posted 06-10-2001 06:02 PM ET (US)     

It is everything I was expecting. Much better ride than any prior boat. Very nimble. Plenty of room. Love having a back rest again. The tilt steering is a blessing.

The Mercury 4-stroke 60 HP motor is a Swiss watch. Smooth at idle. Starts instantly. Very quiet. Sips gas. Sounds very nice, a low rumble instead of a high pitch whine.

Initial performance with a 10 by 13 4 blade Comprop (all statute figures, GPS obtained):

Me on boat alone:

0-20 MPH less than 10 seconds

Planes in 5 to 6 seconds.

Stays on plane at 15-16 MPH

Cruises nicely 25-30 MPH (anywhere in that range is great!)

Top speed is 35.5 MPH

Now for the one nagging problem:

Performance with 2 adults is hampered.
Once on plane all is wonderfull, not quite the same top speed probanly 34 MPH (I had to return a borrowed GPS). Cruise speed is great and plaining is easy to maintain.

But getting out of the hole is difficult. We needed to sometimes stand up and sit back down once on plane. Since we didn't shift our weight dramatically and since it will plane somtimes without moving I figure we just need to tweak the prop some. The boat really squats when I hit the throttle.

I have already ordered a 3 blade aluminum Michigan Wheel; 10-5/8 by 12. It is only costing me $80 new delivered to my door. That should help. I really don't want to use a hydrofoil unless absolutely neccessary. A stainless prop will be better but I want to get better feel for the needed parameters. The dealer will help me if needed. I have also e-mailed Whaler tech support. The ran 50 HP Mercury 4-strokes on the boats in the brochures, they probably can give me specifics.

Other than the planing problem it is great. I will solve the planing problem, and once I do I will finally have the boat I have always dreamed of.

Thanks to everone on this board that helped me with this. Especially:

Tsuriki BW
B Bear
LHG
Big Z
Whalernut

posted 06-11-2001 09:31 AM ET (US)         

Keep us posted on how your performance tweaks turn out.

Best,

posted 06-11-2001 02:42 PM ET (US)            

I'm sure you will enjoy this new Whaler for a long time...you really did a great job of researching what was available along with defining your own specific needs.

I'll look forward to running into you (hopefully not literally) somewhere in West Michigan...

posted 06-11-2001 08:15 PM ET (US)         

I just got an e-mail from Chuck Bennet. The (Boston Whaler) used 10-3/8 by 14 aluminum props on their test Dauntless 14s when equipped with a Mercury 50 HP 4-stroke. Looks to me that the problem is the Copmrop. I will be talking with my dealer this week and se if he could let my try some different props. I be this will solve all of the problems.

To Ed Stone:

The built in gas tank, low towing waieght, and easy garaging were some of the features that I used to decide on this boat.

To Ventura 16;

posted 06-12-2001 12:56 PM ET (US)         

I am already shceduled to be on vacation the last week of August and the first week of September.

I have pretty aeasy time getting a day off from work.

jim if you have never been on Gull Lake we may want to consider that. I am for any Lake Michigan port from St. joe to Grand Haven as well.

Give me a couple of weeks and I will get things rolling.

posted 06-12-2001 02:28 PM ET (US)         

As you know, I can be highly opinionated about propellers, so don't be offended if you disagree, but I think Comp-Props are nothing but junk, usable only as a "get home" spare. Those props have no blade strength and will "flex out" under load, killing performance. Even aluminum props will do this at higher speeds. With such a nice new (expensive) rig, it seems a prop is not the place to save, and I would go with the new 4 blade SS Trophy Sport, or at least a Merc Vengeance. I don't think even an aluminum prop is going to give you the best out of that engine.

posted 06-13-2001 04:54 PM ET (US)            

I am running a 17p 3 blade aluminum on my 75 Merc 2 stroke. (came with a 4 blade 21p SS) I get better hole shot with the 17 and almost wish I had a 19p.

Anyway, you got mail.

Tsuriki

posted 06-13-2001 08:04 PM ET (US)         

I tried a Quicksilver (Mercury) aluminum today. What a difference. Much better planing. 35 MPH statute MPH top speed at 5850 RPM, which is the revised top speed Mercury is recomending for the 50/60 HP 4-stokes. Cruises beautifully anywhare from 4000 to 5000 RPM, which is 16 to 29 MPH.

Larry,

I know you are opininated, I can be too. I haven't been offended by anything you have stated. I haven't always agreed, but never been offended. I highly value you opinion even if I take a different path than you would. As far as Comprops go I wouldn't say they were junk, but limited in usefullness. They can work well on some boats, clearly not on mine. I will be keeping mine as spare, which is the role they originally were intended for. In this way they work well fo a lot of boaters. They a light which makes changing them on the water easier. They also aren't as likely to ding up you boat, or worse oneself while handling them. Plus they are inexpensive insurance.

I wholeheartedly agree with you about the Trophy Sport. It is on my shopping list. A 4-blade SS prop should be even better at hole shot and top speed. I may be able to move up an inch or 2 in pitch. Greg (Tsuriki BW) runs a 17 pitch Al. with a 75 HP 2-stroke. So I figure I have some more "go" in mine I know my dealer put one on his father's Montauk with 50 4-stroke and he loves it.

At this point many of some of you are probably asking why I don't let the dealer do all of this homework. In fact he is willing to do so; he has told me so on all 3 of the Whalers he has sold me. The converations I have had with other cutomers bear out what a consumate pro he is. The reason he doesn't for me is that I like doing this stuff myself. I enjoy it. Sure it costs me some time a little bit of money, but I enjoy the challenge and I end knowing my boat very well in the end.

I also end up with some different wheels that I keep around to change out for different conditions. Like when I take out my siblings and their posse of hoodlums (er children), putting on a smaller pitch prop makes tubing and hauling around a bunch more people easier. Or when I do my spring and fall fishing trips I can jump a little in pitch and gain a little speed for getting out and back.

Everybody has to have hobbies, mine are biking, fishing/boating, and a Macintosh computer. So I can dedicate a lot of time to each. I hope this clears up this; it is my choice to do all the tweaking, not a dealer imposed mandate.