# 35HP outboard on 16ft lund mounting issues



## Nate167 (May 1, 2009)

I'm having an issue with my boat and after doing some searching and reading on here I think I have found the problem but I'm looking for insight on the best fix for it. I have a 1980 16ft Lund Mr. pike with a '80 35hp Evinrude on it. The issue I'm having is when I'm at full speed (about 25mph) the front half of the boat is out of the water. The boat usually starts touching the water shortly behind the helm which is mounted right in the middle of the boat front to back(similar to a bass boat set up). It seems to me that the boat is pushing water this way and slowing me down. Plus I'd like the bow to ride lower in the water. I have read on the here about the av plate being up to 1" above the bottom of the boat but not sure how much difference it would make moving my motor up. I don't have much room to go up as you can see on the transom. I'm wondering a. should I move it up? B. How much of a difference will it make by moving it? C. Do I need to mount a brace onto the transom so the motor sits on it and all the weight is not on the bolts?

The problem I"m trying to resolve is the bow riding too high in the water due to all the weight in the back of the boat. ie 2 ppl, gas tanks, 2 outboards. When I'm going from place to place I have to have the other person sit at the front of the boat to keep the bow down while at full speed and even then it comes up higher than I like. 

I appreciate any help or insight anyone can provide. 

Any help is greatly appreciated!! I have attached pics as well. In the one pic the top of the transom is at the 6"


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

IMO, a) yes, b) Probably a good bit, c) The weight of the motor is nothing compared to the stress the motor exerts while in motion. I can't tell from the pictures, but does this motor have 4 bolt holes in a line up and down on both sides? If so, I'd move it up as far as I could, but keep the clamps on.


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

Yes, you need to move the engine up. It's way too low low back there and is adding a good deal of drag. The anti-ventilation plate should in fact be 1" ABOVE the keel. You want it to be out of the water when you are running. The water should come out from under the keel and "push up" on the bottom of the plate. This will force your bow down to some extent but you'll gain speed which will raise it again. Bottom line, you'll win. 

The engine is right now mounted as low as it can go. Raise it at least 2 holes. You may think the engine has to sit on top of the transom- this is NOT the case. The engine weighs less than 200 lbs. The 4 big bolts that hold it on are more than enough for that. Heck, my 150 doesn't sit on the transom and it's on with 4 bolts. They're bigger than yours obviously but my boat will run 50 mph and that's a LOT more stress than you'll ever see. And don't worry about the clamps. If you bolt it to the transom the clamps won't even be missed. 

And yes, in a 16 foot boat with a 35 hp weight distribution will defintely be an issue. Try to move what weight youcan further up so it's more balanced. You can also try a different pin location to trim your engine since you don't have T&T.


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

UFM82 said:


> And don't worry about the clamps. If you bolt it to the transom the clamps won't even be missed.


As near as I can tell from the photos, it only has the two clamps and two bolts, and they might not be the adjustable kind. He might need to add a jack plate or brackets.


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## Nate167 (May 1, 2009)

I will double check but I'm pretty sure there is only a hole on each side for the two bolts you see in the pics. There are not holes to raise or lower the motor. I would have to either drill new holes in transom or add jack plate 


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Umm...... you want the front half of the boat out of the water. It's called being on plane. The less surface area of your hull in contact with the water, the higher your speed. As speed increases, lift increases. Your stern is raising out of the water, and your motor is carrying the front of the bow. Which is what it's supposed to do. From your description of where the hull is touching the water, I'd say your boat is running perfectly. The only difference moving your motor up is going to make, is reducing drag, which is going to increase your speed (speed adds lift) and move the point at which the hull touches the water, further back. The only way moving your motor higher isn't going to increase your speed is if you raise it to the point of cavitation. Which is something you don't want to do. If you start getting cavitation, you're going to cause yourself cooling problems because the flow of water over the water intakes is going to be disrupted. 

