Prop for a Tritoon pontoon?? Q for the toon guys

[GlennGlenn]

Have a brand new Crest Classic 230 23 foot Tritoon with CP3 plus performance package with three logs and lifting strakes and under skin. Powered by 2016 Mercury Verado 350 4 stroke ( new Gen 5 Verado) on a Bobs hydraulic jack plate. Boat with gas, motor and two people weighs about 3400 lbs.

need prop advice since the stock 21 pitch Enertia is not working. When I trim it up or raise the jack plate up 4 inches, I get immediate ventilation of prop and am wondering if a cupped or raker prop would help. RPMs are in ballpark at 6400 max, but I cant trim much or raise jack plate much without ventilation. Thoughts. Note that toons love trim ( trim toons do anyway) and also the back end aft may been lifting to get her out of the water.

mercury has a 4 blader or would a Raker or cupped work better?

[ProComp]

I have a tritoon, not as nice as yours but nonetheless, I am running the Mercury Revolution 4 blade prop and it holds better then the 3 blades I have tried. Lots of lift, I can run at a ridiculous angle when empty. That being said, buddy is running an 18 pitch Enertia on his tritoon with 250 verado and it seems to work quite well. His is bolted solid to the transom and I think the propshaft is about 9" from the bottom of the center transom.

We should add a Tritoon forum. I tried asking some set up questions on a pontoon forum and wow most of them dont have a clue..................

[GlennGlenn]

I have a tritoon, not as nice as yours but nonetheless, I am running the Mercury Revolution 4 blade prop and it holds better then the 3 blades I have tried. Lots of lift, I can run at a ridiculous angle when empty. That being said, buddy is running an 18 pitch Enertia on his tritoon with 250 verado and it seems to work quite well. His is bolted solid to the transom and I think the propshaft is about 9" from the bottom of the center transom.

We should add a Tritoon forum. I tried asking some set up questions on a pontoon forum and wow most of them dont have a clue..................

Thanks @procomp . I often go to the boat races at Blarney Island in Illinois on Thursday evenings during our "race season" and most of those guys are very knowledgeable, (except of course when it comes to Toons!!). I've been on several of the toon forums as well and you're correct, clueless when it comes to high performance. I have no illusions that this is NOT a drag or a race boat and would be perfectly happy to see 55 MPH on it. The former worlds fastest toon at 103 (Playcraft i/O is from my area and I see him every weekend. The current world record holder with three Mercury 2 strokers at 114 MPH is also from IL (South Bay).

The center toon is cut out at the back so there's a different flow going to it versus straight off the transom like a std boat. Even before I had the Bob's jack plate, the boat loved trim but would blow out if I trimmed too far out. I am hoping the Rev 4 and or a cupped prop would help me with that issue. I am not concerned about water pressure since the low water pickups and the flow off the boat do not appear to be affecting that. The jack plate I have is for OBs over 600 lbs and is a new one from Bob's Machine. It'll do a 6 inch lift in the engine.

I will give the Rev 4 a try and see if that will cure what ails me. I think the Enertia is blowing out when I trim and /or raise the jack plate on her.

[ProComp]

If your not hitting 55 with a 350 hp and a 21 pitch you must be trying to run with the motor way too high. Buddies 250 with 18p Enertia runs 52-53 GPS.
Just my opinion.
21 pitch prop, 1.75 gears, 6400 rpm with 13% is 63 mph.

[GlennGlenn]

Theoretically you're correct, but we're talking a triple log toon here with a lot of hydrodynamic resistance and although you're numbers are about correct, few toons are bumping into,the 60s. Btw, ordered a 20 pitch RH 4 blade Rev 4 today. Will keep you posted with results when received. Need cup to get that baby up!!!

[hydrostream90]

I agree with procomp you should be into the 60s with a 350 on a 23ft boat, I own a prop shop and have had several high hp pontoons and they are all different in their own ways but one thing I have learned is that cubic inch and prop cup make a HUGE difference on these animals.. I had a 24' aqua patio with a 300hpdi with a worked 3blade, it ran 56 on gps. I have experimented with 4 blades and the only way I could get them to work is glass bead the edges and thin the leading edges of the blades out.. Another thing you want to be careful with is that around 50-55mph certain pontoons like to porpoise like a cat so just be careful.
Matt

[GlennGlenn]

I agree with procomp you should be into the 60s with a 350 on a 23ft boat, I own a prop shop and have had several high hp pontoons and they are all different in their own ways but one thing I have learned is that cubic inch and prop cup make a HUGE difference on these animals.. I had a 24' aqua patio with a 300hpdi with a worked 3blade, it ran 56 on gps. I have experimented with 4 blades and the only way I could get them to work is glass bead the edges and thin the leading edges of the blades out.. Another thing you want to be careful with is that around 50-55mph certain pontoons like to porpoise like a cat so just be careful.
Matt

Thanks @hydrostream90 appreciate the comments. You all have to remember that we're talking a displacement hull here and /or semi-planing and not necessarily a planing hull like we're all used to. The 350 is trying to push 3 logs and a gear case through the water, unlike planing hulls which tend to ride on TOP of the water. Given that, I took her out yesterday and she ran a solid 51 GPS on the old 3 blade Enertia 21 pitch with 30 gallons of gas and two people , so I am expecting more from the 350 than what I currently have. Problem with the 21 " Enertia remains is that if I trim her out too much and /or raise the Bob's jackplate, it starts to blow out immediately, so I know its a prop issue. The engine wants to go, BUT the claw of the cat is not grabbing on to anything.

