SS2000 with 200XS

[David]

Someone asked about my boat today, so here it is. It's a 2001 SS2000 that I purchased from Rick Conklin on this site forever ago. The 200XS was also purchased here, from Z06man, in 2018.

Initially I powered my SS2000 with a lightly modified 150XR4. Then I got a 225 Promax, and now the 200XS. I bought the Promax as an interim motor, thinking that the 200XS was over priced and that if I waited, prices would come down. That thinking is evidence of why I use a financial planner.

When I bought my SS2000, I thought that bass boats, like Rock's, were less attractive then the SS2000. Eventually as I age, a bass boat might seem like a good idea - one can just walk off the dock onto the deck. But for now this combination is perfect for me.

I should mention the trick dolly that the boat sits on in the summer. We get a lot of waves and boat wakes. To reduce the pounding on the hull as the boat is pulled out of the water, the dolly has leaf springs at the motor end. That way when the boat is lifted by waves and falls down, the impact is somewhat absorbed. The front is a simple pivot. It's a one of one design that my brother made from aluminum.

[TraceF3]

What a beauty!

[mikesufka]

Awesome ride ! BTW - I had the exact twin to that rig for a season - must be fun with a 200XS - run that forever.

MDS

[John S]

I always picked David for a white with black wingtips kinda guy. Surprise. The 200XS SS was basically made for that boat. Perfect lake blaster/ river runner setup.

[hellbents-10]

Awesome setup!

[rock]

Good looking ride David. That easy access is why the original owner bought the boat and ordered it custom built.

Rock

[mikesufka]

Good looking ride David. That easy access is why the original owner bought the boat and ordered it custom built.

Rock

What's "easy access" ? Who was original owner ?

MDS

[rock]

Walking off dock or beach and as far as original owner goes that's not getting posted. He is a good friend of mine and I have known the boat since it was new. If you want to contact me privately you are more than welcome.

Rock

[David]

Mine is yellow because I bought it from Rick Conklin, aka Florida Boy in Illinois, and he liked yellow enough to own a yellow SS2000, a yellow XR2001, and a yellow XB2003. Rick ordered the boat new from Baker Marine for drag racing, and then replaced it with the XR2001. As it turns out I like bright colors for fast boats and sports cars, so it works for me. My preference for Allisons is yellow. I like red sports cars. There is a book called "All Corvettes are red"

The full quote is "All Corvettes are red, the rest are mistakes.” Attributed to John Heinricy, the leader of Corvette development group of test drivers at a meeting on paint quality and choices of color for the new C5 Corvette. The way I heard it was All Corvettes are red the rest are still in PRIMER!!!

[mikesufka]

I didn't know Rick had a SS2000 - if you're the second owner, that's pretty cool. I think he owned Randy Piersons XB2002 BR for awhile too. The matching yellow SS that I had was first owned by Jeff Krauss ( ? ) from Iowa - I think I was the 4th or 5th owner. I know Scott Gilmore owned a yellow SS - both were ordered from Sam Baker.

How's it run with the 200XS ? What prop you spinning and what's the top speed - you must be knocking around 95-100 MPH ? I remember years ago, Sam Baker gave me a ride in his red SS with a 225 Promax SS - it ran 101 or something like that with both of us in the boat. Those were the good old days of Baker Marine Support, "Firewater", Rapid Craft's, STV's, Hydrostreams, Allisons, etc...

MDS

[moatorbotin]

Mine is yellow because I bought it from Rick Conklin, aka Florida Boy in Illinois, and he liked yellow enough to own a yellow SS2000, a yellow XR2001, and a yellow XB2003. Rick ordered the boat new from Baker Marine for drag racing, and then replaced it with the XR2001. As it turns out I like bright colors for fast boats and sports cars, so it works for me. My preference for Allisons is yellow. I like red sports cars. There is a book called "All Corvettes are red"

The full quote is "All Corvettes are red, the rest are mistakes.” Attributed to John Heinricy, the leader of Corvette development group of test drivers at a meeting on paint quality and choices of color for the new C5 Corvette. The way I heard it was All Corvettes are red the rest are still in PRIMER!!!

