Z-7 Sport Props And Top Speed

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Will Strachan

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Sep 25, 2016
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Vacaville CA
Anyone have a z7 sport. I have a new 2016 with a about 6 hours on it. I'm curious if anyone has tried different props to get a little more speed or possible bow lift. A couple mph wouldn't hurt my feelings but smoothing out the ride would be my primary concern.
I came from a Champion 181 dcx with 150 evinrude. I know this bigger wider boat will never handle lime my Champion did but it is ROUGH! It doesn't appear to have enough bow lift to clear moderate rollers.
Seating is further forward so I expect to FEEL more slap at the helm....Figured on that.
It's also underpowered and I expected that as well.
Any advice is appreciated.
 
I run the factory 21" Tempest that my Merc 150 4stroke came with, but I did install a jack with about 6" of setback. With it set about 3-1/2" below the keel I still have an excellent holeshot and even with the limited trim available on these new motors, she can run 53mph on gps with just me and 1/2 a tank or less of fuel. She will run 50-51 with two or three people and full of fuel. Pretty decent performance for a Fish-ski combo. If a guy could get the new merc to trim just a little higher at speed there are a couple mph left in there for sure and maybe even a prop size yet, cuz I am not even close to getting it loose and flyingt.
 
Ditto on the slap and rough ride, although she handles very well (love the boat generally) and turns on a dime there is no "Happy Medium" with this boat when it comes to even moderate rough water. Either "easy does it" or nail it and run the tops til it smooths out. Fine for me, but makes the wife a little antsy at times..lol
 
I have had mine to 59 on gps with 1/4 fuel and not a lot of gear. thats pretty good for a heavy boat 19.5' powered by only a 150 pro-XS. I just think experimentation on prop might get me just a little more out of the water and smooth out the ride a bit. Is anybody experimenting on props?
 
I am joining this thread a bit late but I hope you gents will see this. We just returned from a vacation with our 2015 Z-7 Sport (150 Merc 4-stroke with 21 pitch Tempest SS prop) and experienced the same rough ride on moderate chop. We most often had 5 aboard with me being the heaviest at 210 lbs. We had trouble getting people up on one ski, even with some out of the boat and the observer in the bow. We also experienced a lot of porpoising when we tried to trim the motor up at speed. We had a very small usable trim range. It sounds like this is typical for this boat. I am considering getting a lower pitch prop for skiing and general use and don't care about losing some high end speed. The boat won't do it unless it is glassy out, anyway. Any further experience or thoughts on your parts?
 
If you want hole shot to pull skiers try a high five prop (Five blade) and add a fin to the cavitation plat on the engine. I have a 2017 Z19 Sport with a 200 XS with 21 pitch High Five prop and no drill cavitation plate fin. I use the boat to barefoot ski and this thing is a rocket when it comes to hole shot, and my top end full of fuel with three people in the boat is 55 MPH on the GPS. If your boat has a 150 on it you probably should go down to a 19 pitch on the high Five which is the best prop out there for pulling skiers.
 

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