# 14ft alumacraft with 9.9 prop help



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

I recently purchased a little 14ft boat to play around with around home. Had the 9.9 evinrude gone through at the local marina. Cleaned the carb, new plugs, and lower unit oil. Runs like a champ now.
Well I had it out with me, a buddy, all our hunting gear, a big heavy battery and trolling motor loaded down it wont get up on plane. It will with just me and my gear in the boat though.
We were on alum creek the other night and I kind of dinged up the prop but not to bad and was thinking about getting a new prop and making this one a back up.
Right now it has the stock 10 pitch prop on it. I was thinking of going with a 9 pitch to help get us up on plane.
Does this sound like a good idea or should I just stick with the 10 pitch? Any one else run the 9 pitch prop on there little 14ft boat?
The boat is very light and I'm hoping to get 2 guys up on plane.


----------



## Mrwiggler (Jan 26, 2017)

Not sure what pitch he got, but my brother bought a used 14 flat bottom boat, with a 9.9 evinrude, and had the same issues you're having. He bought a new prop, but i'm wanting to believe it was maybe a 7 pitch. I could be all wet, but i know it was a helluva difference in the two props. Not sure if the 9 would be that drastic of a change over a 10 pitch, but it should help. Your not breaking any speed records , so if me, i believe i'd get the lowest i could.


----------



## Harry1959 (Mar 17, 2011)

If it’s an older 2 stroke, a lot of people have put 15 hp carbs on the 9.9. Earlier years, that was the only difference in 9.9 and 15 johnson and evinrude. google “Leroy’s ramblings”.


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

Harry1959 said:


> If it’s an older 2 stroke, a lot of people have put 15 hp carbs on the 9.9. Earlier years, that was the only difference in 9.9 and 15 johnson and evinrude. google “Leroy’s ramblings”.


It's an 1983 motor. I did check out the carbs on eBay but they are pricey


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

Mrwiggler said:


> Not sure what pitch he got, but my brother bought a used 14 flat bottom boat, with a 9.9 evinrude, and had the same issues you're having. He bought a new prop, but i'm wanting to believe it was maybe a 7 pitch. I could be all wet, but i know it was a helluva difference in the two props. Not sure if the 9 would be that drastic of a change over a 10 pitch, but it should help. Your not breaking any speed records , so if me, i believe i'd get the lowest i could.


7 pitch? That's really low. Wish I could try a few out to see what works best


----------



## firemanmike2127 (Mar 17, 2013)

Where are you located ? I'm in Celina & have a couple of props, but I would have to check what pitch they are. My shop is very close to the lake. Mike


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

I'm in Marion. That's my old stomping grounds over there though. My grandma used to have a house on the lake and we were there every weekend. Some fond memories of my childhood and the crappiethon. Used to get turtle soup from the diner downtown. Man I miss those times. 
I might have to take you up on the spring and try a few props. Thanks


----------



## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I have a 14' aluminum boat with a 9.8hp mercury and it doesn't get on plane with 2 people in the boat either. Makes for a slower ride, but it's faster than electric!


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

bdawg said:


> I have a 14' aluminum boat with a 9.8hp mercury and it doesn't get on plane with 2 people in the boat either. Makes for a slower ride, but it's faster than electric!


Is it a wide deep 14? I have a smaller 14 and it only weights 160lbs. I think I can get it to plane with the right prop, its almost there now loaded down. Down a pitch or 2 will probably get me there (I'm hoping).


----------



## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Just be careful when fooling around with lowering pitch on an older motor that does not have a RPM limiter. Some bad things can happen.


----------



## firemanmike2127 (Mar 17, 2013)

I've got a shop tach available to verify wide open throttle RPM as well. Here are a few other questions I have about your setup. Have you tried moving weight around in the boat a little bit ? Which hole is the tilt pin in ? Have you tried a planning aid (whale tail)? None of these things will magically cure an over-propped rig but they might collectively enhance your overall performance with some tweaking. Mike


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

firemanmike2127 said:


> I've got a shop tach available to verify wide open throttle RPM as well. Here are a few other questions I have about your setup. Have you tried moving weight around in the boat a little bit ? Which hole is the tilt pin in ? Have you tried a planning aid (whale tail)? None of these things will magically cure an over-propped rig but they might collectively enhance your overall performance with some tweaking. Mike


Good questions.
Haven't moved the weight around because its pretty much set in place other then a few things. 
The pin I have all the way in the last/lowest position.
I have never used a whale tail. Not against it though either
I'm just looking at a reprop since I dinged mine up at Alum creek the other day. Figured Maybe now is the time to try a lower pitch since I need a new one now.


