Pontoon & Deck Boat Magazine – March 2018

http://www.pdbmagazine.com Pontoon & Deck Boat March (^201845)
Your new ’toon sits proudly in the
drive, waiting for its maiden voyage. Your
family’s chomping at the bit, ready for that
exciting first day on the water. But is your
boat really ready? Before you ever get to
this point, it pays performance dividends
and gives peace of mind to know your
boat’s been rigged and set up as near-
perfect as possible.
How can you determine that? Most
would have a tough time doing so; even
boating experts generally need some time
to sort out a new boat and experiment with
setup to obtain best possible performance.
But you can check in with your dealer
before taking delivery and ask the right
questions to ensure that when you launch
for the first time, your rig’s been rigged
to deliver excellent results. Employed
diplomatically, our checklist will help—
hopefully without making your dealer
think you’re one of “those customers.”
Who Rigged
And Set It Up?
Before buying, ask your dealer who
rigged and set up the package. Often, boat
and motor packages are rigged at the boat
manufacturer’s facility, and this is usually
a good thing. Most times, the factory
has tested each hull with various power
packages and setups, and sets up each
rig accordingly. Check online or with your
dealer for factory test reports
(either from the boat builder
or engine manufacturer), and
as you take delivery, ensure
your boat’s been set up per the test
report. What should you check?
Engine mounting height: If the
engine is mounted too low, top end
performance will suffer as will fuel
economy, both due to the extra drag of
the gearcase running too deep. If it’s too
high, low end punch may be reduced
and sharp turns may produce propeller
ventilation—both as the engine’s propeller
tries to grab aerated water. Most times,
the manufacturer’s test report stipulates in
which mounting holes the engine performs
best. Lastly—it might seem elementary—
make sure the engine is mounted level.
Stand at the stern a few feet behind and
eyeball it.
Propeller: The test report should
dictate which propeller—brand, material,
number of blades, pitch and diameter—
POWER PROFILE
BY JOHN TIGER JR.