Way2slow

If they were rough, they are BAD, period, and need to be replaced. I wouldn't tow it across town, other than to get it home. Usually, after the seals wear, they let water suck in when the warm hub hits the water cold water. This causes the inner bearing to rust and pit and all it's going to do is get worse, very quickly. A shot of grease just before launching the trailer will insure the bearing buddy's are spring loaded, but who want's to take a chance at getting grease on their hands just before going fishing. As for where to get them and the seals, depends on the trailer. Sometimes the seals and inner bearings on Stratos trailers can be hard to find anywhere but a dealers. Northern Tools usually carries a pretty good assorment. Oil bath would require a total conversion and I've heard of people having just as much trouble with them leaking. You're best bet is to pull them and pack them once a year, replacing the seals when you do. The inner bearing usually tears up the seal getting it out anyway.

No motor or very small motor on back could mean a boat that's almost impossible to control. The back will always be wanting to go around. Especially if you're in the front running the trolling motor and there's no one in the back. Deep V's generally give a better ride in rough water, but never knew one to make a more stable fishing platform. Normall, a flat bottom or catamaran style bottom will be much more stable sitting.

Why not wax the hull? If the boat has any kind of performance potential, a waxed hull will slow it down. Water does not release from a glassy smooth or waxed surface like it does a rough surface. It's normal to actually wet sand the planeing surface of a hull with 320 - 360 grit to gain a few more mph. However, if you're only running 45 or so now, don't worry about whether or not you hull is waxed or sanded, it's not going to make a difference you would ever notice.

All I can say is not on mine. Also, never put any wax of any kind on the bottom of the hull.

Motor height is only part of the equation. The jackplate serves a couple of purposes. It provides additional setback of the engine to increase the leverage so the motor can lift the bow easier. It also moves the motor back away from the hull turbulance so the prop is running a better water. Then it provides and easy method of adjusting engine height. Getting the right setback and engine height and prop for optimal performance is what they call, finding the sweet spot. If it was once on the boat, the control and steering cables should be long enough. All you should have to do is unbolt the engine bolt the jackplate in the same holes the engine was mounted, being sure to seal them with plenty of 5200 Sealant. Then just bolt the engine back to the jackplate. Depending on the prop as to what you would start with for propshaft height, somewhere between 4 and 2 1/2 inches. Just be sure you have a good, working water pressure guage before you start, it's a must have piece of equipment when you start messing with engine height.

Now, don't go expecting 70+ mph from your 295, even with 225 carbs and a perfect setup, unless you throw everything in it out but a small amount of gas and a cranking battery. The New hulls are a little faster than the older hulls and those are probably speedo readings on the 294, GPS will probably top it out at about 70. A 27" Tempest @ 5,800 rpm (just guessing on that since that about the max to turn that motor) and 10% slip (which is about as good as you can get on bass boats and is usually closer to 13%) is only 71 mph As mentioned though, even if you get another 5mph from it, you're going to be in for a shock. 67 - 68 is about the speed the boat is going to be getting up completely on the pad and off the outer strakes. When that happens you learn the true definition of "chine walk". The outer strakes have little turned down hooks to improve hole shot and keep the boat nice and stable at WOT. When there's enough lift for it to come off those, you have a whole different kind of boat to learn to drive. You also learn a whole new meaning to boat setup. If you have steering cables, they can't have any play in them, the helm (steering wheel) can't have any play in it. Motor mounts have to be nice a firm, no soft mounts etc. Anything that will let that motor wiggle on it's on without input from the steering wheel can make it totally undriveable. You may even get to learn what a skegg trim tab is. 70 mph bass boats are nothing like driving your standard lake cruiser.

OK, if the max speed limit on highways is 70mph, why buy a Z06. I'm am a firm believer in you can't have a motor with too much horse power and you can't have a vehicle of any kind too fast, that includes boats. That doesn't mean you have to run them at WOT all the time, but it's fun when you can. The only speed limit I know of it you're bank account. I haven't found anything that it doesn't cost bunches to make it go faster, and the faster you wanna go, the more it's gonna cost you. I haven't had a bass boat that wouldn't run over 70 since 1986. The only thing wrong with a fast boat is the operator. I've seen a lot of idiots with these hydro rockets that didn't have the since god gave a billy goat and wouldn't even be safe in a jon boat. Besides, I thought everyone knew record size bass swim at over 70 mph and it takes a fast bass to catch them.

