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.