Skeeter ZX200 with VMAX SHO 200 hp ECU Flash report and results (long)...

After finding out last year that the 200 hp SHO on my boat was a factory constrained
kitten needing to become a beast, I finally pulled the trigger and got my ECU flashed
to over 300 hp and the boat setup done by a couple of Pros. Here is a report of my
experiences and results so far.

ECU Flash by Steve at Hydro Dynamics (with stock rev limiter) - I emailed Steve my VMAX
SHO model year, model number and serial number. He sent that info to Nizpro in
Australia and they sent him the correct flash profile for my outboard. When I got to
his shop, Steve immediately removed my ECU, flashed it and reinstalled it, which only
took about 30 minutes. After the prop and boat setup was complete he followed me to the
ramp, helped my launch my boat, gave me some much needed pre-flight instructions and
then helped me load my boat when I returned. We spoke at length about my experiences
and results and what I should do next to get better performance and driving results.

Prop & Boat setup by Josh at Steve's Custom Props - After setting an appointment with
Steve for the ECU flash, I emailed Josh for his prop recommendation. He said he would
get one balanced and blueprinted for me and have it ready for install. After the flash
was done, Josh immediately removed my old prop and installed the new one with the
correct hub kit. Then we moved my boat to a level spot and he began setting the boat up
by measuring the prop to pad distance. After some quick calculations he determined that
the motor was WAY too high from the Factory and he started adjusting the jack plate to
lower the motor. I protested but he and Steve both explained to me how motor height
affects boat handling and performance, just one of the many lessons they would end up
teaching me. After my intial test, he reviewed my results and determined that the motor
needed to be raised slightly. While he adjusted the jack plate, he showed me the
process, the tools required and the performance goals we were seeking so I could
continue the tweaking on my own. Then he told me to keep him posted and he would change
the prop if needed to get the desired results once the boat was dialed in.

Both Steve and Josh were extremely forthcoming with me regarding the hows and whys of
everything they were doing and were very patient when dealing with my misperceptions
and plain wrong info I thought I knew about high speed boating. I got a crash course in
high performance setup and driving by a couple of real pros as well as exceptional
service and support. They both get my highest recommendation.

Set Up and Gear:
2016 Skeeter ZX200
2016 Yamaha VMAX SHO 200 (approx 200 hours)
ECU Flash by Steve at Hydro Dynamics (with stock rev limiter)
Mercury Tempest Plus prop, 27 pitch, B&B by Josh at Steve's Custom Props
Slidemaster manual jackplate at adjusted setting (2.5 dots)
One Power Pole, bow pedestal seat, no rear seat, Ultrex TM, tall RAM mounted
HDS 12 with Hydrowave mounted above HDS at bow (lots of air resistance)
Me, my dog, full ice chest & multi-day trip food at approx 350 lbs total
Full tournament tackle
Empty livewells
Full tank of gas (36 gallons)
3 Stock Interstate lead batteries
Previous speed and rpms were 66.3 - 68.7 at 6000 rmps and full trim

Conditions:
107 degree air temp
43% humidity
1012.9mb pressure and steady
Wind WSW @ 5 mph
87 degree water temp
Flat to slightly choppy water with very small rollers

Results:
Highest GPS Speed (tail wind)= 76.1 mph
Average GPS Speed = 73.5 - 75.5 mph depending on chop
Mid Range acceleration = estimated 2x to 3x quicker
RPM (analog) = 5800 average
Trim level - estimated at little over 3/4

I have yet to run at full trim and full rpms because of driving issues with me and with
the boat, engine height and conditions. On the first test runs the boat would get VERY
squirrley over 5800 rpms, even feeling like the stern wanted to whip around the bow
when I really pushed it. After Josh raised the engine for the second set of runs the
next day, the lake conditions were a lot worse with heavy weekend traffic and higher
winds / chop, but I could tell that the boat was much more stable over 73 mph and I
could hold the higher speeds longer with less driving. I will update this thread as I get
my setup dialed in, I hope it helps other SHO owners take the plunge to get all of the
performance they want from their rig.

What is the cost per gain ratio?

The cost was $1140 for the flash, prop and boat setup. The actual cost per gain ratio is dependent on which variable you choose to use for the calculation (remember that I have yet to see the true top speed). To me the entire experience, education and future fun factor combine to make it priceless. Top speed notwithstanding, if my only gains had been just the midrange acceleration and increase in overall performance from the correct motor height, I would still consider it a great deal.

That’s very impressive.

will fuel economy or warranty be effected? sounds like a great deal at that price and those mph gains .

Very good results.