I looked at the one picture you posted of the side view of the motor and see that you are already at the lowest trim setting, so adjusting the trim to bring the bow down isn't something you can do. If you want to bring the bow down (which as you can see is only going to slow you down) move some of the weight in your boat to the bow. Having more of your bow in the water will make you boat run smoother in rough water, but it's going to slow you down. Since you mentioned you are concerned with top speed, keep the bow in the air. 

Finally........ unless you have a custom built racing prop and tricked out water intakes, you DO NOT want your cavitation plate out of the water when you are running. If you are dead set on moving your motor up, don't raise your ANTI cavitation plate any higher than even with the bottom of your hull. The ANTI cavitation plate keeps water by your prop and your water intakes. It's there for a reason.


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

Bassbme, I think what he is after is getting the boat to ride more level (stern higher, bow lower) than he is now. While changing the weight distribution will help, his motor is definately mounted too low.

To the OP, one thing I missed in the original post is that you have 2 outboards in the back? If you are using a kicker, you might try taking it off and using trolling bags with the 35 instead. That would get rid of some weight.


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

The plate above the prop is NOT an anti-cavitation plate. It is an anti-ventilation plate. There is a huge difference. An anti-ventilation plate prevents air from being sucked in by the prop when you are starting to move or your "holeshot" as people call it. It is fully in the water when you are sitting still. When you start moving and you have water flowing over the prop the ventilation problem goes away and the plate doesn't do anything. That is why you don't want it dragging in the water. You want it to be positioned so that the water coming "up" from under the keel presses against the underside of the plate and lifts the stern. And it's not "out of the water"- it's just not submerged. In fact, if the plate IS underwater and you have too much trim, it will be digging in and dragging the stern down, which obviously is a bad thing. Bassbme is partly correct- it is there for a reason. Notice that the water intakes are below the plate. If it is properly positioned the intakes will be right in the stream of water coming up off the keel and into the bottom of the plate. That ensures a steady flow of water. And properly positioned is slightly above the keel. 1" or so is typical. 

Cavitation on the other hand occurs at any time when the water behind the prop blades boils due to extreme negative pressure. Basic when you apply a vacuum to water it boils off. When it does so behind a prop blade it does it violently and can damage the blade surface. Ever seen a prop with the paint all worn off the leading edges? Even if it has never touched anything besides water? That's cavitation. The plate on your engine has nothing to do with that. 

And his bow is up in the air currently NOT because he is planing out. He is plowing along with the bow in the air because the water is hitting the bottom of the hull at an angle that forces the bow up. His weight is wrong with all the weight in the back of the boat. With only 35hp on a 16 footer he's not going to have the power to overcome the pressure against the hull. He needs to decrease the angle of attack and the only way to get "over the top" so to speak would be to move weight forward or get a bigger engine. Think of it like a truck driving in mud- if you go slow you push all that mud in front of the tires and you plow along. However, give it some gas and let the front tires climb up and over the mud and you'll pick up speed. It's the same principle. If you get the hull over the water you'll get up on plane,drag decrease, speed picks up and off you go. 

He needs to raise his engine (thus reducing drag and increasing speed) and change his weight distribution (again, making the hull ride more level, reducing drag and increasing spees). Then he should see some significant changes in how his boat performs. I see the little 6hp kicker there on the port side of the boat on the kicker bracket. That's 100 lbs. right there. he absolutely needs to move weight upfront. That's a lot of weight all in the rear for a 16 footer.


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## Nate167 (May 1, 2009)

Bassbme, The smaller motor mounted is for lakes around me that are 10hp or less. I do use trolling bags with the 35hp when I'm trolling. I will take off the kicker motor off when not needed. I did like having it on there as a back up motor in case I run into problems on the lake with the 35hp.


UFM82 - Do you think I have enough room to move it up without a jackplate or do I need to go higher than the transom would allow. It looks to me if I raise the motor to the top of the transom it will make it even with the keel. 

