tournament cat 161, motor height pics?

[barbwire44]

Just wondering if anyone has a picture of where they placed the outboard on a tournament cat 161, the hull shape is so strange im thinking I have my motor too low, its not typical where you can run a straight edge and get a line to set the cavitation plate. thanks

[Capt. Bob]

Here's some pics Don't know they will help.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2SB4Bh6SNY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC2sAICIXYA

[wingtime]

Take your boat out and get her trimmed up on a plane. Have someone take the helm and go look where the motor is riding. The anticavitation plate should be running on top of the water. In fact it should almost be dry. Even better if you have a gopro or similar, set it up to record how she is riding. This is the only true way to determin proper motor height.

[barbwire44]

i will do that, just feel before driving to water i may be too low now.

[wingtime]

Looks like your in the middle hole... should be ok.

[barbwire44]

yes it is in the middle holes. Added trim tabs last night and  getting excited for a test run, little boat is built like a tank! everything i buy to bolt on it i have to buy longer bolts so they make it through the fiberglass.

[fitz73222]

Looks like your in the middle hole... should be ok.

Not on that motor Bruce, believe it or not, Mercury in their infinite wisdom designed that engine with a midsection length of 21 5/8" instead of the standard 20" the 75-125 HP of that era were all that way. So she may indeed need to come up more. Hard to say on that hull since its not a true air entrapment tunnel boat. I would raise the engine until you get ventilation in a turn with slight positive trim and come down one hole. Not going to get much with stock aluminum prop.

[barbwire44]

I have not moved it yet, after reading these posts and others im in debate, the motor will cavitate now at high rpm with trim all the way down, if i raise the trim much at all it will cavitate more. I can get about 5000 rpm to hold and sound good any more rpm and it will sing high and low as the prop cavitates or slips. It does this with a 15 pitch and a 17 pitch, im tempted to try a 19P but according to all the prop wizards it is too much prop for this weight of boat, but when I went up to a 17P from a 15P i gained more rpm before it cavitates. The transducer for the fishfinder is causing a bad spray and may be disturbing the water around the prop