Speed - 14' Aluminum V'bow

[Stoker1]

Thinking about a small project that I could slap my Merc 20 tiller on. These little 14' V bows are all over the place for cheap and the thought came to grab one up and put the 20 on there and see what she'll do. I've got a 18" chopper that I'd like to see if she can spin and a few others.

That Merc currently pushes a light 16' Carolina Skiff to 30, so I'd guess it would push the lighter aluminum rig to nearly 35?

[4Speed]

I had a Starcraft SF14 with a 1979 20 HP short shaft tiller Mercury. It would run in the high 20's low 30s with one on board and no junk other than safety equipment. Back then prop sizes were very limited unlike today, it was either something a 9"pitch 3 blade or a 11" P 2 blade. You may get 35 with the proper wheel... keep a close eye on the RPMs. I ended up breaking a reed by overturning.

[FMP]

Nice prop to have, hard to find. I don't think the 20 will turn it without lugging it right down, maybe I'm wrong.

[AlliStan]

Little boats are fun to mess with. I have had a 13' 8" CMF fiberglass boat (duck boat) with stick steering and a stock 25 Johnson for maybe 15 years. Over time I have messed with the original prop to try to get more speed out of it, successfully. I cupped it with a ball peen hammer on an anvil, a little at a time, until it maxed out at about 33 mph. I've been looking for a short shaft 40 Tohatsu 2 stroke for several years, to no avail. Now I'm considering a new 40 Tohatsu 4 stroke, but would really rather have a 2 stroke for the weight savings. They are scarce as hens teeth.

[FMP]

For laughs and fun I hung a 25 Force Lightning on a 12' aluminum , 96lb 3cyl 6500rpm. Didn't care how fast, but it flew. Same lower unit as the last generation 25 merc 2 strokes 85-2000? .

[mr fun]

for Gods sake please wear a helmet :iagree: :D

[FMP]

That's good advice. It's a flat water glass to ripple ride, comparing a 25 Merc later 2 stroke to the Lightning on that 12' , suprise to say the Lightning I really couldn't hold wide open. Same height on the transom, just had more scare in it. Boat is good for a 15HP , the Lightning weighs nothing, and the tripe sound is great. 1/3 throttle is plenty just running around, crack it open and it leaps .