Set Up Question with 2 10' Talons

I have a 2008 BassCat Cougar FTD - Mercury Pro XS 250. This past late summer I added 2 Talons ( a lot of weight) and my Fury 3 blade 25 pitch no longer would get me out of the hole. I went to a Fury 4 25 and got the hole shot and great mid-range response. With tourney load , live well full and gas tanks 3/4 it still is taking about 4-5 1000/1, 1000/2 etc to get on plane.

I have not changed engine height since adding the Talons (10 footers by the way)Should I make an engine height adjustment to improve my hole shot. If so, should I go lower or higher...manual adjustable jack plate.

Looking for opinions with setup experience please.

Thank you!

I doubt just an engine height change is going to make any considerable improvement in your holeshot unless its buried.
Need a baseline...so take the boat out and bring to WOT and note water pressure. Raise jackplate in 1/2" increments until you start to lose water pressure (Minimum 15 lbs.) at WOT, then lower it 1/4".
That should be the optimum jackplate height...see if your holeshot is better.

Balancing the boat's load forward could help... a different prop and/or having your prop worked could be the best improvement.

Gamblinman, I appreciate your input. Currently water pressure is very good so I will work on my height a little to see if I can get an improvement. Everything I have tacklewise is at the front of the boat. On the items I mentioned earlier and my BIG BUTT are at the back along with normal batteries etc.

Thank you sir!

Hole shot always follows your big end performance.

Hole shot issues are either it’s a pig and lugging getting going or it’s slipping and cavitating trying to take off. So which is it?

If your top end is still ok then it’s just a matter of tuning in your prop vents.

Pat, thanks for your comments. Without the full live well and another person it jumps out of the hole pretty well. It only labors when the heavier load is on it. It may be performing as well as it should for the load that is on it. I'm just used to getting up and out much quicker and its just probably the NEW norm with all of the added weight. Top end speed use to be 77-78...it's still 73-74. Asking my questions is probably more about therapy for me to accept the added features and advantages of talons for my personal fishing style in exchange for a lightening fast and probably unrealistic hole shot now.

I appreciate you chiming in. It's always good to learn. I have played with the ports and my current setup seems to be performing best for this prop.

Many boats will struggle with full livewells. Fill halfway and put livewells on re-circulate until you get some fuel burnt.

Great point Gary! Thank you!

i've been through this on soo many bass cats..

those darn power poles are heavy.

if the wot performance is where it needs to be.. then to fix the holeshot there are two things that need to
be done.

1) vent the prop more so it will spool up on the hole shot. ( Josh here at the prop shop can drill a 2nd set of pvs holes)
2) add a skid plate to the jack plate.

we can help you here with both of these issues. matter of fact if you have the bass cat 8 inch slidemaster
tommy at Rockwall Marine has one of my skid plates you can try out.

trust me.. this works.

Boat setup is all about going too far and bringing it back, the only way you'll ever know what just right is.

Venting your prop is the same thing, start yanking vent plugs until it blows out (with full livewell) and then you'll know exactly what's the best.

Steve and Pat, thanks for your guidance. This will certainly help as I get it "dialed in"!