16' Forester w/150hp Merc. Any advice?

[Hole in the Water]

Hello to all. I'm a new member here. A friend turned me on to this web sight & it looks very cool.

I recently bought a 1980, 16' Forester, with a 1974, 150hp in line 6 Mercury outboard on it. I plan to rebuild the water pump before I drop it in the water. Does anyone have any thoughts, insight or advice on possible pitfalls to avoid? It's a small boat w/ an over sized motor (just what I wanted). It looks to have a 13"dia., 21 pitch, 3 blade alum prop on it.

[kingsbiship]

Ditch the aluminum prop and put a 24" SS thru hub on... and ditch the torque tab also!

[RussF]

is there a skeg on the motor

[Hole in the Water]

Well RussF, actually there's only half of a skeg left
on it.

[Hole in the Water]

Thanks kingbiship, I'll look for a SS prop. Is ditching the torque tab to get rid of drag?

[Hole in the Water]

I do have a line on a "parts" motor w/ a good lower unit/skeg.

[RussF]

I do have a line on a "parts" motor w/ a good lower unit/skeg.

you'll need that

[kingsbiship]

Is ditching the torque tab to get rid of drag?

No.. chances are the prop will hit it! Also, it will be out of the water if you're set right, and
doing nothing anyway! I didn't see the skeg broken... how does it steer? Do you fight it alot?
My inline didn't have much steering torque... but I had a full skeg!

[j_martin]

It's an old Forester. Odds are the transom's rotten. Check it before you put the power to it.

I have several in my yard waiting for the sawzall treatment.

[Hole in the Water]

I haven't put it in the water yet. I just got it registered from WI. to MI. yesterday. MI. Secretary of State was fun on a Saturday, NOT. Hope to put it in the water this week. I hope that it doesn't have too much torque steer. I'll try to let you know kingbiship.
Thanks.

[Hole in the Water]

The transom seems rock solid. The floor has a soft spot, but I can handle that. Sense the boat's a little over powered (rated for 115hp) a buddy advised me to use a piece a aluminum angle to reenforce the transom.
Fish on j_martin, thanks.

[arrowhead1989]

i also have a forester, 1979 15 foot, but with a 115, tansom is solid, boat has been in storage for the past 20 years, takes out once a year on the 4th of july. all origial. i have a 24" chopper on it and i got 54mph last summer

[Hole in the Water]

Hey arrowhead1989,
Do you happen to know what pitch the chopper is that your running, and are you running it as surface piercing? I ran 47mph w/ an alum 21/13" prop. Got a SS 26/13.25" from a buddy, and only ran 43mph. I will say that the SS was more drivable. I was thinking about a 23/13" maybe.

[Hole in the Water]

Buy the way, nice looking boat you have.

[eli]

congrats have fun my first boat was a orange tri hull with 85 evinrude had it for 4 years rock solid did 39 mph down hill
never broke and sniffed gas kinda miss the old girl.