I really appreciate everyone's insight to this!!!


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

One- that engine looks like it may be a long shaft (check the serial number). That is why it hangs so far below the keel. Two- Are you sure there are only two holes in the mount for bolts? I'm not familiar with the 35s but my 50 had 4 holes (but no clamps of course). If that is the case then you need to do something else in order to raise the engine or you'd only have two bolts holding it on. That would introduce all kinds of torque forces on the transom and wouldn't be good at all. A fixed plate may not give you the height you need and even a basic manually adjustable plate is $200 or so. You need to add a couple inches to the transom somehow! LOL. I've seen that too and think it's ugly. Not my choice. But jackplates for little boats like this are almost silly. If height is the only reason to have one I'd look at other options. Remember, if you add a plate you are moving the weight even further back, exascerbating your bow-rise issue. That engine just seems like a midfit on the boat for some reason. 

How big are your tanks? Are they fixed or portable? Do you carry a trolling motor and battery? Can you relocate your starting battery? Where are your seats? There are lots of other things to do when trying to move weight. I used to put my batteries (TM and starting) in the center of my 16' v-hull to balance it. 

Don't know- a picture of the side of the transom mount would be good. Can you get one and post it?


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

UFM82, I stand corrected. You are absolutely right about what the plate is called. My apologies on that point. And you're right, there is a difference between ventilation and cavitation. Once again my apologies for using the wrong terminology. Cavitation and ventilation are similar, but have different causes. Be that as it may, the point I was making is that you don't want the anti ventilation plate out of the water while you're running, which is what you stated in your first post, and corrected in your second. You're right, the ventilation plate does add lift to the stern (which is the reason a hydrofoil attached to the ventilation plate adds lift to the stern) but it is also there as a physical barrier to help keep water around your water intakes, and prop. 

I didn't read the original post thoroughly enough, nor did I see the kicker motor until you and I Fish, mentioned it. Had I read it more thoroughly, and looked at the pictures more carefully, I would have realized that the boat was plowing through the water with the bow very high. Once again, my mistake and my apologies. It's clear that the boat is underpowered for the amount of weight at the stern.That being the case, my response would have been different in regards to moving up the motor. Raising the motor will decrease drag, and increase speed, but I doubt that it will make an appreciable difference in the boats running attitude. Like I Fish said, I'd raise the motor, but only to the point that the anti ventilation plate is no more than 1" above the bottom of the hull. I'd also take I Fish's suggestion of taking off the kicker, and using trolling bags to reduce his speed for trolling.

As you both said, there is a lot of weight in the rear of the boat. In my early days of boat ownership I had a 15' Dyna Trak fiberglass bass boat that only had a 40 hp motor on the back that had a similar problem and I put a Sting Ray hydrofoil on the motor and it made a huge difference in the performance of the boat. Other threads in this forum have talked about hydrofoils causing steering problems (pulling to the right) with their boats. I didn't have that problem with the Dyna Trak. It pulled slightly more, but I was able to overcome that by adjusting the trim tab. So adding a hydrofoil is something you may want to consider, as well. Anyhow........ I'd redistribute the weight in the boat to put more weight in the bow, and remove the kicker motor. 

Once again my apologies for the incorrect terminology, and information I had in my first post. I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong. And I was wrong on some points, but correct on others. To the original poster, if you follow the suggestions in this post you should be able to see a nice difference in the way your boat performs.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

LOL I can see I need to learn to type faster. I'll just stick to reading LOL


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

If you end up needing a jack plate this is the one I used on my boat so that I didn't get to far of a set back. It only has a 2.5" setback.


http://www.bobsmachine.com/Products/jackplate_convertible.cfm


I'm not trying to push a product, I'm in no way affiliated with this company I just really have been satisfied with the product and wanted to help you with it if needed.


