Problem Planeing Out

[Gene Wellman]

Fellow Boaters- Here is alittle background on equipment. Lowe GLS 179 deep-v with 90 h.p. Johnson with a 14 x 17 prop. Added a 15 h.p. Merc 4 stroke as a kicker. Boat is very hard to plane out. Did the extra weight of the kicker cause the problem, and do I need to change the pitch of the prop? If so, what should I try? Thanks

[Salami]

Tiller or CS? sounds like plenty of power! Did it plane before kicker was in stalled?

[Ed Michrina]

Does your boat have a tachometer?

[roger23]

with a 17 prop you should have plenty of power it just take a lot longer to go on plane. move some weight up front. think about it you put a lot of weight on the back look at your boat trailer to decrease tung weight you move the boat back which adds weight to the back of the trailer. A 19 prop will increase speed some and may put you up on plain faster.I use to have to put a 17 prop on to pull 3 people skies

[waterfoul]

Kicker definitely affects your planing. Take inventory of what you have at the back of the boat... kicker fuel tank? Batteries? Etc... can you move any of it forward? In order to plane quicker with the added weight... you'd have to have LESS prop pitch, which will probably over rev your motor once you are on plane. You need to play with other things first. Can you lower your motor easily? Do you get on plane with the motor trimmed all the way down? You could always go the easy way and put a dolphin type planer on your lower unit... I did this with my 50 merc and the difference was amazing. It's now been on the boat for 10+ years with NO issues. Makes a decent step for getting into the boat when swimming too.

[BigWaterHunter]

Most planing problems result from a change in the configuration and weight of your rig. In this case the addition of a kicker which adds transom weight. 2 choices come to mind. One is to change the pitch on your prop to allow a fast hole shot. Prop pitch is base on weight to thrust ratio with factored RPM or add a dolphin stabilizer to the motor. Both will work

[glockman55]

Fellow Boaters- Here is alittle background on equipment. Lowe GLS 179 deep-v with 90 h.p. Johnson with a 14 x 17 prop. Added a 15 h.p. Merc 4 stroke as a kicker. Boat is very hard to plane out. Did the extra weight of the kicker cause the problem, and do I need to change the pitch of the prop? If so, what should I try? Thanks

I had the same problem, 1700 Monark, 90 Mariner. 15 hp 4 stroke merc kicker. when I bought it. They had a Hydra Foil on the 90, I didn't like the way the boat handled, real bad lean to the left and slow to get up on plane( same side as the kicker) I shifted everything I could to the right, not much help. The only way I got it to work is put the second guy behind me and it wasn't too bad. I ended taking the kicker off, then the Hydra Foil off, It now jumps out on plane with no problem. I have a 19 pitch prop on mine, it runs 40 mph, at 5300 rpms. I have the Hydra Foil if you want to try it. I traded the 15 hp for a Minn Kota 55 lb auto pilot, a fish finder and a new stearing cable.

Glock:idea:

[ROBBY MEYERS]

with a 17 prop you should have plenty of power it just take a lot longer to go on plane. move some weight up front. think about it you put a lot of weight on the back look at your boat trailer to decrease tung weight you move the boat back which adds weight to the back of the trailer. A 19 prop will increase speed some and may put you up on plain faster.I use to have to put a 17 prop on to pull 3 people skies

no no! drop your pitch to a 15 pitch that will get you on plane faster! the 19 will increase your speed but the boat may not get on plane. remember you move 19 inchs of water per revolution puting even more strain on the motor :help: