2022 Sabre

[Rich12]

Pretty much.  Depends on load in the boat

[himmelrr]

Yes, you might occasionally see a 70 or a 70.5 but that is rare.

[G-Rant]

I watched Ric’s video on how to drive, but when I first go my boat the steering was SO hard to turn at full speed and it was almost a nightmare to get above 66 because chine walk was nuts.  I then started raising the motor and since been able to control the chine walk(much less) and greater speeds.

The reason I decided to raise the motor was because at full speed and trimmed, if I backed off to around 55 the boat drove like a sports car.  EASY to steer.  Nose dropped a bit and motor came up, but once you got back on the throttle the nose would rise more and steering would get stiff.  Not sure I will go up anymore, I prefer handling over speed.

[Bass Cat Boats]

If you have torque steer, then the engine is too high. Watch water pressure on those 150 series engines as they don’t have nose cone pickups.

[G-Rant]

I have the 175 motor.  Can you explain the torque steer?  Currently it is driving the best and fastest speed.  At the stock location the steering was just tight like it took a lot to move the wheel and you could feel the chine starting.  Again at 55 I can steer with my little finger.  Now that I have raised it I can fight the chine with much less force.  I assumed that if the motor was too low keeping the prop buried would make steering more difficult.  I don’t go by what people say, but many people have stated that you need a little roster tail about engine high.  With the engine at stock it never shot out of the water really.  Now I am getting about engine high at full throttle.  If i drop back to 55 it is too high but steers awesome.  If I stay at that speed I do lower the trim a bit.

[Wheelman]

Bass Cat Boats:

If you have torque steer, then the engine is too high. Watch water pressure on those 150 series engines as they don’t have nose cone pickups.

The 150 Pro XS which is what should be on any bass boat has low water pickups.

[G-Rant]

Again I have a Mercury Pro XS 175.

[Wheelman]

G-Rant:

I have the 175 motor.  Can you explain the torque steer?  Currently it is driving the best and fastest speed.  At the stock location the steering was just tight like it took a lot to move the wheel and you could feel the chine starting.  Again at 55 I can steer with my little finger.  Now that I have raised it I can fight the chine with much less force.  I assumed that if the motor was too low keeping the prop buried would make steering more difficult.  I don’t go by what people say, but many people have stated that you need a little roster tail about engine high.  With the engine at stock it never shot out of the water really.  Now I am getting about engine high at full throttle.  If i drop back to 55 it is too high but steers awesome.  If I stay at that speed I do lower the trim a bit.

What prop are you running as they affect the way the Sabre runs and how much chine walk it has amongst other things? How high above flush are you on the plate? I do think the longer lower unit on the 175hp 4-stroke helps with stability, but when raising the engine you have less rudder which makes the steering harder though as you raise the engine the prop has less bite if running higher to waterline therefore you can have less lift of hull out of water making chine less likely. Just keep in mind if boat does get squirrelly at high speeds it means the amount of the lower unit in the water in relation to the wetted hull is less therefore you have less of an ability to correct.

[G-Rant]

Thanks for the food for thought.  I have a 23 furry.

[G-Rant]

I am running about 3/4 to an inch obove flush.

[Wheelman]

I assume 3 blade? I’ve got Fury3, Tempest and Trophy props. The Fury has the least amount of lift with the least amount of blade surface area, I’ve only ran as high as 1/2” above flush because I run out of water PSI with a non Pro XS 150hp 4-stroke. Though I’m not sure if the 20” lower units of 150 and 175 are actually exactly the same height from prop shaft to jackplate, have you measured PTP by chance?

[Wheelman]

At 69mph assuming your at max rpms of 6000 then you’re around 7% slip, so sounds like it’s running well.

[G-Rant]

Yes it is a 3 blade.  No sir I have not measured.  But again the boat drives better and runs about 1-2 mph faster with much less chine and easier to steer.  The new 175 is based off the 200 platform.

[G-Rant]

I have never been able to get full RPM’s, about 5800 is the max.  With the motor at flush i was only able to get 56 -5700 and lucky to get 68.  Mostly 66 and fighting chine like crazy.

 

[Wheelman]

Yes the 175 Pro XS is the same as 200/225 V6 4-strokes just detuned. I’ve only driven a 175hp 4-stroke Sabre FTD with a Trophy to 63 with owner, didn’t really air it out given it wasn’t my boat and I prefer a hand throttle over foot control personally. He’d done 66 solo, but around 69 is what I believe the new 175 4-stroke does as the larger lower unit and cowling have a little more drag and the new 4-stroke is a considerable amount heavier than old 2-stroke 175 which was a 70mph boat in good conditions. Curious what trolling motor you have up front?

[Author]

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