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## Nate167 (May 1, 2009)

Bassbme - The hydrofoil is what started this whole thought of moving the motor up. I picked up one at walmart on clearance for 10 bucks (I fig hey this is a good deal and will achieve what I want) but decided to do some reading before I went and drilled holes in my motor(not a fan of that). From what I gathered was most people said hydrofoils are "band aids" to imporperly mounted motors, hence my concern about the height. I'm now starting to think I might just put it on cause 10 bucks sounds a whole lot better than 250 lol. 

I have 2 6gal portable gas tanks in the back with the starting battery. Up front I do have a trolling motor with a batter mounted up there for it. The back of the boat doesn't have anything else due to the lack of room. 

UFM82 - You are correct...it is a long shaft motor which I know is one of the problems. I bought this boat at the end of last year due to the hull being in great condition - but that was it. I ended up rebuilding the entire boat from the hull up(foaming is not a fun process btw lol). I also rebuilt the engine from top to bottom as well. I ended up replacing rings, gaskets, bearings and electrical. This has been a huge eye opener for me in the world of fixing boats. To give you an idea of the previous owner, he wired the whole boat off of speaker wire from radioshack lol. I guess another question would be if I decided to sell this motor and get a bigger one what's something like this worth since it's completely rebuilt?


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Through no fault but my own....... but I'm a little gun shy here. lol Anyhow here goes...... I don't know if hydrofoils are a band aid for an improperly mounted motor, as much as they are something that helps an underpowered, stern heavy boat get on plane, or a stern heavy boat get on plane quicker. I do know that if you can't get the hydrofoil to run at the surface of the water, that it's going to cause problems with the boats steering. Which is what I think is the problem some posters in this forum are having with the hydrofoils that they mounted on their motors. With your motor being a long shaft model (which UFM82 correctly identified through the pictures you posted) and the fact that you can't easily raise it..... I don't see a hydrofoil fixing your problem. It would help, but I doubt that it would ride on the surface of the water, so it will probably add a steering problem. That's not a good trade off in my book. Plus if you mount it and it doesn't work properly, you're looking to sell the motor. I'm sure you don't want to have to explain the holes in the ventilation plate. (proper terminology)

If the fuel line connections for both of you motors are the same, you could eliminate one of your gas tanks, unless you need them for cruising range. Eliminating one of those would save you around 40 lbs. if it were full. It's not much, but every little bit helps when you're having planing problems.


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## Nate167 (May 1, 2009)

I don't need it for cruising range. I just carry the extra tank in case I need it......notice a trend here....I never wanna get stuck on a lake due to it happening before and it made for a very long day. I am going to see how it performs without the kicker motor and the gas tank removed. 


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Nate167 said:


> I don't need it for cruising range. I just carry the extra tank in case I need it......notice a trend here....I never wanna get stuck on a lake due to it happening before and it made for a very long day. I am going to see how it performs without the kicker motor and the gas tank removed.
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


I know exactly what you mean about wanting to have back ups for everything. I too found out the hard way about 10 years ago while I was fishing a tournament down on the Ohio River. I was making a long run up river and lost a blade off the prop about 20 miles from the blast off point. I never did figure out why I lost the blade. It was a Mercury stainless steel prop, and I didn't hit anything during the run, and hadn't hit anything (to my knowledge) prior to that. But it came off and I didn't have a spare. Long story short, we took the boat to the shore and started fishing back down river under trolling motor power. So I know what you mean as far as making for a long day. 

I'm sure getting some of that weight out of your boat is going to help let your stern rise, which is going to help with your problem. If you do end up getting a motor with the proper length shaft you still may find you need to add that hydrofoil, so I wouldn't get rid of it. They really can make a huge difference in your boats performance. This I know from personal experience. Good luck. I hope you're able to get your boat running better than it is now. I'm sure you will


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

No apologies needed. You were offering advise as are the rest of us. That advise is why people come here. Different people have different experiences and many times those experiences can help solve a unique problem. Don't ever be "shy" about offering advise. Just because someone corrects a post doesn't mean it wasn't valuable. To the contrary, you approached the subject from your viewpoint. I simply offered mine, which just happens to be correct.  (Yes, I am a smart alec.)
You are now correct that a hydrofoil would not be a good choice. Adding something that will further increase drag at the back of the boat is NOT what the OP needs. He needs less "stuff" in the water back there. 