Stainless props are all you can run if you expect to get any kind of performance from it. It will also need to be a high rake prop or you will be throwing your money away. For best speed, it usually takes a three blade. Also, try before you buy. Most dealer will let you try a prop and exchange it for another if it's not right, also longs as you don't knick it. Check with friends and other people that might let you try theirs until you find one close. You want to keep your WOT rpm at 6,000 - 6,100. The only mods you should consider for your motor would be installing a set of 96 or newer 225 carbs. This is the only difference between a 200 and a 225 motor. Just check your's first, it they have two screws in the butterfly's they are the 200's, if they have three screws, they are probably 225's. They installed 225 carbs on certain models for bass boats which made them 225's with 200 decals, kinda like a 200HO. You can sometimes find a good used set for $250 or so. Again, be sure before you buy, their are a bunch of different ones out there that you don't want. Look at your's you will see a threaded brass insert in the lower right corner that you air box screw screws into. Notice yours only has one small screw in orfice on the left side. Only the 96 and later are like that. You will just run the factory 225 jets in them, which is what they should have. Any other mods you make, you stand a real change of melting piston because all mods require jet changes and if you don't know how to tune a two stroke, you WILL melt pistons. So, we are at $500 for a prop and $300 maybe for carbs. This may get you to 68 - 70. What's that about $200 per MPH.

Prop heigth is measure by placing the boat on a level surface. Hold a level on the bottom of the pad and use the tounge jack to level the hull. Then place a small level on the anticav plate, trim the motor until it's level. Take the prop off and measure from the center of the shaft to the surface, then measure from the bottom of the pad to the surface, the difference between the two measurements is you prop height. All the prop height measurements is anyway is just a good starting point, you adjust it to your setup. If looking for the most speed from you're boat/motor, you will need the motor turning approx 6,000 rpm with your normal load. You will need to get a three blade Raker prop. Once the right prop is determined, I would send it off to Bob Lipton and have it tuned for the boat. You will need at least an eight inch jackplate and a 10" wouldn't hurt, of course that can create problems with control and steering cables not being long enough. Then it's all about getting the motor set at the right spot to find the sweet spot everything likes best to run. Also if it was me, I would port the motor and put a set of mid bore 225 carbs on it so the motor's able to spin a 28" raker at 6,500 rpm, putting out approx 300hp. When done with the motor and setup, I would be running a little of 80 mph with two people and gear. I know that because I've been there, done that with my Stratos 285 Pro and my Javelin R-20 DC.

That's what it's made for. Just to keep the confusion down from others reading, it would be better not to refer to it as a trickle charge. It goes into a float mode. A trickle charge is a low current, slow charge, but it's still enough voltage to be charging a battery. A trickle charger left on a battery 24/7 will overcharge and fry most any standard size battery used in boats. A float mode is a maintenance voltage, usually 13.2 - 13.4 VDC. This is not enough to charge a battery, only maintain it's current full charge state and will not harm the battery in any way. Keeping one on a float voltage 24/7 is the recommended way to store batteries. I would recommend you always check your chargers float voltage the first time you use it, after it has been on for a couple of days to ensure it's no more than 13.4VDC. Not all chargers are exactly the highest quality and I've seen more than one that it's float voltage was too high. To be exact, many companies get very specific and recommend a 13.17VDC float level, US Battery and Trojan are just two. My ProMariner PT 300's give exactly 13.17VDC float. The BatteryMinder maintainer is adjustable, you just have to take the cover off to adjust it, and can be set to any manufactors recommend float voltage.

Try here http://www.candomarineparts.com/ very good chance they will have it.

Actually, you're up against two elements that gets the engine, not just the tight clearances a very cold engine has. How many times have you headed off down the lake on a cool crisp morning and think, D*** this thing is running good? Kinda like it's making all kinds of extra HP, that's because it is. Two stroke engines, when properly tunned run very high egt's, meaning the pistons are running close to to the melting point of the aluminum. Cold dense air actually leans the motor out more, and even if it has an intake air temp sensor, it may not fully compensate for a cold motor. A leaner mixture means even higher egt's, which means even more piston expansion. Blasting off from the ramp at WOT on a cold engine, the piston can very easily weld itself to the cylinder. When this happens, a whole lot of internal parts can suddenly become external parts. Even on carburated motors, a slightly dirty main jet can ruin your day on cold crisp mornings.

