User Tag List

Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  0
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 23
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Ortonville, MI
    Posts
    55
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Looking for some history on this 88 V-King YT, and set up suggestions

    This is my first post to the boards and my first performance boat. I picked this up late November and have not had it in the water but a couple of times before winter set in and the lakes froze around here. It is a 1988 V-King YT with an 89 Merc 2.4 200 XRI. Current set up is manual 6 inch jack plate, prop set about even with the pad, running a small ear 26 pitch chopper, LWP. Boat runs in the upper 60's but is fairly unstable, turns about 6k on the tach. I am thinking this boat should likely be in the low 80's, but at least in the upper 70's. I bought it on kind of a spur of the moment as it was fairly cheap and close where I live. Does anybody know any history on this boat. I purchased it from a guy in the Saginaw Michigan area and he advised he bought it from a guy in the Fenton Michigan area and it originally had a Mariner 175 on it that blew the lower unit. The boat never seemed to really get the bow up high and aired out with the current set up the couple of times I drove it. I am looking for set up suggestions and if anybody knows a more detailed histoy of the boat that would be great too. I know it has been on these boards previously, I just can not seem to find any of the posts from the previous owners. Thanks for any help and suggestions.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 100_9439.jpg   100_9440.jpg   100_9446.jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    NE Alabama - Weiss Lake
    Posts
    702
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    7
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    V-Kings are a handful to drive at speed. They are rated for 175 HP but everyone around here drops at least 200 on them. Yours seems like a pretty standard setup. V-Kings take ALOT of seat time to be able to perform at high speeds. Don't give it too much positive trim.
    TJ309
    Older 17 foot Laser / 2.5L Merc 245 Racer
    1993 Speedster 13 / 2019 Merc 60 play boat
    2020 Lowe 24' Pontoon boat / 250hp Merc. 51mph!
    72 Hydrodyne bubbledeck undergoing keel up restoration
    2 Jetski's

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Jacksonville, FL
    Posts
    144
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    1
    Likes (Given)
    1
    Likes (Received)
    4
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Very nice looking boat.

    It sounds like you may be down on power a bit. Have you checked the compression?

    1986 Baker 18 Mod VP, Yamaha 175
    2001 Crest Pontoon, 150 Opti
    1968 Sears 14' aluminum, Merc 110

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Chackbay,La
    Posts
    408
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    My dad has one just like this with a 260 cut 2.5. It handle like a DREAM... at 95 u can drive it with one hand. NO problem. I think it all about them training wheel.... (tunnel) Great Boat...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Belvidere IL, FARM
    Posts
    7,737
    Thanks (Given)
    102
    Thanks (Received)
    115
    Likes (Given)
    1556
    Likes (Received)
    514
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Looks really nice. Keep an eye on your core and transom.
    God, Country, and Fast Boats
    SPECIAL BOAT TEAM 12/ HSB'S SOC NSWU-1

    _____________________________________________

    Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. And when your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that they weep and pray for more time that they may live there life over in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a Hero going home.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Sunbury, Pa
    Posts
    7,350
    Thanks (Given)
    9
    Thanks (Received)
    29
    Likes (Given)
    112
    Likes (Received)
    212
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Make sure the bottom is solid. The bottom may be flexing and causing a hook which is keeping it from flying. I would check that before running it again. If it delaminates at speed it is not pretty.


    Ralph Musser
    27' Fountain Fever W/ 525SC
    22' Rapid Craft W/ Evinrude 300 V8 January 2009 BOAT OF THE MONTH SOLD
    24' Triton 240 Gold W/ Mercury 60
    14' Royalcraft W/ Evinrude 75 father/daughter project