Nate- I feel for you on the boat rebuild. It looks so easy until you really get into it and then the bucks really pile up. I just cleaned up and sold a little `4 footer that was your basic V hull. Nothing fancy. After a LOT of work I made just a couple bucks on the package. Not nearly what I wanted but I made a few bucks. Will I do it again? Sure- it's fun to do but not as lucrative as some would think. But now you have a boat that YOU restored and know what is in it. I've seen the "speaker wire" jobs before and wow is that fun. 

Assuming you have a title for the motor I will tell you that the mid-sized engines don't sell very well. They're not big enough for a bigger size boat (as you are finding out) and they're too big for the typical 14 foot starter boats. I've seen 9.9s outsell 25 and 35hp engines. The good thing is that you can get a 50 or 60 for not a whole lot more than what you'll sell the 35 for. Less than 1K will get you a mid-70's 50hp and if you can go afford it, $1,500 will get you one into the early 90's. They're out there but can be hard to find. I see a lot of 40's on CL and web pages because that's the size you usually get on a 16' or 17' boat like a tracker. Unless somebody upgrades to the 60 you don't see them much. back in the late 90's I bought a 7 year old 50hp Johnson for $1,900 with controls. Not bad for an engine that cost $3,500 new.


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## Nate167 (May 1, 2009)

ufm82 - Yes I agree that rebuilding the boat does cost some bucks but I love the fact that I know what's in it and the quality of work is up to my expectations. I actually improved the layout of the boat and created more storage. I also like knowing that the foam is good and not water logged(which the old stuff was) I also wired it properly. I was going to use marine grade wire but my grandpa was a electriction and I have more spools of wire than I know what to do with so I fig. if I have to rewire the boat every 5 years it's still cheaper than buying the marine grade stuff. As far as the motor goes I understand what you mean about the power being a hard sell. I acutally came across a deal last night on a mid 70's 85HP motor in GREAT condition for 450 so I jumped on it. It runs great, has great compression and all seals are good. The guy just had a new water pump put in it about a month before I bought it so I know thats good. After looking at this new motor I now see what every is talking about with the mounting holes to move the motor up or down the transom. The other nice thing about the new motor is it's a reg. shaft and I won't have the mounting height issues I was having with the other. I fig in the spring I'll try to sell the 35hp and hopefully break even on it. Again I appreciate all the info on the mounting issue. This will def. ensure that I get the new motor mounted correctly. I do like the fact about how everyone on here is VERY helpfull and I've made sure to pay it forward when other people have questions that I can answer.


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

From a 35 to an 85? That will bring with it a whole new batch of issues. Now you'll be porpoising, chine walking, maybe even blowing over at WOT. LOL 

That will wake that boat up. You won't be plowing anymore for certain but your 6 gallon tanks are going to be a little small now. See what I mean about the midsize engines though? You bought that 85hp for less than what a 9.9 of the same vintage will bring...

Keep us informed and keep posting- it's always fun to see someone put one together and run it. Boats can be very aggravating when there is an issue but so rewarding when you get it right. 

UFM82


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

That johny ray jr hydrofoil,dole-fin,stablizer,whale tail, or something similar will fix that issue.You'll just need one to match that 30 hp size. 

My lowe 165 with a 50 hp johnson wouldn't plane out unless I had someone get up front.Same exact issue with my previous bomber bass boat with a 90 hp johnson.They're that way out off the assembly line. Both boats had no problem planing out after addition of the hydrofoil,stabilizer,or whatever other brand names they have for them.The cabelas stabilizer is what I put on my lowe 12 yeas ago and still holding strong.

