23' Eliminator resto-mod pics

[RikuY]

Awesome concept and great turnout!

[engineermike]

Folks, I'm looking for a little more prop feedback. As mentioned before, my boat ran terrible with bravo1 props, 88 with a blaster, 93.5 with a promax and raised 3/4", and 97.6 with a max5. All were 28". I bought the promax because the price was right, all the manners were good, and the top speed was good enough for normal use. However, I've since discovered that I've lost 25-30% of my mid and low speed fuel economy versus what I got with the borrowed max5. Apparently, my high running propshaft is causing too much slip and maybe not enough lift with only 4 blades.

Anyway, I'm kicking around 3 options:
1. Bite the bullet and just buy a max5. It's a proven performer on my boat.
2. Get a base Maximus. It's much cheaper and has more blade area so it could potentially work even better at mid and low speeds. If I could hit 85 still I'd be happy for my everyday prop. If it doesn't work, bblades says they can convert it to a max5.
3. I found a deal on a hydromotive P5 (NOT P5X). Price is right but everything I read says it's a stern lifter. Based on my experience with stern-lifting bravo1's, I'm not sure how well it would work. The center pod gives me plenty, if not too much, stern lift.

[RikuY]

Out of those 3 options, I would buy the Max5 and call it a day. It is your benchmark for everything in your post. You can do the other options later, but get to where you can run your rig at your established benchmark.

I wanted to also ask if you go out in the Gulf with your rig, and how it does if you do? I moved to South Florida, Boynton Beach to be exact, and am concerned the 23' is not going to be a good choice for blasts out in the Atlantic and getting through the inlets. I may need to get something with some more gunwale height. Any opinions welcome!

[engineermike]

Hard for me to say about offshore performance because I have little experience with that and different hulls. I can say the eliminator handles boat wakes like a dream, much better than similarly sized v hulls. In big head-on waves, it can hit pretty hard. I crossed the lake in honest 3' seas (5' by most estimates) and the wife wasn't comfortable but I wouldn't classify it anywhere near dangerous.

[conmax]

Good that you took the time to restore this 23. I have owned 4 eliminators and don’t have the patience or skills to tackle this level of rebuild. I have a 28 with twin 400’s that performs best withMerc CNC cleavers with 34 pitch. Added 6 mph over max 5, just kinda pricey.

[eli]

23 Daytona does pretty good in 3 foot chop and after noon boat slop we used to fly across lake tomahawk at 90 mph when the ski boats were idling along along with pontoons they must of thought we were nuts 1 foot or more and my 22 twister goes back on the trailer

[engineermike]

Just an update....I was fretting over a 30% increase in fuel efficiency at 60 mph when using the pro max vs the max5 props. Another board member graciously loaned me a 26" Maximus, which is largely considered a high powered i/o prop. It worked pretty good, gaining back some fuel efficiency (though not as good as max5 still). While I wasn't looking hard at top speed, kmowing I would lose some due to being on the limiter plus excess blade area, it still managed 88.4 mph in spite of much hotter ambient temp. The acceleration and other manners were excellent though.

I have the 25" p5x coming so we will see how it does.

[Brad Zastrow]

After watching the video the boat is not balanced at all. You need a lot more setback to get that boat to fly and let the hull lift with the air not trying to force it up with the prop. I think about 6" further back. I bet your slip ratio is high. The rooster tail is way too high as you are running positive trim to fly the boat. I have owned a 24 and 25 Eliminator and worked with ELI on setup of his 23. Setup is everything. Props will get you the last few mile per hour. I do think a five blade will help but you are over compensating for the lack of natural bow lift in the tunnel. Going back will also allow you to raise the motor higher and run a bigger prop.
Look at the setback of my 24 with twins. That hull was much lighter than a 23 and had a lot more setback with two engines that yours with one. The 25 was also very light and still had a lot more setback with twins than your 23.
It will be night and day when you balance the boat. ELI's 23 was setup perfect and look at how it flies in only a 1000' radar run and notice his rooster tail is perfect at the finish line at about the height of the engine or even less at higher speeds.

[Brad Zastrow]

I am thinking that boat should run near 100 mph setup correctly. Props are the thing that get you the last 5 mph.

[engineermike]

I am thinking that boat should run near 100 mph setup correctly.

My best so far was 98.6, and I haven't corrected the "hook" in the hull yet.

[Brad Zastrow]

Wow. Sounds like you getting it dialed in. The photo looks much better than the video did.

[mmartin]

Agreed. Set back and height. This kevlar set up with 4.blade 30's would easily turn 8500 rpm. We cut an inch off.the back 16" off the center pod.

[tunnelmike]

I have nothing pertinent to add but nice ride and now I know what it looks like! Mike

[HydroSkreamin]

This one has 6"x62" out. On the water next month. mmartin, I'd love to hear before and after comments if you have them.

[engineermike]

I've been doing some more prop testing, mainly in search of an efficient and quick accelerating every-day prop. Here's a summary of all the props I've tried:

77 mph, 22% slip with a 26" bravo1
88.0 mph, 15% slip with a 27" blaster (7/8" above pad)
91.0, 15% with a 28" promax (7/8)
93.5, 13% with 28" promax (1 5/8" above). 3.7 mpg at 31 mph.
97.6, 8.5% with 28" max5 (1 5/8). 4.2 mpg at 27 mph.
88.4, 11.5% with 26" Maximus, 1 5/8. 4.3 mpg at 27 mph.
87.0, 9.5% with a 25" P5X, 1 5/8. 4.1 mpg at 32 mph.

All were 7000-7100 rpm.

Mpg was the peak for that prop. Of those with mpg shown, the Maximus was the most efficient up to 31 mph, p5x most efficient 31-37 mph, and max5 most efficient from 37 on up.

It's pretty clear from an efficiency and slip perspective that the boat likes 5 blades.