Glad you quoted that word because it, and boats, are not synonymous and should rarely, if ever, be used in the same sentence or conversation!

Once again Ken A demonstrates that he's not just another pretty face.

Eh. Fast boats. Mines more like an 1/8 mile drag boat. Mine goes 0-60 faster than most get on pad. But, it tops out at 61.

Not sure some of the disagreement here. Ken is an absolute wealth of “fast bass”. There are very very few on this page who rival his experience at speeds in a bass boat, and just the sheer number of different boats he’s experienced. While there is usually some left to right play in a ram, stock rubber mounts have slop, so the consumer with his normal fishing boat does not feel vibration. Those happy with your boat, Ken is not talking to you. Ken is talking to those of us who enjoy pushing the extreme edge... who love riding the pad... who love the rush of balancing 1 ton of boat on 1 square foot of pad. And for those, solid mounts are necessary. Or at the very least worth the consideration. For those who have flown a vee hull, I can tell when there is 1 extra ounce of slop in my setup. I bleed my steering religiously. Check my mounts often. Check my prop. Check my trim.. Etc. etc. I can feel when something is even a hair off. And when it is... you get wet. I have gotten wet. It’s not worth it. I have gotten wet in the winter. Especially not worth it. Ken is warning of a very present danger relating to high speed bass boats. This is not an opinion. It’s fact. Rubber mounts are for comfort. Solid mounts for speed. Solid mounts do have more vibration. If this matters to you, then this topic is probably moot on those ears, and that’s okay! Ken isn’t speaking to everyone. Just warning those of us who do enjoy pushing it. I had a buddy destroy his boat this weekend, spinning it around at just 60mph. Not 80. Not 90. 60. Caught a rogue wave. And that was that. It just shows that any bass boat is technically a “high speed” boat. I could go on and on about this. In a nutshell... Ken is the man. Listen when he speaks on fast boat topics. On any other topic... jury is still out. LOL kidding Ken enjoy DC

LOL

I am Unfriending you on TFF.

I guess I missed something in the video because I only saw him wiggle the lower unit,,I did not see him pivot the motor from side to side like you said. Is there a second video showing that Jeff From Iowa?

BTW even though it is a hydraulic system there is still a mechanical linkage bolted to the motor.

Thanks for the information Ken. Your video also reminded me that I need to check the transom bolts and make sure they are tight along with the steering linkage bolt.

One thing I was wondering,,,you had 28 boats in the past and only 5 of them would do over 100? I figured it would have been way more than just 5 knowing you Ken. LOL

I think you need to watch the video again because he shook the motor, he did not turn it side to side like you keep saying. You can turn a tire on a vehicle to the left and then to the right or right then left it doesn't matter which, and it can move easily and seem just fine, but now grab the top of the tire and shake it and see how much movement or wiggle it has. One way is turning the other will show how much slop it has or doesn't have. Two totally different ways of checking and looking for wear.

I am slowing down as I mature.

Mature as being smarter about things,,,,or Mature as getting older and more careful. LOL

Maybe a combination of the two.

No problem Ken, if you get the need for speed i can fix you up.

Wow you think I need to watch the video again??!!

I highly suggest you take your own advice the video cant be any more clear.




As for your example debunking my car analogy.


What you describe grabbing top and bottom is checking the BALL joints... Only the ball joints.....

Grabbing the tire and moving side to side IS check the STEERING linkage and to do that you need to lock the steering wheel in place, mechanics actually lock the steering shaft from the steering wheel to the steering box. Turning the wheels side to side as you say will of course seem fine because all your doing is turning the wheels same as this video..

Steering linkage runs side to side in the car, fyi... ball joints are vertical in the spindle....


The same as our boats, side to side to check steering, like the video posted...

Top and bottom to check the motor mounts.... BUT since the lower motor mounts are solid alum you will only see slop or movement in the two uppers so look just below your cowl at the engine mount when you lift up on the back of the motor.

I always heard that he who gets there fast get's to make that extra cast. But now that I'm older I don't care if I get there last and have to make a few less casts. Its all about safety nowday's.

I hear ya on that. Ive found that 50-52 mph is pleasurable across the lake I can drink and talk to my non etc at that speed. At 68-74 your drooling. I put a 4 blade on my boat and it only goes 68 w a partner now, but it handles way better and holeshots better etc.

Having only had a newer boat since 2017 and already going thru two power heads, Im thinking 50 mph at 4500-5000 rpm might help them last longer than 5700-6000 rpm all the time also. Though both of my motor losses were freak things.