If you picked up 1 for $10,you got a bargain. Usually $50-$60


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Nate167 said:


> ufm82 - Yes I agree that rebuilding the boat does cost some bucks but I love the fact that I know what's in it and the quality of work is up to my expectations. I actually improved the layout of the boat and created more storage. I also like knowing that the foam is good and not water logged(which the old stuff was) I also wired it properly. I was going to use marine grade wire but my grandpa was a electriction and I have more spools of wire than I know what to do with so I fig. if I have to rewire the boat every 5 years it's still cheaper than buying the marine grade stuff. As far as the motor goes I understand what you mean about the power being a hard sell. I acutally came across a deal last night on a mid 70's 85HP motor in GREAT condition for 450 so I jumped on it. It runs great, has great compression and all seals are good. The guy just had a new water pump put in it about a month before I bought it so I know thats good. After looking at this new motor I now see what every is talking about with the mounting holes to move the motor up or down the transom. The other nice thing about the new motor is it's a reg. shaft and I won't have the mounting height issues I was having with the other. I fig in the spring I'll try to sell the 35hp and hopefully break even on it. Again I appreciate all the info on the mounting issue. This will def. ensure that I get the new motor mounted correctly. I do like the fact about how everyone on here is VERY helpfull and I've made sure to pay it forward when other people have questions that I can answer.


An 85 hp? Don't put wings on that thing. lol I'm glad you were able to find a good deal on a motor and get your boat the kind of power that like UFM said, will really wake it up. It's going to a boat that you actually have to drive now instead of one that you just hit the throttle and nap until you get to your spot. 

I just have a couple of questions. Mid 70's motor......I'm thinking it may not have power trim and tilt? If it does already have it, great !!! ....... if not....... bummer, and something you may want to consider getting. I mean big time consider getting. It's pricey.... $620 for a unit that will handle up to 130 hp motor. But it makes a WORLD of difference in the way your boat will perform on the water. Especially in rough water. Honestly.... I'd consider it a must have. If you don't already have it, I'd give it serious consideration. 

One other thought, and not one that is in the must have category, but one that's in the really nice to have category is, anti feedback steering. That bigger motor is going to have more torque, and the torque is transferred to your steering. You can counteract some of the torque by adjusting the trim tab on your outboard, but you can't counteract it all. I know from personal experience that it can getting tiring having to actually hold your steering wheel tight so that you can stay on a straight course. I have a 16 1/2' Bumble Bee fiberglass bass boat with a 120 Force on the back. It didn't have anti feedback steering from the factory, but it does now. It is a LOT more pleasurable to drive now, than it was those first couple of years before I put it on. Bass Pro has it for $177. It's a rotary helm model which is probably what your boat has right now so it's a simple remove and replace install. At least it was for me. I hate making suggestions that cost money, especially what could be considered fairly substantial money. 

You said you can hopefully sell that 35 hp you took off. If it were me, I'd tag that money for the power trim and tilt. Anyhow....... glad to read that you got yourself some power......... and oh......... Bass Pro sells bigger gas tanks too. LOL Take it easy.


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## Nate167 (May 1, 2009)

UFM82 - The boat is rated for a 80HP and yes I agree that it's a little over kill but the motor is pristine and for the money I couldn't pass it up. I would have liked a little smaller engine but this is a deal that I had to jump on. I took it out to portage lakes last night and you're right it really does wake it up!! I had it up to about 30-35 mph and didn't have the "package" to push it any faster due to the water being choppy from all the other boats flying around. I understand the whole net set of issues it could present at WOT but don't have any plans on running it at WOT due to the size of the boat. I experenced the chin walking last night and got a good feel for the limits of the boat. It's just nice to have a motor that gets the boat up on plain without a struggle. And you're right that they are very frustrating when they don't work but when they do it's a happy thing. Another good thing about the 85 is it's a reg. shaft instead of a long shaft like the 35 was so I have more clearance in the water now. 