[ProComp]

Thanks @hydrostream90 appreciate the comments. You all have to remember that we're talking a displacement hull here and /or semi-planing and not necessarily a planing hull like we're all used to. The 350 is trying to push 3 logs and a gear case through the water, unlike planing hulls which tend to ride on TOP of the water. Given that, I took her out yesterday and she ran a solid 51 GPS on the old 3 blade Enertia 21 pitch with 30 gallons of gas and two people , so I am expecting more from the 350 than what I currently have. Problem with the 21 " Enertia remains is that if I trim her out too much and /or raise the Bob's jackplate, it starts to blow out immediately, so I know its a prop issue. The engine wants to go, BUT the claw of the cat is not grabbing on to anything.

As mentioned my buddies 24 ft southbay tritoon breaks 50 with a 250 verado and an 18 pitch enertia. Bolted right to the transom about 9" below the toon from the center of propshaft.

[GlennGlenn]

As mentioned my buddies 24 ft southbay tritoon breaks 50 with a 250 verado and an 18 pitch enertia. Bolted right to the transom about 9" below the toon from the center of propshaft.

@procomp , you got me wondering if the Bob's jackplate (6" lift) is causing this thing (even in lowest position at "0" on the gauge) is causing this thing to run "too high" or perhaps "too set back" (its a 4 inch setback on the jack plate). Thoughts??

[ProComp]

@procomp , you got me wondering if the Bob's jackplate (6" lift) is causing this thing (even in lowest position at "0" on the gauge) is causing this thing to run "too high" or perhaps "too set back" (its a 4 inch setback on the jack plate). Thoughts??

In the lowest position what is the height from the bottom of the center toon to the centerline of the propshaft?

[hydrostream90]

I always ran hydraulic jack plates and never had a problem, I use to raise the jack plate and lower the trim to get a more level stance.. Is that enertia your running an ECO or just a regular?

[Jim_Pat]

Just found this post and I agree there should be a forum for pontoons. I bought the Lowe Factory boat right out of the 2013 Fall Shootout at Lake of the Ozarks. This boat is a X250 with a 300 Verado. With a lab 22 it ran 62mph and won its stock class. This boat was 100% complete as it comes from the factory except the prop. No motor set back or lifts. There was a 22 Manato that ran 66 but this was the fishing model with most of the seats (fishing) removed.

I has a 19 on it now and I'm not sure of the part number, If I think about this weekend I will get it and post it. My wife and I were out last weekend.

[GlennGlenn]

Well, there's good news and bad news. The Rev 4 worked great to increase the top speed. She ran 55 this weekend with 3/4 tank of gas (35 gallons) and two people. ON the 0-6 gauge of the Bob's lift, I was able to go as high as 3 (6 being highest) and trim her out before she'd gain no more speed. Thing is, at 4500 RPM on the Rev 4 RH 20 pitch she's doing 40 MPH and seems to have a LOT more in her. At transom height of 3 and trim at second hash from bottom, she was at 5800 RPM, still down from the max of 6400 she's rated for.

@jim_pat, what kind of toon do you have. I assume a tri-toon ? Do you also have a jack plate or no?? (I assume no since you said its as from the factory??). What type of 22 lab prop do you have? Raker style, cleaver?? 62 MPH is might good on a stock toon with a stock Verado 300.

[GlennGlenn]

I always ran hydraulic jack plates and never had a problem, I use to raise the jack plate and lower the trim to get a more level stance.. Is that enertia your running an ECO or just a regular?

It was an 21 Enertia, BUT now I am running a non-lab 20 pitch RH 4 blade Rev 4. My boat and engine are stock except for the Bob';s jack plate. I found out that the Bob's jack plate takes her UP 1.5 inches stock on the stock transom , so I have a potential lift of 7.5 inches. (1.5 fixed plus 6 in lift height on hydraulic jack plate).

[ProComp]

It was an 21 Enertia, BUT now I am running a non-lab 20 pitch RH 4 blade Rev 4. My boat and engine are stock except for he Bob';s jack plate. I found out that the Bob's jack plate takes her UP 1.5 inches stock on the stock transom , so I have a potential lift of 7.5 inches. (1.5 fixed plus 6 in lift height on hydraulic jack plate).

I measured my buddies 22ft tahoe tritoon in sunday. His propshaft is 8.5 inches below the bottom of the boat. He has hit 48 mph with a 200. Not bad.