I've got a 97 200 Venom on a Stratos 201 proelite, with a 5" allison jackplate, running a 25 pitch tempest. I cant seem to get the boat to stay on the pad. I have run the boat at 3.5" below pad, and down to 4.5" below pad. It acutally runs a little faster at 4.5", both heights run between 5300 and 5400 rpm depending on temp. But will not trim up high enough to throw any rooster tail at all. I can slow down trim up, get on it, throw a tail of about 4' tall, and pick up 3 to 4 mph, get 5500 out of it, then the trim leaks down I guess. Trim is full of fluid, and there are no visible leaks. Any ideas?

I would begin troubleshooting by trimming motor up while on trailer and see if it bleeds down.

I started that process today,I'll check it out in the am!

Hope all the water is out of it with freezing temps

Trim stayed up all night last night, and all day today. Did not move.

Do you consider yourself an expert at running a performance boat, or is it new to you? This can matter a lot in the accuracy of the observations stated, is why I ask. Boat new to you, or the prop? What brings about this particular issue discussion at this time? Has it ever run "right" in your view? These things help us assess what's going on.

WHen you tested the "trim" overnight, did you really test the trim, or did you test the motor TILT? If you raised the motor all the way up, you no longer had any motor weight on the trim rams, so you were not testing what holds the motor at an angle when running above idle. If you had the tilt cylinder holding the motor up, and it didn't leak down, you only proved that the tilt cylinder valves don't leak.

Do you know the difference? Most leaks in tilt/trim hydraulics will never been seen as water washes it away. The type of leak that's most common is where fluid leaks past a valve seal to the low pressure side of the cylinder thereby lowering the ram - it doesn't really leak to the outside world.

The bigger the rooster tail the faster you go. Ever notice those super fast Rangers throwing 15� high roosters?

Ohhh, my Ranger is only at about a 12' rooster tail level. You mean there's more I should be looking to get???

You say you guess it is leaking down but you really don't know for sure? My 1985 tilt leaked down almost new from factory. Had seals replaced under warranty. Shortly after it still leaked down. It was not until I replaced the pump and motor that it did not. Trim never leaked down just tilt. If you suspect trim leaking down then shut boat down when you do. When stopped hit the trim and see if it trims up or goes straight to tilt. There is a lot more force on trim unit when running so if it is leaking you may never see it on trailer. Also if you have gauge closely when fully trimmed.

There are pressure bypass valves in the trim system that can weaken over time. They release hydraulic pressure on impact or at the end of the t&t travel. Just setting all night holding the motor up will not show a pressure problem. It will have to have 150-250lbs on the lower to tell anything. Some boat shops can test the pressures.

OMC motors don't throw the rooster tail like a Merc. If you're just going by rooster tail you've got a lot to learn. Cowling high rooster tail is about the fastest. Any higher & its wasted horsepower because your prop is running nose down & tail high. In other words it's digging, not pushing forward. Is that prop worked. Extra cup in prop will give bow lift along with keeping stern lifted to get up on the pad. You've got to get it there first. How & where you have the boat loaded is a huge critical part of getting a boat on pad & keeping it there. A LOT more to going fast than shooting a big rooster tail.
Yes. Those huge rooster tails you see on super fast boats are impressive, but those ain't stock 200hp motors & they're DEFINATELY not everyday Bass Boat applications.

I'll answer all of the comments here;
1. No I'm not an expert, but I have owned boats for 35 years now. I've had the boat 5 years, and it has never been right.
2. Yes, I understand that big rooster tails are bad, and small ones are usually good.
3. Yes, the prop has been worked. I also have a 25p Renegade, and a 24p Raker, all perform with the same results.
4. Yes, I understand the crude testing of the trim overnight was just that crude. I've also put my fat 260 backside on it to see if I could leak it down, it did not.
5. No matter where I have the jack plate set, or how high I'm trimmed, when I accelerate on plane; the bow does not lift, it pushes down.
6. Yes i understand too much weight forward kills you, and also to be evenly distributed side to side is optimal.

Been chasing this ghost a few years, was just looking for some help. Its been kinda frustrating to have a nice boat that just don't quite get there. Thanks guys...

Ok, I know you probably do not want to hear this but did you ever stop and think that the boat may be under powered. I ran a modded 175 Black Max on my Ranger 375V. My boat was 17'10". I think yours is a little over 20. After the mods my mechanic put it on the dyno and he said it was running with the stock 200s. The 375V is not a performance hull and a little on the heavy side with dual consoles and bench seats. My highest rooster tail was between 45 and 50 at full trim. I ran several props and settled on a 15-1/4x23 Tempest Plus. The Tempest lifted the whole back end of the boat which sounds like was you need. Might try a lower pitch in the prop that runs bests now or a different prop. Experimenting with props can get expensive unless you can find a good deal on a used one or someone that will work with you. Might try Power Tech technical support or Josh. I don't know anything about your boat motor combo but have always heard that Rakers are the way to go on an OMC.

Is the hull in good condition? I've seen them "cupped" on the bottom before. No amount of power or prop can get a bad hull up on pad.