Low Water P/U without Cone?

[PaulO]

Is there anything out there that will give me low water pickup without a nose cone on my V6 Merc? I am at that speed where a nose cone will not help and might hinder but, I am starting to suck air at higher trim angles. Any ideas?
Thanks,
PaulO

[Wiski]

One option is a transom mounted pick-up. I have zero experience with them, and don't even have an idea as to how you cleanly pipe it to the motor. I am sure someone here has tried/still uses one.

Bobsmachine.com

Located with the foot throttles (gotta wonder why they put them there.) but it shows a picture of two different types.

[Markus]

I use a home-made one on my cat. The advantage is that you can raise the engine as high as you want without losing water pressure and that you do not have any holes in the nose cone disturbing the water flow to the propeller.

On a cat, the pick-up ends up on one of the sponsons and therefore does not disturb the flow to the prop.

Stainless Marine sells them as well.

[Techno]

Some one mentioned before you can block the upper intakes and run higher. Don't know the specifics. This sounds like the intermediate fix your looking for. I think the cost is just the filler. The gain is enough to tell you if this is an improvement.

[Rusrog]

I would just modify the stock location pickup's if I were you. I used a short, flat head rivet in the top 4 holes and then smoothed them over with Bondo. Then on the bottom hole increase the depth of the casting indent, but not the angle, and flatten the area slightly that leads into the pick-up holes.
Works great and will give you some more height to play with as well as increasing water pressure at all speeds.

[jerry]

hey paul , i wouldnt use the low water pickup mounted on the hull it will slow you down 1-3 mph , so will the nosecone . like the last guy said close off the 2 top holes in the gearcase with jb weld or marine tex. they make a small plate that bolts over the water inlets and forces the water in the holes, it just stops the water from by passing the inlets and forces it in .. good luck