Ok, we're cutting to the chase now. The bottom of the boat should be clean
and SMOOTH. Even a little build up of crud will affect performance. Even a
fresh coat of wax on a clean hull helps. It sounds like you have more than a
little bit of crud. The skeg sounds like it got dragged coming out of the
water more than once. It should be perfectly vertical, not bent to one side
or the other...that will slow you down. If not too much is taken off, you
can just bend it back yourself...file/sand the edges smooth, and give it a
coat of paint. The prop...sounds like it's time for retirement. Since it's
aluminum...just replace it. it's not worth getting it repaired. If you have
the $$ go with stainless, for better performance. There are cons with
stainless as well, but I ran with one for years with no problems.

I'll bet ya, if you do those three things, that boat will perform as it
should (or close to it).

--Mike


"Josh Assing" wrote in message
...
Speaking of props, what material is yours? A few dings will make a
difference, but certainly not 10-15mph. A stainless prop gets a better
"bite" on the water, but is also very expensive (compared to aluminum). I
had a 22p stainless prop on my 4.3L 18' reinell, and she got to about
45mph.
Can you turn the prop by hand at all when it is in gear? I don't know if
you
can "partially" spin a prop from it's hub, but if it's slipping under
load,
that would certainly account for a lower top end. Slower out of the hole
as
well.

OK - boat is out of the water -- lots of barnicles (small ones) mostly on
the
sides, not on the V part too much. some other round thing guys too.

Lots of algae...

I pressure washed the bottom, then scraped most of the barnicles off --
probably
need to put some bottom paint on -- but I won't be able to get to that
tomorrow
(Needs to be really cleaned & sanded 1st)

The prop -- it's pretty dinged along ever edge -- and isn't even at all.

The outdrive -- the fin that goes "down" Looks like it got ground down a
bit, I
have no reference for how big that fin should be; but there's some
unpained
aluminum and it's rough like it's been pulled out of the water with the
outdrive
down. I think that's OK -- and if not; can build up a new fin at a
welding shop
I'm sure.

NOW, the real question is -- should it "curve" to the side (just a bit)?
or
should it be straight down?

The prop's hub was in tact, it doesn't appear to have slipped at all.

Thanks for the advice
-josh


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