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Ortonville, MI
    Posts
    55
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I have looked the bottom over as well as I can without cutting into it. The floor is original, so I know the core must be as well. I have looked over both sides of the center pad and can find no stress cracks on it, and it appears to be solid everywhere with no hallow sounding spots when you knock on it. The floor on the inside of the boat is nice and solid everywhere as well with no soft spots. I do not believe the core to be an issue with the boat at this time, but I do realize virtually all of them have had issues or have issues. The prop condition it less than perfect, but not THAT bad (it has been repaired once in the past it appears). I have also tried a very clean 26 pitch big ear chopper and the speeds were virtually identical to the small ear that came on the boat, and I tried a 26 pitch clever and once again the speed was about the same, maybe even a little slower with it. I have compression checked the motor and cold it had 115 psi in all the cylinders (plus or minus about 2 lbs) so I do not think the motor is the issue. Should the prop be much stiffer? I would think with a 26 the motor should easily over rev but it runs about 6k with all the props on it, if I get the plate up any higher I believe it starts slipping and not hooking as well (but it will rev higher, but goes slower). I hear these boats run best with about 10-12 inches of set back to get them to fly without a lot of trim, but I also see several other similar YT hulls on her claiming in the 80's (and more sometimes) with a 6 inch plate and a 200 similar to what I have. This one never seems to fly reguardless of the amount of trim (although it will throw an impressive rooster tail, but I would have bought a jet if I wanted that, LOL!), it seems like the bow never flys that high to really get air under the hull.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    jacksonville, fl
    Posts
    1,391
    Thanks (Given)
    2
    Thanks (Received)
    3
    Likes (Given)
    3
    Likes (Received)
    10
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    There's many things that you can do to increase the speed and handling, pending the motor is running correct. For starters, get the propshaft up higher, atleast an inch over, and things will calm down a bit. I fought mine at the beginning also, but really, all of these hulls require the basics of tight steering, solid mounts, etc.. one exception i found with mine, was the higher i ran the prop, the better it handled and increased speed. also, the increase in setback from 5.5in to over 10 helped on mine.. watch your water pressure and bottom delamination.
    2004 Checkmate Pulsare Bowrider
    2008 Mercury 300XS
    91.7 - MPH

    88' Hydrostream Viper
    86' Carbed Bridgeport
    102 - MPH

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Ortonville, MI
    Posts
    55
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    What kind of speed should I expect out of this. I would assume 70 is well on the low side. I would think in the low to mid 80's should be reasonable, or is this incorrect? I am going to raise the motor to about 2 inches above pad and see if it will still hook up. I am thinking about also switching to a 10 inch jack plate if my steering cables have enough length on them still. Can you tell me if going to the 10 inch plate has any negative performance issues (I have heard that it makes getting on plane more difficult, is this true)?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    jacksonville, fl
    Posts
    1,391
    Thanks (Given)
    2
    Thanks (Received)
    3
    Likes (Given)
    3
    Likes (Received)
    10
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    if your referring to the propshaft height, you will not have water pressure that high. Set it at an inch above, and go up in small increments while watching pressure. I was able to go around 1 3/4 over the pad with 10.5in of setback. Mine was a bowrider, your vking prob doesn't need that much setback. The negatives to that much setback would be getting on plane, porposing, water coming over back when coming off plane.
    2004 Checkmate Pulsare Bowrider
    2008 Mercury 300XS
    91.7 - MPH

    88' Hydrostream Viper
    86' Carbed Bridgeport
    102 - MPH

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    jacksonville, fl
    Posts
    1,391
    Thanks (Given)
    2
    Thanks (Received)
    3
    Likes (Given)
    3
    Likes (Received)
    10
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    yes, a strong 200 should run over 80 on that hull.
    2004 Checkmate Pulsare Bowrider
    2008 Mercury 300XS
    91.7 - MPH

    88' Hydrostream Viper
    86' Carbed Bridgeport
    102 - MPH

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Ortonville, MI
    Posts
    55
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Thanks for the info. I definitely do not want it to be more difficult to get on plane, and the boat already slow speed porposes more than I thought it would, so more set back does not sound like it would be the direction I want to go. Is it pretty normal for the chopper props to cavitate on take off. I may need to just play around with the current set up some before I make a decision on where to go. I would think a 200 should easily spin a 26 pitch prop to well into over rev territory, but this one does not.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    englewood fl.
    Posts
    745
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    If the motor is healthy and you are hitting a brick wall at about 70 then your hull is flexing at speed. If it's the original core then it's a safe bet that it needs one. Besides being dangerous, you'll never reach speeds that boat could be capible of.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Novi, MI
    Posts
    150
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Tell ya what, If ya can't figure it out, come to a Michigan hot boat meet. Tons of knowlegible guys with similar rides that can help ya out! You will be impressed!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Binghamton, NY/ Raquette Lake, NY
    Posts
    2,017
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    2
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    5
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Get that motor all the way up and try it. I've got the 200 on my Varmint (Vector hull) as high as it will go with a CLE lower and that is where it seems happiest for performance. Yours looks to be in the middle of the jackplate.

    I run a 27p SRX on mine and it will over-rev. I can get 80's. Previous owner got low 90's. Scares me to death at speed but it's fun to know it can do it.

    Also, just for grins, check your compression and timing.
    '72 Glastron GT-150 Johnson Stinger 65
    '83 Hydrostream Varmint 2.4 225 Mercury
    '05 Hydrostream Voyager 250xs optimax

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Frank Mole Transport