Went out today after raising the plate another 1/8 inch (1/2 dot) to 3 dots high in an attempt to eliminate the last bit of driving issues at full trim. Filled the tank with 20 gallons of 93 octane to top it off to full (mixed with the 16 gallons of 89 left over from yesterday) and drove an hour to a lake with enough space for me to make quality test runs. I was able to find some great water that allowed me to fly the bow at full trim and full throttle for extended periods. Here are my results:

Conditions:
108 degree air temp
26% humidity
1012.9 mb pressure and falling
Wind SSW @ 8 mph
86.5 degree water temp
Flat to slightly choppy water with very minimal rollers

Results:
Highest GPS Speed (very slight tail wind) = 76.9 mph
Average GPS Speed = 75.8 - 76.5 mph depending on chop
Mid Range acceleration = estimated 2x to 3x quicker (no change from last runs)
RPM (analog) = 5950 - 6000
Trim level - Full

I do have one issue though, my jack plate is acting all kinds of stupid. Josh had a problem yesterday with it not moving level on both sides, so he tightened one side and leveled the other side. When I made my adjustment today it seemed to move level and I triple checked all of the bolts to make sure they were tight. When I checked it after the runs today, one side (the right) is a full dot higher than the other side. So I will be calling Steve tomorrow to see if he can help me figure this out.

That's really good in these temps. Fall temps you should be at 80 easily. Be careful, the speeds your at now stuff happens quick.

Thanks for the nice words man.. i enjoyed helping you get that boat running.

After screwing around with that Slidemaster today and determining it is kind of a pain in the a** to adjust level by myself and also knowing that I am going to end up trying different props, combined with running some bigger water today and wishing I could have adjusted my engine height on the fly to compensate for my 19.5' boat, I am pulling the trigger on a Bob's Action Jack from Amazon with easy interest free monthly payments. I used to not understand the allure of tweaking a bass boat for speed and performance, but after the last few days experiences, I totally get it. I even caught a bunch of schooling fish today in the middle of the lake where I was making passes in a location I would have never gone by before, so the best of both worlds!

cool thread!

let me give one piece of very important advice.
when dealing with FAST boats... the most dangerous thing one can do is... ADJUST ON THE FLY!!!

One bump to much and your gonna be in serious trouble.!!!!!

i see this all the time..... to go faster.. people think.. raise the plate. NEGATIVE.. that'll get you killed
in high performance boats.. over 75 .. and stuff happens really fast.

please be careful when raising the jack plate.. i'd highly recommend.. slowing down to around 45-50 then bump the plate a little .. then accelerate again.

be safe Mark.. let me know if i can help you with anything further.

Steve, Thank you for posting that statement!!!!
Crabbing is NOT good.
Things DO happen quick!! Faster than humans can react.

markson, Thanks for the setup/run out info. Great post. Keep updating as you upgrade to get the benefits out of it all. Stay Safe.
Enjoy your new setup to the utmost.
We all admit , it IS an adrenaline rush like no other!!!

Steve is correct.
Take it from someone who’s been slung out of a few boats.
When you start getting over 75 very small moves make big differences

Oh I remember getting that bug years ago. Faster, faster, Faster. Wallet started running dry when I hit 90 mph.

I was so thankful when Steve gave me my preflight instructions before my first run after the ECU flash because the boat was set too low on the plate, which made it want to swap ends at full trim and throttle...crabbing is the perfect term for it. I have seen the results of a high speed hook in person years ago and it was not pretty, only a broken arm but could have been WAY worse. For me the hydraulic plate is more about having control of both the bow (with trim) and the stern (with plate) to adjust the total ride and performance of the boat, not just the top speed.

Steve has graciously agreed to install his competitor's plate on my boat and we spoke at length today over the phone about what I need to make the setup just right. Just another reason why he gets my highest recommendation for flash, jack plate and boat setup work. I am going to have him give me driving lessons on the water as well after the plate install.

As far as props go, for whatever reason(s) Josh, Nettle and Croxton would not/could not re-pitch my VMX 23 to a 25. But I did find someone to do it today in Houston (Baumann Props). Should be done next week. I really want to be closer to the 6400 rpm limiter because according to Steve there is flat spot in the SHO curve between 5500 and 6000 and then hp starts going up again after that. He has a 26p I can try as well after the plate install.

Finally, I did hit 77.7 mph yesterday, although it was wind assisted.

Seems like you got the bug. Now let’s see what it’s going to cost ya to hit 80. Don’t say you aren’t going to try because you’ll only be lying to yourself.

80+ is doable with that boat... not sure if it's gonna be in the extreme heat wave we currently have.

when it cools off some, the slip numbers on the props should come down and that bug will fly!!

glad i can assist you Mark. see ya soon

In the colder months I typically ran slip numbers from 7.8% - 10.3% depending on load and conditions. If I was running those same numbers now with a 27 pitch prop at 6000 rpm my top speeds would be 78.56 - 80.76 mph. If I could turn the 27 pitch prop at 6350 rpm at the same slip numbers I should run 83.15 - 85.47 mph.

like we talked about.. theoritically.. a 26p in the summer and a 27p in the cooler months would be ideal for you.

Looking like about 100 dollars per 1mph. That’s pretty darn good.... a lot of us are known to pay more than that!!!!

Here is a quick update. I have noticed that my Skeeter hull is VERY sensitive to weight changes. As my fuel level drops I can feel the ride stability at full trim & throttle degrading. Instead of screwing around with the manual plate again to reset a "compromise" height, I decided to fill my livewells to add the weight lost in fuel back to the boat. That worked like a charm. This is the kind of thing that made me decide to get the hydraulic jack plate. I want to run the "sweet spot" on the boat no matter what the air, lake or boat load conditions are.