Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

[retiredfornow]

I have a 1988 E60TLCCR on a 1996 17' Sailfish, fiberglass and seems heavy. It came with a SS 13x19 pitch prop, bought the whole thing used. Got the motor running excellent, as far as I know. This is my first boat. It wouldn't go on plane, so I borrowed a 13x15 pitch, and it will plane if I run up and stand on the front of the boat (it's doing 3200 rpm at this time). At WOT on plane, it does about 5200 RPM. Compression is 110 on all 3 cylinders.
I'm thinking of going with a 4 blade aluminum prop, 13x13 pitch, or maybe a 3 blade, 13x13, because no one around here has one I can borrow, so I'll have to buy it. Aluminum, because it's cheaper for something that may not work.
Any thoughts on pitch or 3 vs. 4 blade???????? Any ideas will be appreciated!! Thanks

 

[clemsonfor]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

you need a 13x17. You get 200rpm on the top for each pitch you increase. That motor i think needs to bee 5500-6000 right? Even if 5500 is top youll only be at 5600 anyway so not terrible just remember not to run wot for any amt of time if 5500 is tops. Check ebay you can get deals i got a SS prop no dings for like $30 shipped to my door for my 60hp.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

Thanks, clemsonfor. Tops, in the book, is 5500. I understand about not running it WOT for too long. What I was getting at is it wouldn't plane on a 19 pitch, but will, with help, on a 15. I just thought that I was going the right way with a 13 pitch, which I thought would help it get on plane quicker. Top speed makes no difference to me, just getting on plane quick is what I'm after. I fish the flats here in Florida, and deep water doesn't last very long. I just want to get it up quick to get across the sandbars without grounding out.

 

[clemsonfor]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

You should be able to go WOT for 30 mins if you want to without blowing it up, i was just kind of giving you a cheat. I forgot to mention i have a 16ft cobia CC with a 60 hp to give you a reference. NADA book says im 600lb dry without a motor me , 100lbs of batteries etc.

But yea you get 200 rpm per pitch increase or decrease. So like i said if you go from a 17P to a 15P its easier to turn the 15 as its blades look more vertical, so since its easier you will gain 200rpm per pitch and since its 2p decrease you will get 400rpms on top end. Reverse it and you will loose the same amt.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

Sleeping on it helped to clear my head. I understand what you're saying now, and 17P sounds right. The antivent. plate, if I called it right, is about even with the bottom of the boat, maybe a hair lower. I put a Whale Tail on it, thinking that would help get it up on plane quicker, but it's dragging low in the water while on plane. Maybe if I raise the motor one bolt hole, about an inch and a half, and get rid of the Whale Tail, maybe it'll help with the hole shot. Is my think correct? Thanks for your replies.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

These pics show how the motor is mounted. Looks like it could be raised a couple of inches, to the 2nd hole from the bottom. In the first pic, the camera is aligned with the bottom of the boat. The motor is tilted all the way down. Thoughts?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

A 15" pitch should be right.I saw a test with a 850lb boat with a 60 Erude w 15" prop 2 men 25lb gear and 6 gal of gas that has a little over 3 second hole shot.The foils should be a last resort.Do you trim down all the way for hole shot?A 4 blade prop would help hole shot But I think a 13" prop would be extreme It would be normal to drop an inch going to a 4 blade. 14"
Is there a lot of weight in the stern?From your description I wonder if the foam under the floor may have absorbed water.Raise the motor to a point just before venting becomes a problem.
It could make a slight improvement in hole shot, top speed and rpm.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

The gas can is in the back, and a bait well. The center console is towards the rear, but not that much. I may try raising the motor some, if I can get it loose from all the old silicone stuff thats on there. Thanks for the reply, steelespike. I agree, the 13 prop would be way overdoing it.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

You should us a straight edge to get an accurate measurement along the keel to the foil.
You appear to have a very slight tunnel effect, may change your height in relation to the bottom.
But raise it as far as venting allows.Some motors have holes on the bracket that allow raising the motor without needing to move the transom bolts.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

No holes in the bracket, have to raise it using the transom bolts.
Ran a straight edge along the keel, and measured DOWN to the anti cavitation plate that the Whale Tail is bolted to and it's exactly 2 inches. The bolts in the bracket are in the top bracket holes, and there's 2 inches to the bottom bracket hole. Soooo, if I raise the motor and use the bottom holes, the plate should line up with the keel plane. I'm new at this, but I think that is a big part of my problem with the motor too low. I'll raise it and try it out for getting on plane and WOT rpm's before I even think about a different prop. Unless someone has a better idea or a different approach to this. Darn, I'm soooo close to having a nice fishing rig. Thanks steelespike.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

Measure the X dimension when the AV plate is parallel to the keel, not trimmed down all the way. It still looks like you'll be low especially with a fin. The fin should allow some additional motor height (X dimension).