----------



## firemanmike2127 (Mar 17, 2013)

I don't run a whale tail on any of my own personal boats, but they all have the maximum rated H/P on the transom. There are quite a few rigs out there that will benefit from a planing aid along those lines. Aside from helping to get the boat on plane you can sometimes keep the boat on plane at a lower forward speed. Curious as to what the maximum rated H/P is for your 14' hull. For example : If your 9.9 is only half of what the boat is rated for you're going to struggle to get what I would consider good all-around performance. That being said.....you don't need lots of H/P to go fishing. A prop change should help some in your case. Mike


----------



## firemanmike2127 (Mar 17, 2013)

I'll keep my eyes open for a blown up or worn out 15 around here. Sometimes you can pick that stuff at a very reasonable price. A carb swap makes a nice boost in performance on those little motors, as been mentioned earlier in this thread. Mike


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

firemanmike2127 said:


> I'll keep my eyes open for a blown up or worn out 15 around here. Sometimes you can pick that stuff at a very reasonable price. A carb swap makes a nice boost in performance on those little motors, as been mentioned earlier in this thread. Mike


Yes that's really what I want to do is a carb swap. 
I had a 15hp Evinrude that fixed up and sold years ago for real cheap here on OGF.
Now I'm wishing I had that motor back lol


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

I couldn't imagine this boat with a 20hp motor on it. It'd be fun tho. Lol


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

My boat is an alumacraft T14S.


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

Ok so i did the carb swap and added a tiny tach getting around 5400-5500rpm with the new 10p stock solas prop. Isnt 6500rpm what the motor should be at?
I also have the exhaust off the 15hp motor but have yet to put it on.


----------



## humpty dumpty (Nov 30, 2013)

when looking at props find out what your rpm's are to be at WOT (WIDE OPEN THROTTLE) you need to be in that range. dropping one in pitch will usually give you 200 rpm's 2=400 rpms. if you are not operating your motor within the recommended rpm range you are either lugging the engine or over reving the engine. both situations will damage your motor. your motor is only capable of so much. a 9.9 can propel a small boat only so much as a v-8 can push a 24 ft fiberglass so much as a small car engine can only pull a small load. overload it- runs hot and burn up the tranny. props grab so much water then factor in slippage result is the load it places on your motor.... just passing this info on as I went through this with a past boat of mine. there are cupped props straight props. good luck tom


----------



## puregreen (May 23, 2009)

I run a 14 mod v woth a 2004 stock 9.9 and a 9.25 x 9 pitch prop had same problem 2 guys decoys and gear runs 14 mph roughly. I had a 2000 evinrude 25 hp ss on it for fishing season with 2 guys gear it would run 30.5 mph and was a blast.


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

9.25x10 pitch prop I have now gives me 5400rpm full throttle with 2 guys now. 
If I drop to say a 9.25x8 pitch that should get me 5800rpm. 
9.25x7 pitch should get me 6000 rpm. 

Will this get me more speed and better hole shot? 
Or just hole shot and rev higher to achieve less top speed?
Right now I'm getting 22ish mph on GPS.


----------



## puregreen (May 23, 2009)

You must be loaded alot lighter than me I wouldn't go to a 7 . A 8 will be fine u wont lose much top end hole shot should b better. When I'm solo empty i get 23 not sure on rpms , sound s bout rite not over revving .


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

Had it out this past weekend me and a buddy. No gear, just gas tank and motor and saftey equipment. Buddy weight 200 I'm 180 boat is around 130 to 150lbs. V hull. Was getting 5400 rpms. I was hoping for a little more having the 15hp carb on it . 
Don't get me wrong there isn't anything wrong with it and she gets up on plane fast and feels fast I was just trying to squeak out a few more mph out of the motor really.


----------



## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

Found a buddy with a 9 pitch I'm gonna try. Gotta try this guy out to


----------