Bassbme - lmao I was thinking about putting wings on it to fly from lake to lake in case the fishing is a little slow. It does not have power trim/tilt and know that I need to consider getting it. It's gonna have to wait a bit though cause the fiancee is ready to shoot me with the upgrades I've been making lmao. I think if I bought that I'd be single.....I will look into the antifeedback steering...yesterday it actually wasn't bad at all at speed. It actually felt ok at speed...at slower speeds I do get the feedback of the motor turning but it's not too bad just a little shakey. I am going to look into bigger gas tanks...I was out for about an hour last night and did 5-6 laps at speed and when I got back to the dock I was down to 3/4 of a tank. I must say though...I had the biggest grin on my face the whole time I was driving it. I actually got to drive instead of like you said take a nap till I got to where I was going. 

I'm not sure where you guys fish but I'm usually at west branch and portage lakes. I have a 1980 16ft lund mr pike blue and grey as you can see from the pics. If you ever see me feel free to give me a shout. The boat isn't marked as a lund except it has 2011 grey lund seats. This site has really opened my eyes to the world of fishing and the community here is amazing!!


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

You've done pretty much what I did. Started small and worked your way up. I had a Sea Nymph FM161 as my first "real" boat. By real I mean a boat with a steering system, decks and the like. I started with a 14 footer, made improvements, sold it, bought an open style 16 footer, did the same thing, sold it and slowly but surely moved up. When I got the Sea Nymph it was rough- floors were rotten, foam was waterlogged, etc. After all that work I thought I was good. It had a 1969 Merc 35 hp on it and it was OK but wouldn't quite plane out as it should have. It was just on the edge. I finally talked the wife into letting me ditch the Merc and bought a 1991 Johnson 50hp with T&T. WOW! What a difference. I remember the first trip out when I got through the no-wake zone and punched it. The boat jumped up on plane and scared me! I'd never driven a boat that went that fast. (30 mph or so.) It was a new world for me. After more improvements (SS prop, etc) I finally got her right and she would run 34 mph pretty regularly. I thought she was hot! LOL. Then the family wanted to boating and I needed something a little bigger. Sold the Sea Nymph to a fellow OGFer from up north, rolled that money into a "flip boat" (a 20' Bayliner cuddy that I got dirt cheap) and wound up with 5K burning a hole in my pocket. Then I found the boat I currently own, a 1993 ProLine 190 with a 150 Merc. This boat will run 50 when trimmed out and it feels great! Love it. 

Bass has a great point. T&T is not critical but it will have a HUGE impact on your boat. Being able to adjust the angle while running is a benefit that you will definitely like. Your holeshot will be better, your top end will be much better and you can change the running angle while driving. That helps when you have rough water, need to run in a following sea (waves coming from behind you) or going into the waves. The ride will be better, you'll stay drier and you'll have better control. Keep an eye on the boa forums for a used one if you can find it. They are a great addition to any boat that does not have T&T. Also, he has another great point. No-feedback steering is not only more comfortable, it's also safer. If you fly out of the boat for some reason, it won't circle back and run over you. Of course you should have a kill switch hooked up as well. 


I don't think you got into chine walking in the true sense. That's when the boat is so light on the pad that most of the boat is out of the water and it actually rocks back and forth. It happens on bassboat when you get above 65 mph or so and can be scary if you've never experienced it. You probably felt squirrely with the 85 hp because you got more of the hull out of the water than you ever have and that changes the handling of the boat. However, you don't have a running pad on that hull and you'll not have that issue unless you are WAY overpowered. But, with that power you now have you will have to get used to the feel of the boat. My Sea Nymph ran mid-30's with that Johnson. You should hit 40 pretty easily with the 85 so you do have a bit to go. 

