opsdave]

[QUOTE=imq707s;2044463]I have a, R&R slidemaster. It seems pretty well build, and you can get them pretty cheap if you call R&R direct. I think this 10" one was well under $200 new if I remember right.

I told him to buy a 10" Vance, but he bought the CMC instead. I know the CMC's on Starflites like mine do not give enough lift. I have a hydraulic Dettwiler in mine. I have it mounted on the middle hole of the motor and plate and can go from 4" below to 2" above the V.