zmk1962

Let me try and disect what you are saying ... hopefully it will help. I'm sure as tested the boat already had an anchor/chain as that is a requirement to be on the water. So out of curiosity was the boat bow heavy when tested? If it was and it ran fine with the 150 that means the designer took that bow heaviness at rest into consideration and built in the strakes and bow shape to generate bow lift when underway. BTW, to get to your max load where would the extra weight be placed? It seems you want to accomodate extra 3people over the test case - can an additional 3 fit in the bow area - or would they be midship to stern?, ... also if the tank was topped up to full with the extra 40L of fuel ( the tank is usually mid to stern underfloor) if so this weight would be to the back anyway. I would not put on a heavier engine if there is a lighter equivalent HP engine just to compensate bow weight. You can always trim your motor out a bit when taking off to lift the bow and then tuck it back in when under way. Not sure there is a test for how "hard" a motor has to work... "hard" is a subjective term not often used in mechanics... but since it all comes down to spinning the prop, which requires the motor to spin, I guess a good measure is at what RPM does the motor generate the torque/HP to get the job done. Fuel efficiency ... well it depends. It comes down to volumetric capacity (fuel air mixture) to deliver the motor's torque/horsepower. Speaking Merc specs again. 4cyl 3.0L capacity = 750cc per cyl. 6cyl 3.4L capacity = 567cc per cyl Four-stroke & 4 cylinders engine => 0.5 * 4 = 2 sparks per revolution Four-stroke & 6 cylinders engine => 0.5 * 6 = 3 sparks per revolution. The 4 cyl has significantly fewer moving parts to work. So again it comes down to at what RPM do these motors generate their torque/HP ... to spin the prop. If the prop RPM was identical, then for each RPM the 6cyl would use more fuel, and has more moving parts working (harder??)...so the 6 would have to be able to push you along at lower engine RPM to be more fuel efficient and to work less hard is my way of thinking. On the 150HP you tested spinning the 15p prop, with a 2:1 lower leg gear ... this is what you shared with me: 20kts (23.0mph) engine 3500rpm, means prop at 1750rpm (max theoretical speed of 15p 24.8mph) pretty close 32kts (36.8mph) 5400rpm(?), means prop at 2700rpm (max theoretical speed of 15p 38.35mph) pretty close Not sure at what RPM the boat hit planing speed and how long it took to get there (holeshot)... but the above stats look pretty good. Maybe if someone has 6cyl they can share at what RPM they hit these speeds (plus the weight of their rig and the prop dimensions). Cheers Zoran

Balancing load in any hull will improve performance. 2.5T is heavy.... 1000kg above 1500kg dry weight... When you tested it, what load was in the boat? How much fuel, water, how many people? Where were the people standing? A 200HP does negate all the thinking ... after all its the max the boat can take. I am not as familiar with the Honda as I am with Merc. The Merc 175 and 200hp have the same weight 216kg, so 10kg heavier than the 150hp... are you sure the Honda is 70kg heavier?? Both the Merc 175 and 200hp have option of DTS - digital throttle and steer (drive by wire) Cheers Zoran

Awesome post mate! What a memorable trip - the travel- the fish - the whole adventure. Thanks for sharing cheers Zoran ps - still recovering from cataract surgery so lots of posts to catch up on.

Paternoster rig, 10cm jerk shad or minnow on top hook, sinker jig attached to snapper lead. As per this post: Cheers Zoran

Looks great. Reminds me a lot of my first boat a Savage Avalon. I had a 40hp tohatsu on it and it flew. I think you’ll be surprised with what the 70hp correctly propped and trimmed will do when the hull is properly balanced. Cheers Zoran

I would read that as a YES ... you have a closed underfloor compartment. A lot of that stuff was discussed here previously - long post but well worth reading all the way through: Cheers Zoran

No it’s a RH - right hand reel. Just back to front and upside down. Why? Who knows. Maybe the filmed the show for us down under ... and thought doing this was a tribute 😂 or maybe they’re just being y*nks ... yes I spelled it with a y not w! cheers Z

It's just a standard RH Penn Senator mounted under the rod but turned so the spool-face that would have pointed to the rod runners now faces the butt of the rod. Look at how the line winds onto the spool in the picture - the line is near to the rod - normally it winds onto the top of the spool when mounted in the o'head position. Also the silver clutch release lever normally points to the rod runners, its now pointing to the butt. Cheers Zoran

Sorry to hear of your troubles Rob ... hope its behind you. Whether to reuse or dispose has been discussed before - I've added the link below to save me retyping what I would do and under what considerations : Perhaps if @bookwa is around he can update which path he took and how it ended up for him. Cheers Zoran

Perfect. Process of elimination is your best approach ... Best of luck and keep us posted. Cheers Zoran

Hi Greg, I seem to recall you may have posted this problem previously. Strange that the mech had to relook at the thermostat after just having done a full service ... that should be part of any full service! Ok from what you describe both the tank and fuel line are pretty old. If the mechanic concluded the surging was from the motor starving for fuel, then the line and fuel bulb could be contributing to the problem eg there could be debris in the line from the inner liner degradation, the bulb could be collapsing or the check valve getting stuck. I'd replace all that, you are going to have to do it anyway. I'd then try and borrow a "good" tank from someone. Get back on the water start with the borrowed tank and confirm your motor runs / restarts without issues. If everything works ok, you have confirmed the fuel line, bulb and the motor are all ok. Then swap to your old tank and repeat the test. If everything works, the issue was the fuel line/bulb. If its still surging failing to start, then open the fuel cap half way and see if that resolves the issue. If it does, then its the cap for sure. Cheers Zoran BTW - I just had a quick google, a new plastic 23L tank is like $50-80 and readily available in all the usual outdoor retailers.

