DrNautica

Does anyone know any factual results of how the IMCO 2" shorty lower performs on the Baja Shooter hull. My current propshaft centerline with the standard XR lower is approximately 7-1/2" below the keel.

How about experience with the IMCO shorty and the Mercury Maximus paired together?

I HAVE to buy a new lower quickly and need some advice. I know that the standard XR gets me 80-83 depending on load and water conditions but I think that the 2" shorter lower may help even more. The problem is, I don't have the $$$ or time to make a mistake.

I also don't want to lose the great handling characteristics I have had with the standard XR. The boat is a '94 and I have been running a Bravo 1 26" Lab finished four blade prop.

HELP???

articfriends

This isn't a "exact" comparison but should help your decision. My understanding is a baja shooter has a almost identical hull to a 272 boss. My 2000 272 runs 89.5 w/ 3/4 tk gas,4 people and a cooler,runs almost 93 mph lightly loaded in perfect conditions. My propshaft C/L to hull was also approx 7.5". I have been using a standard length drive w/well blended hydromotive nose cone. I recently added a stellings 12" setback ext box and raised drive 1". Boat was MISERABLE,lost 2-3 mph at WFO unless VERY lightly loaded,porpoised,cavitated when it hit 2800-3200,would not carry bow well,plowed through waves bouncing all over instead of going acrossed them normal etc. I added a 1" spacer which puts prop C/L back to stock and it now rides like it used to or slightly better. Willy at CMI headers also tried a 2" shortie on a 1996 272 w/850 hp blower motor,he told me it had all the same problems as mine plus had a hard time getting on plane. I'm not real sure how much different your shooter actually is from a 272 but my understanding is the bottom half of the hull is the same but I may be mistaken. I wouldn't waste your money but if you do and it suxs you can install a 2" spacer for 750$ and return it to stock dimension. I was convinced that at 7 1/2 inches you could easily raise x dimension 2-3 inches and it would still drive good as you see all the performance boats with 3-5 "prop C/L but it didn't work on mine.
On the positive side,I have a spare std length drive without a nose cone,when I have ran it my boat goes a solid 4.5 to 5 mph SLOWER (from 89.5-89.7 to 84.5-85) so you might see a big gain from a nose cone or a drive with similar bullet as one,Smitty

articfriends

A maximus might make night and day difference too with a higher X as I only tried my 30 and 32 pitch labbed props but I didn't bother as my boat tq steers terrible when I tried a non-labbed 32 merc so I figured a 5 blade would only stern lift and tq worse,Smitty

KAAMA

DrNautica,

I would think that with your propshaft centerline sitting 7.5" below the boat that a -2" IMCO shorty would definately help,----BUT it can be one heck of an expensive experiment and that is especially true if the shorty doesn't work like you have expected it to work..i.e. needing different props, spacers, nose cones, etc. You may find yourself wondering; "What if...." and then the next thing you know you will find yourself spending THOU$AND$.

The only way you're really going to know is; buy em'... try em' and cross your fingers!

Smitty

I took a stock height 36 Outlaw which had no issues getting on plane and prop slip was O.K., then I went with 1" shorter lowers from Imco. With the same props I was barely able to get on plane and my slip factor doubled and I lost about 5-6 mph on top. So I called Brett at BBlades and we went with the Maximus props. I still have some excessive slip when getting on plane, but once she's up my slip drops into the 11-16% range which is great and i got my MPH back, but I had hoped for alot more. This winter I will go back to stock length lowers and start over.

As a side note: Thru my research I have found that some baja's actually like the drive to be lower so that they can get more leverage to get more bow lift to gain speed. That is what my boat ultimately needs.

Smitty

articfriends

It's hard to believe 1" could screw a stock height Baja up so bad but your experience is identical to mine,it is a fact that these Baja's NEED bow lift.The fact we both have torquey blower motors probably amplifys the problems too and from the speeds Dr Nautica is talking I'm going to assume he has a big inch motor or blower motor too,the "other" Smitty

Marginmn

Has anyone ever tried a standard length sportmaster lower?

DrNautica

Thanks a lot for the quick replies guys. You definitely have me rethinking the IMCO lower unit.

By the way, I'm running a custom built 540 CI naturally aspirated engine thru 1.5:1 ratio and turning that at 5750-5800 RPM with the labbed 26" Bravo 1.

Any other sugestions? The Sportmaster could be a possibility in standard length as Marginmn mentioned. Has anyone tried it in a similar setup?

BTW, the reason I HAVE to get a new drive is due to interfacing with a submerged UFO (unidentified floating object.) Gotta get back onto the water for Labor Day!

JaayTeee

I know when it too high for the max'es to work.

My prop shfts are 3" below the bottom,(I also have boxes )with the maximus'es, I can still make them blow out
coming on to plane, but once up, they hook up
excellent. ( I'm in the same slip range as what Smitty's getting)

I recently borrowed a set of 2" shorties from a friend,
I couldn't get it on plane Prop shaft's at 1" below bottom)

I would think with your current x dimension, that
a shorty and a max would work good, but I'll echo
KAAMA's statements on this.

The only thing negative I've heard about the sportmasters
is that they have a rather large skeg, which can knock off
a couple of mph.

Wild Card 09

Adding a 3" raised Imco extension box (taking my propshaft to hull dimension up from 7 1/2" to 4 1/2") has turned my 25 Outlaw into a fast 25 footer. No vices, no problem getting on plane and great rough water handling. I wouldn´t go back for anything!
HP525EFi/XR 1:5, labbed Bravo 28"
81.2 mph GPS@ 5300.

The Outlaw hull is different from the Shooter/272 hull as it has a larger pad and a 4" notched transom.
I tried a standard 26" Maximus and it sucked. I´m looking to get a labbed 15 x 26". That should work good.....