Veideo of my Lencraft 4.8m and DT55 on the water

[TomKat]

Thanks to all for the advice on the outboard fitting and engine setup.

Boat is now running but not as fast as I had hoped, about 20 knots, am I right to expect more? Boat is a 4.8m rib.

Lencraft 4.8m run on River Bann in November 2011 - YouTube

I am pretty sure the engine is not revving out right due to electrical issues - oil flow and water flow not as yet connected to anything! I have ordered a tacho to fit this weekend.

Any thoughts on the sound of the revs in the mean time?

[Vandad]

Originally Posted by TomKat

am I right to expect more? Boat is a 4.8m rib.

Not really, 20 knots is fast enough for the rib with that outboard, considering you have loaded it heavilty (yourself + 2).

Try playing with Tilt/Trim and see if that helps.

[thomas]

My 4.5 Valiant with a 50 4 stroke, wife, 7 year old just abut manages 30 knots with in rougher water, I'd expect a bit more but not much.

[Boats&Outboards]

The engine looks like its going quite well for its age, sounds like it could kick out a bit more rpm with prop change etc but like others have said its there or There abouts.

Peter ~ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

[TomKat]

OK, I'll update when I get the other issues sorted out, hopefully it will go a bit quicker but happy enough even at that speed as the hull seems to nicely slice through the bumpy stuff so speed at sea should be much better than I have been used to!

[two stroke mick]

On my DR 490 with a 60 hp I will achieve 30 kn with a heavier load than you are hauling. I suspect that the boat is under proped

[willk]

You say "about" 20 knots. Did you log this on a GPS? As you're on the Bann, you'll have to have done this both directions to get an average speed.

One helm, two wains and an auxie isn't heavily loaded in a 5m rib.

The motor looks like it could be trimmed a bit higher - did you trim up while underway until the prop "slipped" and then drop it a touch again? On water like that, that's yer sweet spot for speed.

On the subject of water - when it's that calm, and the bow has wains in it, there's nothing to kick the bow up so you could lose a knot or so...

As the lads say, a tacho will determine whether you're going to need a prop change or not.

It's a three cylinder isn't it? Have you done a compression test yet?

[TomKat]

Messed about with the trim and no appreciable difference, speed measured with GPS on the phone and it felt about right i.e. roughly 25mph/20knots.

The trim thing is new to me so don't really know what I'm doing!

Compresion tests are OK, I am pretty sure its in guardian mode due to the sensors not being connected, once I figure out where to plug them in 40 knots here I come!

Will hopefully get the tacho fitted up this weekend and pul lthe prop to see what it is, have been advised on a 15" pitch being about right - it currently has a 12" dia prop fitted with an unknown pitch - why do they stamp the back of them!.

Any thoughts on the best prop?

[two stroke mick]

I suspect that max speed for that rig lightly loaded is circa 30 -33 kn.

FYI if your speed was 25 mph then this equates to 22 kn

MPH *1.6 /1.8 = kn approx

[willk]

Originally Posted by TomKat

The trim thing is new to me so don't really know what I'm doing!

That motor doesn't sound like it's in limp home mode. It might be a touch under max revs, but that could be Trim/Prop/Load.

Trim and load are the free tests.

First off, I don't rate most phone GPS units. Mine often shows over 1kt at standstill - check this on yours.

Take the boat out empty and establish a base speed (take current/tide/wind into account by doing two directions and taking an average)

Then play with the trim on the motor. While under way in a straight line, at full throttle, trim out (raise the leg) in stages, listening for prop ventilation. You should hear the revs rising as you do this and I'd expect you to gain 3-5 knots. Eventually the prop will ventilate/slip and you need to drop it again to the sweet spot where you're getting max revs with no slippage. If you make tight turns in this trim, you will have instant ventilation and loss of thrust, so it's only useful for cruising/straight line racing.

The other thing I forgot to ask was have you checked the Lennie for water in the hull (is there a drain in the transom?)