Greg, the hose should be relatively supple but not collapse on itself or when you put a bend in it. BTW, what problem are you trying to solve that indicates you have a vent problem? cheers Zoran

I think I heard you here in castle hill ! 😂 Some days are just like that - hook tying and knot undoing practice days. cheers Zoran

I would not recommend that. You do not want fuel fumes building up. That is an accident waiting to happen. As Noel said they are designed to let air in and no fumes out. Have you tried to clear the paint that’s blocking the breather. Maybe wire brush and soak the cap in acetone if you can’t find a replacement? Also Maybe take the old cap to auto spares shops they often have aftermarket variants. cheers Zoran

Yup. My 650C has the same oversized rounded smooth knobs. It's not the size that had me thinking, its more the texture which may catch line and reduce cast distance.... that wouldn't happen with a smooth rounded knob. Just something to keep an eye on the first outing. Cheers Zoran

Ok Ok .... now you've taken me down memory lane back to my youth.... circa 1980. Not only did I remember how I used to do it, but I actually had a look in my beach fishing bag and there they were tucked in the corner !!! So.... Vehicle: Holden Gemini Sedan --- four on the floor and so many places to go ! Passion: Beach fishing, hand spear fishing ... ie lots of long things to carry. Here's my solution ... two bits of venetian blind cord and two hooks fashioned from a repurposed coat- hanger. Fit the hooks around the hand grips above the car doors and suspend your rods out of the way...adjust the height to suit. Wrap a T-shirt or hand towel around the reels to stop them banging on the window glass. Here's a picture of an 11ft beachrod in my wifes Subaru hatch ..... sh*t these puppies still work ! Cheers Zoran

Looks great mate... love DIY ! Just check that the textured/oversized knobs don’t foul the line as it peels off the spool on a cast. This may present as a rod specific problem - a factor of distance from reel and diameter of first eye on the rod. Cheers Zoran

I have a clear acrylic bonnet protector on my 100 series. Glare bouncing off the bar is only an issue for me on long overnight drives and really does not bother me day to day. For those longer night trips I stick a strip of black duct or gaff tape across the part of the bar that reflects. Remove when no longer required. cheers Zoran

Fine feed there and great write up. Patience + persistence + practice = fish on the menu cheers Zoran

Great report and catch. Seeing the whales would have been a bonus. You just have to love our harbour and salty play ground. cheers Zoran

Great job.... looks like a nice bit of useful tech. Cheers Zoran

One additional thought just came to me. @Cladone it sounds like you are buying a package (probably new), it would be interesting to see what propeller specifications they are recommending for the different brands of motors - not all 150HP are the same - and the motor manufacturer will have more say on the prop specifications than the boat dealer. The size and pitch of prop that a particular motor can spin - will have a major effect on the overall boat speed, efficiency and performance (lively or slug). So as an example if a motor manufacturer is recommending a 13in pitch for that 7m 1500kg application, to give the boat good hole shot, it means that motor is developing the required torque at high rpm... high rpm at that early stage means you have high fuel consumption already and you have very little top end left before you hit WOT... so lively and nimble at hole shot but at the cost of top speed and fuel overall. Cheers Zoran

Sure, the basic principles are the same. Simplicity of service was a key consideration for me, that's why I stayed away from super charged / blown engines, and for basic items (change of oil, plugs etc) a 4 stroke is a 4 stroke. However, most of the new engines have ECU / computer controlled engine management. A generic mechanic is unlikely to have invested in the engine diagnostic system and the training for different makes and brands ... at my 20hrs service the mechanic had printed off what looked like a >15page report from the engine management system - log of events, errors, readings - he was able to pinpoint the date and time of a burst of WOT in reverse and questioned that (happened to be when I was reversing boat off stuck trailer rollers at low tide). It was a non event, but the event could have been an overheat, or gradual increase in temp over a given RPM range ... small indicators that something was staring to fail. Out of spec events are flagged early giving you time to address them before a failure. I have chosen to have my engine management data linked so that it transmits to the cloud - and I have given my mech access to it. Reliability is important to me with the offshore boating I do ... so this adds to my peace of mind. Cheers Zoran

Based on my experience you will need to add about 1K or more to those prices for installation and any additional gauges that you may want. BTW, don't think that "simpler" means old and inefficient and "modern" means better. Motor's are designed for specific applications and consumer markets. I chose the 150 Merc ProXS because of weight, cost, reliability, and ease of access to a reputable marine mechanic. The 150 was the lightest in the 150 class, and from my research it punched well above that and into the 170 range- especially on the torque it produced across the full rev range from its 4cyl 3L powerhead. It had some 30% less moving parts (SOHC design) than its competitors - so it was designed ground up to be simpler to maintain, and service and be less costly to do so - from the powerhead to the oversized lower leg gear box. Less parts = less things to go wrong. There is a life time warranty on the SOHC valve train and a 6yr overall warranty. It was built to be a workhorse. So that tells you the designers thinking behind SOHC. The base 150 has been around for a while and the ProXS version came out in 2018. It added a bunch of technology like Transient spark, that increased WOT to 6000 and reduced fuel consumption while increasing torque about 5-8%. The 150 does not come with DTS. Twin cams can drive more valves and hence by allowing the cylinders to breathe more (increase volumetric capacity) - they can derive more power for those that need it at the cost of more moving parts and complexity. Merc moved to a 6Cyl 3.6L block with DOHC as the basis for 175+ engines ... think there is a 8cyl range now as well. Anyway... there's a lot to digest in all of this. Probably easier to talk. Send me a PM and we can organise a time to chat if you want. Cheers Zoran

Maybe post the link at the ramp !!! 😂 cheers Zoran