Bravo 3 outdrive

[Cousin Eddie]

I'm working on a repower which is going to require a conversion to a Bravo outdrive. For those of you that have Bravo 3 outdrives (dual prop), what size boat do you have it on and what is the minumum speed that you can get down to at idle?

It would be nice to have the Bravo 3 performance but I do a lot of slow trolling an am leaning towards a Bravo 1 in the interest of not having to mess around with trolling bags.

 

[MarkSee]

Re: Bravo 3 outdrive

I've got a 27 foot Sundancer and love the 454/B3 combo.

My spedo don't start until 10mph and in gear just above idle doesn't register; I would think you should have no issues trolling.

Mark

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Re: Bravo 3 outdrive

I've got a 27 foot Sundancer and love the 454/B3 combo.

My spedo don't start until 10mph and in gear just above idle doesn't register; I would think you should have no issues trolling.

Mark

We slow troll Salmon at speeds anywhere from 2.0-3.0 MPH (GPS or measured with a downrigger probe). It's not at all uncommon for the lines to be dead at 2.2 MPH but getting fish at 2.6 (and some days the other way around) so the minimum speed is extremely important for us. If the boat won't go below 3.0 MPH then we would have to use trolling bags which is an option, but I'd rather not given the choice....

 

[MarkSee]

Re: Bravo 3 outdrive

If the boat won't go below 3.0 MPH then we would have to use trolling bags which is an option, but I'd rather not given the choice....

Seems like the boat type and engine type would be as big, or bigger of a factor wouldn't it?

My 454 will be in gear and I think be around 700-800 rpm and weighing 9000+ pounds doesn't move real quick at that rpm.

I know my ratio is 2.0 if that matters.

Mark

 

[agallant80]

Re: Bravo 3 outdrive

25 foot clocking in at 7K LBS 5.0MPI with B3 about 3MPH when just in gear. Also depends on current and chop.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bravo 3 outdrive

We slow troll Salmon at speeds anywhere from 2.0-3.0 MPH (GPS or measured with a downrigger probe). It's not at all uncommon for the lines to be dead at 2.2 MPH but getting fish at 2.6 (and some days the other way around) so the minimum speed is extremely important for us. If the boat won't go below 3.0 MPH then we would have to use trolling bags which is an option, but I'd rather not given the choice....

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... Ya haven't said what this hull yer refittin' is,....

I use my trollin' socks as a last resort now-a-days,...

I ain't runnin' the drive yer askin' 'bout, but My trollin' theory's apply,...

If ya go with the B-3, mount on the Biggest trim tabs you can fit on the transom....
Mine are twice the size of what's called for the hull....

Bennett makes a Fisherman's Special ram for their tabs that over extends, 'n Really works the trollin' Brakes,...

Smart Tabs, also has a Fisherman's Special Tabs,...

If ya go with the B-1, lotsa props'll work,... I run an ole Land & Sea, Torque-Shift,... it trolls at 11" of pitch,...

That combo gets my barge down to Walleye speed of 1,... maybe 1.5 mph...

With a couple of 60" bags off the forward corners, it's Sub-1....

'course, the whole adventure was to get the Motor, runnin', Just off idle....most of my fishin' is 1.5 to 2.5 mph...

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Re: Bravo 3 outdrive

I found a good deal on a B1 so I went ahead and ordered that. Slower trolling speeds, lower prop cost, and the ability to switch to an aluminum prop when in shallow areas were all a consideration. There's a port on Lake Michigan where we fish that requires that we navigate a shallow bay in order to get to the marina. With the great lakes water levels being low, I'd rather have a softer aluminum prop that can take the hit should we come across a rock (and at a much lower cost to replace). The hull is an '87 Four Winns 245 Vista and the engine that's going in it is the carburated Mercruiser 6.3 383 Mag Stroker 350HP/429TQ. The previous engine was the origional 26 year old mercruiser 5.7 260 HP which given the RPM loss over the past couple years, probably was putting out somewhere around 200 hp at best.

Funny that you should mention the trim tabs. I did the same thing with the oversized tabs a couple years ago. I'll have to look into that fishermans special ram.

We questioned the wisdom of a repower vs a different boat since the new engine/drive package exceeds the likely resale value but we redid the interior a few years back, the boat is set up exactly the way I would want for salmon fishing/general use and the bottom line is that the repower is being done with reliable use in mind vs resale.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Bravo 3 outdrive

I don't think I could troll with my Bravo III. It's a 1.81:1 ratio and 26p props. It's fairly fast at idle.

Too fast for trolling IMHO,

I would suggest a "kicker", then you have a complete range of trolling speeds and a way to get back in case the "big one" quits on you!

And for that boat, I would ABSOLUTLEY put a Bravo III on it!

Cheers,


Rick