If that's the case, just connect the positive and negative of the maintainer to one battery. Being in parallel the other battery should see the same thing from the maintainer. I've got over 30 years electronics and been messing with batteries professionally for about 15 years and I've never seen the point of connecting the way the engineers say. They say it ensures current flow through both, but to me, a straight piece of #10 or #12 wire for that short of a distance and that small of a current, would never know which end the charger is connected to. Even if you don't get a maintainer, connect them in parallel anyway. That way, each time you connect your charger for their monthly feeding, you only have to connect to the one battery and it will charge both. No need to charge one, then have to move it to the other. The only down side to being in parallel, if one battery goes down, it takes the other down with it but with new batteries, that should not happen.

Time Out!!! NO! Do not use the 2amp trickle charge mode of your battery charger, totally different function and will fry your batteries. When a Charger/Maintainer drops into the maintainer mode, it's going into what's caller the float mode. This is approx a 13.2VDC that's only holding the current state of charge on the battery once it's fully charged, it is not charging the battery. It does not harm the battery when left on 24/7. It's not really a charger per say, it only puts out enough charge to top off a battery (unless it's an extremely small battery) then it goes into the float mode to maintain it. To connect the batteries, just run a #10 or #12 jumper wire between each positive post and another jumper to between each negative post. Then it's recommended you connect the chargers positive to the positive on one battery and the chargers negative to the negative on the other battery. Being in parallel, I don't see where that matters but that's what the engineers recommend, so I don't second guess the experts.

I use Deka batteries for two reasons. They are one of the best you can buy and I get them wholesale. There are higher capacity TM batteries than Deka's deep cycle, their group 31 is only 105Ah while some other brand's 30/31's will be 120 - 130Ah, but their quality is not better. Deka just does not pack the case so full of plates so there is more room for expansion during aging and lessen's the chance of plates shorting out after it starts to swell some. However, if max capacity is what you need, Trojan SCS225 is the TM battery to go with. I think you will find any of the top name brands will give you good service. There are only four battery companies left in the US. Johnson Battery is by far the biggest and they make a lot of different brand names, some cheap, some OK, some Very Good. What you don't want are those sold buy a local battery dealer that has their own house lable or some other unknown label. Most of those are cheap very cheap imports they label and sell at a slightly discounted price from the major brands. Pure Junk. For a cranking battery, I use a group 27, never had a problem with electronics lasting all day and still plenty of voltage at the end of the day. Get the highest capacity battery in what ever brand you get. Ask them if that's the highest capacity that company makes in that size. Most of the time, they quote a cheaper battery because most people shopping for one don't understand batteries and only go by price, thinking that's the only difference between a $75 and $105 battery. Plus, sometimes they don't have them and just make out like it is and just say that's the highest they have, like it's the highest made. Unless you have a very good microprocessor Controlled "Smart or Intilli charger" stay away from dual purpose AGM's. While they are the best cranking battery you can get (massive amounts of CCA's), they cost about twice as much and require a very good charger that's AGM compatable. You pay a lot for the extra life an AGM gives but you standard charger will not give you that extra life you pay for. One more thing, buy your batteries from a high volume dealer, not you're local marina or such. They battery may have been sitting on the shelf for months, and never give you full capacity.

Something like this http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1296395&CAWELAID=155761151 There are numbers of different ones from $10 - what ever you want to pay. I prefer this one http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200332201_200332201 because it also desulphates the battery. You only need one maintainer, just hook the batteries in parallel while stored and one maintainer will keep all the batteries nice and fresh (as long as it's at least a 1 amp or larger). You're not going to be cutting your grass, why worry about a drop cord across the yard for the winter.

If your cranking battery was at 11.9 volts after two hours, you have a "PROBLEM". There is not enough electronics in any bass boat to kill a battery that quick. 11.9 volts is a fully discharged battery and it would take a 30 - 50 amp draw to fully discharge a good battery in two hours. First, if the battery is not fairly new, I would go ahead and get a good group 27, 30, or 31 Dual Purpose. Second, make sure all the battery connections a clean and corrosion free. Clean everything good with a small wire brush, using a baking soda and water solution. Third, run the motor on a water hose at approx 1,500 - 2,000 rpm and see what the voltage is showing on your new LCD. It should be approx 14.2 volts but no lower than 13.8 VDC. If you're not getting that, double check it with a good DVM across the two battery terminals. If it's still low, you have probably fried the Regulator/Rectifier. Also, as mentioned, most people do not run the motor enough to keep the battery charged during a days fishing. Most of the time, at the end of the day your cranking battery will only be at 80% or even lower and it should be charged after every trip. If you have an onboard, it should be taking care of that so you might want to check the voltage across the battery with the charger on to make sure the charger is putting out at least 14.6 VDC.