John had an early 80's 19'ish foot Checkmate (enchanter maybe?) with multiple healthy small blocks (through the years) and an alpha SS outdrive.

He is 50% of the reason that I am a 'fast boat' guy.
The other 50% comes from his 'rival' on our lake who owned a viper, Vegas, and then a triad (also the reason I now have a Triad V-21).

John retired from GM and went on to work at Hennessy, saw him a couple years ago and he was doing well. (He moved off the lake 15+ years ago). Ironically I now work with all of his "protege's" on performance vehicles.

So anyway - I like the allison, how does the 200xs compare to the promax from a performance perspective? (I expect that it is a little better mannered and better on fuel...but hows the acceleration/top speed/etc?)

[David]

The 200XS is softer off idle then the 225 Promax. The 200XS has 1.75 gears vs 1.87, and it idles at 590 vs 1100. My 200XS would bog with people in the boat and Trophy small hub props. It was fine solo with my 26 Trophy but weak off idle with my 28 Trophy. The 225 Promax was a beast off idle. I had to put the vent plugs in the Trophy vent holes and use a ring to seal the gap between the small hub and the lower unit to avoid the prop loosing grip coming onto a plane.

At any rate, I sold the Trophy's and only use over hub props now. Once rolling the two motors are indistinguishable through the mid range. For top end, I stop at 90 mph with either motor. That's fast enough without a speedo and using the GPS feature on my phone. The phone just sits loose in the cup holder, so I have to look down, rotate the phone to see the speed, and then get back to driving. Somehow the phone always bounces around in the cup holder so that I can't read the speed without adjusting it.

At full throttle the 200XS likes fuel. If I back off a bit, I can go to the ends of Lake Simcoe and back without refueling. It took jerry cans in the boat to do that with the Promax. The difference in fuel use is dramatic.

24 drag 4, 85 mph at 6450 rpm, hydraulic jackplate at the bottom
25 drag 3, 85 mph at 6650 rpm, hydraulic jackplate at the bottom
28 Hoss Triton, 90 mph and I did not look at the tach. Engine up 1/4"

The drag props accelerate like crazy, and our lake is seldom calm enough to go faster then 85. The Drag 4 carries weight much better than the 3. Both handle perfectly.

This is the year I fix the speedo - I have said that for several years now. Maybe once the speedo works I will try for more speed, but 90 seems fast. I'd like to be able to see both the speedometer and tach at the same time so when the rpms rise with no increase in speed, it's time to back off engine height or trim.

It's very cool that Mr Motorobatin knew John Heinricy

[moatorbotin]

I feel like the 2.5XS I had for a bit behaved similar to the 200xs description you gave. Very soft on the bottom, but pulled similarly to my pro max once up and moving. It also seemed a lot happier in long no wake zones, otherwise not too different. 90 seems fast enough for me in my Triad as well. (Though I'll have to find out what my 280 can do with it sooner or later). I can appreciate that. (225 ProMax on mine currently).

How long is simcoe? I carry 30 gallons in my triad and rarely eat it all up in a single ride, simcoe must be a lot bigger than I thought it was.


Yeah, known john since '85. Used to 'work' for him around the yard, wash/wax the boat, landscaping, etc. Never did touch a single car of his though LOL. He's cool guy. Definitely a speed demon. early 90's he also used to have a gutted chevette with some kinda 'motor' in it, studded tires, full cage, etc. Used to rip it around the lake. Had a couple of his trans am cars, 24 hr cars, and his cobalt SS all in the garage

[David]

Lake Simcoe is similar in size to Lake St Clair, but a lot deeper. 25 x 30 km.. 30 miles end to end

[moatorbotin]

Lake Simcoe is similar in size to Lake St Clair, but a lot deeper. 25 x 30 km.. 30 miles end to end

Imagine you’ve got a smallish tank? I can stretch 30 gallons out 120-150 miles.

I spend about 75% of my time on LSC and an average day is 76-100 miles and I usually burn 15-20 gallons.

one of these days I’d like to visit muskoka, simcoe, a couple rivers I’ve seen good videos of, you guys have some great boating.