As for the rpm, the motor is rated at 5500. You can safely run that motor at 6000 all day long. For motor longevity you should target 5800 to 6000 as your top capable rpm with an average load. There really isn't any such thing as "over reving" that style motor. If you're using ethanol fuel you may not get to 6000 with the right (most efficient) prop anyway.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

Thanks, Dhadley, I'll re-measure it, it'll be less than 2".
Went to oil up and loosen the mounting bolts, and the lower starboard one looks like it has one of those "locks" like on a car wheel, where you need a special socket to remove it. Darn the luck. Anyone ever seen one on a boat mounting? Guess the prior owner didn't want anyone to steal the motor. It's like an inch piece of pipe over the nut, and recessed in the pipe is a nut, I guess, with half holes around the edge. A special socket, I guess again, fits down inside and tits around the socket edge engage into those half holes. Sawzall, looks like, and hope it isn't hardened steel. Any ideas?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

Its possible its just meant to spin making it difficult to saw off.Might cut easy if you can keep it from spinning.If all else fails maybe grind it off.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

I crunched down on the anti-theft piece with vicegrips and spun the bolt out from the other side.
Raised the motor this morning and now it's 1/2 inch above the keel line, with the motor plate on the same level line as the keel. Used the same bolt holes in the transom. Here's a couple of pics, still need to tighten it up as soon as I get a new bolt and nut to replace the anti-theft device. I guess it shouldn't be undue strain on the transom sitting that high, since the same bolt holes were used. The transom is solid as a rock, just chipped some fiberglass around the top area. I'll seal that up. Thanks everyone for all the help. I'll report back on the test run.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

Ok here goes. 1996 Sailfish, 17' length, 8' across beam, I think the weight is 1500 lbs. , motor is a 1988 E60TLCCR. Moved the motor up as described above, cav. plate 1/2 inch above bottom of keel line, prop is alum. 13.25 x 15 pitch (borrowed, finally found the stamping). Runs like a champ, 8 seconds to get on plane, top rpm is 4900, slowly creeps to 5050. Speed is ?, speedo doesn't work. WOT range of of motor, per book, is 4500 to 5500. I gotta give the prop back, so here is what I'm thinking.
For the hole shot, get an alum. 4 blade prop, drop an inch for the 4 blade, drop an inch for a little more RPM, so get a 13.25 x 13 alum. prop.
Any thoughts on selection??? Going to order one from iboats today. Could use a little encouragement. Thanks for all the help.
On a side note, I marked the prop to see if it was slipping. Just went out and looked, and the marks are rotated about 160 degrees. Soooo, the prop slipped, how much and when, who knows, but it would show a little higher RPM. So, 13 pith 4 blade prop?

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

Ordered a 13 1/2 x 13, 4 blade alum. prop. Now I'm having 2nd thoughts because:
Supposed to rain, wish it would, so I cranked the boat as high as I could in front so the rain would run out the drain plug and give it a good bath in the process. There's a silver dollar size hole in the fiberglass in the fore side of the bilge well in front of the motor. Water was leaking out of it, so I ran a screw driver in the hole, and some bits of wood floated out. That was the first thing this morning. Just checked and it's still dripping, a small steady stream just above a drip, drip, drip. Looks like I got water logged styrofoam. I must have been hauling around a lot of water weight. Do those things ever dry out? Looks like I'll have to tear the deck off to get at it.

 

[clemsonfor]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

Looks like you found a problem. It will pretty much stay waterlogged forever, with the deck on. You may get by easy if you just cut the dack and leave it exposed for say all summer in a shed and pulling it into the sun a few days a week, but if you went that deep id dig out the foam and do it all the way. If you dont care you can do a hack job and reinforce it and seal everything in glass and epoxy and just redeck it quick and forget about the looks.

I was thinking some slip was normal? Not sure what percentage though?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

You might be hauling around a couple hundred pounds of water.Hopefully thats all the problem.
Hopefully, when you take the deck out you'll just find waterlogged foam.You'll need to replace the foam in case the boat sinks.With out the foam it will go down like a stone.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

Thanks for the replies. It's been cranked up in the front for about 36 hours now, and it's down to just a drip now and then. I'm new to boating, and have never seen, nor heard, of waterlogged styrofoam before. Learn something everyday. When I do tear the deck off, and it is waterlogged, which it probably is, what kind of material do you replace it with? I seen on here somewhere that there's a new kind of styrofoam you can get now, but can't find that thread again. Some of the water that has drained out has a weak tea color to it, so I imagine there's some rotting wood in there also. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[DJ]

Re: Re-Prop a 1988 60hp Evinrude....HELP

As for the rpm, the motor is rated at 5500. You can safely run that motor at 6000 all day long. For motor longevity you should target 5800 to 6000 as your top capable rpm with an average load. There really isn't any such thing as "over reving" that style motor. If you're using ethanol fuel you may not get to 6000 with the right (most efficient) prop anyway.

Ditto. The "triples" need/love rev's. 5500 minimum.