Do you have gauges in the boat? A tach is essential. I also suggest the full set of gauges- water temp, pressure, voltmeter, etc. They all help you keep an eye on what the engine is doing. Granted, cost is always a factor but you now have an investment. You need to take care of it. The tach alone will help you dial in the boat now with the power you have. You may want to change props depending on what your rpms are and that will impact the handling of the boat. They are a great addition to any boat with an engine on it. 

Good luck! Enjoy the "new" boat and get used to it. You'll grow even more fond of the boat as you learn it's characteristics. Have fun!


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Nate. I'm single so I don't have the same, I'll get killed if I keep spending money, thing that you do. lol But I can surely understand it. lol My problem is more of coming up with the money to spend versus paying my electric bill kind of thing. Luckily the boat I have now works fine.... at least until I hit the Lotto...... first stop, Ranger dealership. lol 

I had to laugh when I read your post about that grin you had. I can totally relate. It's a grin that won't go away any time soon. It's good to see that you already had the trim and tilt option in mind. UFM makes a point about the NFB steering that had actually slipped my mind until I read it in his post. A little slip of the hand on the steering wheel and that baby is turning. Great way to scare yourself and hurt yourself or a passenger. It's an easy sell to the fiance too.......... "baby, you don't want me to hurt myself, do you" Although..... if you're on the edge of bodily harm right now, you may not like the answer. Definitely an ask at your own risk and don't blame me for the black eye kind of thing lol

UFM's suggestion of a set of gauges is a great idea, and as he said, a tach is essential. I will say that if, and when you get a trim and tilt unit I wouldn't worry about having a trim gauge. Other than having another gauge that may look cool to a passer by, they're pretty much a waste of dash space IMO. One last thought that UFM kind of alluded to... your prop. I can almost guarantee that the boat felt "squirrely". The stern felt light and probably even felt as if it was drifting side to side a little. I'm sure you know why...... the relatively flat bottom of the stern and the small keel, coupled with the lack of wetted surface. As UFM said, a prop can make a huge difference in the way your boat runs. My boat was squirrely at speed with the three blade SS prop it came with. It was a lot of fun to drive but under certain water conditions it was a bit unnerving. When I lost that blade I mentioned in an earlier post I went to a 4 blade prop. It made a world of difference in the way the boat handled certain water situations. I lost 4 mph in top end speed with the switch, but instead of having to throttle back or trim down, I could power through the situations. It made the back of the boat rock solid. I don't know what make of motor, or what kind of prop you have now, but it's something to think about. You're a be prepared for trouble kind of guy, so you're going to want a spare prop on board. If you don't already have a spare you may want to think about a 4 blade prop to help some of your handling problems. Oh, and if you think you have a great hole shot now? Pop a 4 blade on that baby lol Anyhow..... aluminum 4 blades aren't that costly. If you don't want a divorce before you get married, don't even look at the price of a 4 blade SS. lol 

I only fish Portage Lakes if I have to for a tournament, but I'll keep an eye out for you at West Branch. I fish Mosquito, and Milton more than any of the other lakes so if you're ever out at one of those and see a black and grey Bumble Bee with a 120 Force on the back, that will be me. Give me a shout, it would be a pleasure to meet you.


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## Lonestar58 (Feb 7, 2021)

UFM82 said:


> From a 35 to an 85? That will bring with it a whole new batch of issues. Now you'll be porpoising, chine walking, maybe even blowing over at WOT. LOL
> 
> That will wake that boat up. You won't be plowing anymore for certain but your 6 gallon tanks are going to be a little small now. See what I mean about the midsize engines though? You bought that 85hp for less than what a 9.9 of the same vintage will bring...
> 
> ...


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## Lonestar58 (Feb 7, 2021)

You could add floating pods or beaver tails as they are call which would help with your weight at the back of the boat for they will minus 200 lbs from the back of the boat


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

This thread is 9 years old.


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## luredaddy (May 25, 2004)

It is a 9 year old post, I hope he has it figured out by now.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

That motor shaft is too long for that transom. The cav plate should be atleast 1" above the bottom.


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