I would set it at 12.3 VDC. That's low enough to scare the crap out of you when you start cranking the motor, especiallly if it's a DFI motor. A good battery will still crank a motor at that level and even a little lower. A bad battery will not, it will not deliver the cranking amps needed. When you try to crank the motor, the voltage will drop way down on a bad battery or bad battery cable connection.

Where you store them is usually not a problem, unless you're getting way down into the sub-zero temps. It's how you maintain them that's important. It they are on a maintainer that's putting out approx 13.2VDC or on a charger that cycles back on at a set level of discharge like the Dual Pro, all you have to do is check the water level every couple of months or so. Maintainers are cheap if stored where you have power. If not on a maintainer, it's what ever is most convenient to charge them every four to eight weeks. You just don't want to let the sit at a charge level below 12.6 - 12.65 VDC for any length of time.

I buy the biggest, baddest cranking batteries I can get where it needs to fit and never one over three years, not in my boats or vehicles, even the five, six or seven year batteries. They are just too dang cheap compared to the problems one can cause. TM batteries, I run until they start loosing capacity, either they won't charge to full specific gravity they should, or they no longer reach full capacity on my Megatronix Battery tester. That's usually about four to five years good, name brand deep cycle batteries. My neighbor loves me though, he has a land scapeing business and I give him my old batteries. Half the vehicles he has is running my old. I'm still running a battery in my welder that was three years old when I took it out of wifes car in 2004 and it's still cranking the welder, but I won't use them in something I have to depend on. Oh, and trust me, my batteries are WELL maintained. The secret to long battery life is proper maintenance and a GOOD, high quality charger that is micro processor controlled and goes into the proper float voltage for the type battery you have. Those cheap, Automatic chargers just send a battery to an early death because they can never fully charge a battery.

The last thing I would want to do is be wrestling with 60 lb batteries in and out of a battery compartment. The Deka's are as good as you can get, I'm suprised to see someone on here beside me runs them. Are your's the DC27's, the flooded cell deep cycle's. If so, that's part of your problem. While they are great batteries, they are only 90Ah batteries. If they are the DP27's they are only 80Ah batteries. If you went to their DC31's, they would give you 105Ah. Now, with all that said, it sounds like you're pretty heavily Tourny Fishing and I would have gone with a different battery. The Trojan SCS225 gives you 130Ah capacity, that's the equiv of adding another battery in parallel to the ones you have. If you decide to change, shop around, you can find them from $125 - $225. Also, if you're running down the batteries you have now, DO NOT let anyone talk you into AGM,s like the Optima's etc. They will give you even less run time than you are getting now. Those that say they don't run down, are not using them as hard as you are. They last a longer life, but they will not give you as much runtime. Check out the Amp hour (Ah) capacity on any of them and you will see. There is nothing magic about them, Ah is what determines run time, period. If you can find the Ah, check the Reserve minutes, that's you second best indicator. That's how many minutes the battery will last with a 25 amp load. Just because it's an AGM, versis a Flooded cell (wet cell), the AGM can't make magic. Minutes are minutes.

If you have the room, you can add two batteries, one on each battery, in parallel with each of the TM batteries. You didn't say what size/capacity batteries you have now. You may just need to increase the size battery you're using. A quality group 24 is approx 80Ah, a 27 is approx 105Ah and a 30/31 is approx 120Ah. Notice I said quality, with some of the cheap batteries you can get, there's not telling what you might have. Now, If you have group 27's and they are good batteries, giving you 105Ah and you are running your TM a 15 amps that "could" give approx 7 hours of run time. If you added a small 50Ah battery in parallel to each, that would give you approx 155Ah, which at 15 amps could give you approx 10 hours of run time. What ever you did with one battery, you would have to do the same identical thing to the other, or you would have the equivelant of one big battery and one little battery in series which would damage the little battery.

Get you one of these: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1EFX6?Pid=search Best thing made for testing a battery that has caps on it so you can get to the electrolite. Charge the battery, let it sit 24 hours and test it. All cells should be even. Depending on the battery you should get a reading of 1.260 to 1.300. Most good deep cycle batteries will give you a reading of 1.275 or better.

Don't know anything about it. Going by the name and model, I would think it would be from the 50's. I've been messing with them a pretty long time and have never heard of the Super Seahorse RDS.

That only insures you will be buying a new battery every year if it's not kept on a maintainer.