Weekend Warrior LE-21 Setup

Started by weekend warrior, December 20, 2006, 07:48:53 PM

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weekend warrior

Hey guy's it's me again. Here's my setup and details to this piont as best I can give ya. LE-21 (05') w/250 EFI. 10 inch manual plate w/27 tempest. Plate is high right now because I've been playing with this rig for quite a while. Prop does have some nicks, but most have happened since the problem started. I bought this rig direct from them at the factory. It was running 75 mph but has gradually started sloming down. There was a mistake at the factory and the washers were left off the back of the transom. Had to have checked out and had to have new plate because old one was bent. It was checked out and said to be fine, but boat has never ran the same. Loaded, right now, with full tank of gas and two guys (200 lbs.) and plate high whole shot is great but top end is only 67-68. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Mike Cork

Couple questions real quick....

What kind of RPM's are you turning at WOT?

Also you say you have your motor high right now? What is your pop shaft to pad measurement? The LEGENDS seem to run better with more motor in the water ;)

I'm running an 06' LE-21 with the 225 Pro XS and my prop shaft is 3.75 below the pad, however I am wasting energy proven by my large rooster tail. Do you  have a high and long rooster tail?

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weekend warrior

Okay Mike, here we go. To start with I'm turning 5500 rpms at wot with a huge rooster tail. I'll have to check to see what the prop shaft to pad ratio is. I've noticed from reading on this site though that you guys are running alot more motor in the water than I am. I also want to put a 4 blade on it. My rev limiter is 5750, so I'm thinkin' a 26 trophy. Just got to save the money to buy it.

Mike Cork

5500 RPM's is a safe place to be with that motor, you still got a couple hundred to play with but you are right in the middle of the suggested power band.

My initial thoughts are that you will need to drop the motor (because of the rooster tail) in doing this with your current prop you will loose some RPM's. However, in playing with mine getting it to high really made a difference in performance and like with any rig 1/4" increments can make a big difference. I would start coming down with it and see how it effects your RPM's at first there may not be much change and getting the boat flatter could increase your speed. LEGENDs like to run flat, not nose up like toons or stratos. Try comming down a 1/4" at a time until you see a drop in your RPM's. The 250 should turn the 27 no problem. That's what I am running on my 225. However that being said I too am wanting to change props and come down a pitch to a 26, I think I am going to give the local Power Tech boys a shot and prop'n her out.

If after comming back down with the motor you don't see some performance improvements then I would look into the prop. Keep in mind that the LEGENDs perform better with more motor in the water than any other boat out there, it's just the way they like to run, flat. That being said I think a 4 blade is going to do well on the boats because a 4 blade puts more lift into the ass end of the boat hence getting more of the boat out of the water with out raising the nose. I am excited to try the 4 blade on my rig. Gonna be a little bit yet, got a back problem that keeps me off the water for a couple more weeks :'(

Fishing is more than just a hobby

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Kody Bradbury

#4
I agree with what Mike said....you probably need to come down a bit and possibly go to a 4 blade prop.  Im running a LE-21/225 ProXS as well and get 74 loaded with 1 guy at 5700 RPMs and 72 fully loaded w/2 guys.  I'm turning a 26" Trophy with two small PVS plugs and two standard size.  This is at 3.25-3.5 below (10" hydraulic plate).

Check with Robbie over on the prop board too.  He ran the same setup as mine and Mike's and got the best overall numbers with a 25 Trophy I believe.  All of this will of course be a little different with the 250 EFI, but it should get you a good place to start. 

BTW, many propshops will let you run different props to find the best one for your rig before you lay down the cash.... :blue

Mike Cork

Dkota05, that is the highest I seen a LEGEND run 3.25-3.5, were you able to come up more after you went to the trophy? Guess the question is what did you run before the 26 trophy? I know Dean likes to turn the out of the shop with the 27 tempest (which I am still running) going to look at the TRO4 here shortly ???

Fishing is more than just a hobby

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Kody Bradbury

The 26" Trophy is the only prop I've ran so far.  I need to get with Robbie and run some FnR's and maybe a Tempest to see if they would do any better. 

Mike Cork

I'm running the 27 Tempest and only turn it at 5500 on a 225 Pro XS no matter what the load? GPS at 73.1 with one person 1/2 tank gas and all my equipment. 2 people I get 71.4. I too would love to play with the FnR's but Robbie said that he is have a problem getting them built to his spec's and until they work it out he isn't going to sell them. He did say they about have it figured out.

Fishing is more than just a hobby

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BassBUFF

I read somewhere that somebody had put a Bravo I on a Legend and picked up about 3mph. Anybody tried this prop?

Mike Cork

Not yet  ;) do you know what they were running before the bravo 1 picked up speed for them. Could have just been a matter of pitch more than the prop?

Fishing is more than just a hobby

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BassBUFF

He was running a 27 Tempest, 72.9 @ 5950 on a LE21 w/250 Pro XS, 3.5-3.75" below pad. Switched to a stock 28 Bravo I and got 76.1 @ 6100, loaded, 1 person.

So he did go up in pitch but the rpms went up too, which is bass-ackwards from normal. Guess the Bravo I turns a little better than the Tempest, 4 blade vs 3 blade?

Mike Cork

very interesting numbers ??? Definitely worth looking into, I'm pretty excited to try the TR04 from Power Tech though. Hopefully next week I will get over there and see what they have to say.

Fishing is more than just a hobby

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BassBUFF

Looking forward to what y'all come up with, save me some work next year lo!

Kody Bradbury

Ran mine today with minimal tackle, myself and about half a tank of gas and got 76.  This was at the same jackplate setting I was running before, about 3.25" below.  When I lowered it a quarter inch there was almost no difference, lost about 3 tenths of a mph.  This was about 60* air temp and the water was glass.


Ron Fogelson

Are you sure you didn't leave your GPS on while running to the lake?   ~roflmao

I'm just kidding you Dkota, I can't bust the 70 mile mark in my 929   :'(

Kody Bradbury


Mike Cork

I know the 4 blades run a little higher in the water so lifting the motor and getting more out of the water is working. Gonna have to get after this and play. It's obvious that the 27 tempest isn't letting me get the RPM and ass end lift I need. Hopefully next week I will get Laurie and the boat on the water and we can play.

J10B are you fishing anywhere this weekend? See if I can get you to let one of the TCTC boys bring the Bravo to me to play with next week? BTW if I like it whatcha want for it?

Fishing is more than just a hobby

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weekend warrior

You guys sure are helpful to me, but I do have one question. Shouldn't you be doing your test runs for setup just like for a tournament? What I mean is shouldn't you have your full tournament load and full fuel tank like you would have in a tournament to get realistic. That's what I want is the best performance my boat can get fully loaded. When my boat went back to Dean and them at the plant he gave me some #'s he ran with a new 27 tempest, full tournament load, and half tank of gas. Didn't really understand the half a tank of gas deal because nobody going to start a tournament with half a tank of fuel. You need to test it like you are going to compete out of it it looks to me like. Just my opinion though, by the way he got 72.4 with new 27 he said that's when I started playing with the plate. I haven't seen 70 yet don't really know what I'm doing wrong. I'm trying the different props I can get my hands on so far I still haven't seen that speed. Now, take into consideration the boat used to run 75. I know that I have an Eye witness to that. I just can't understand how I've lost 7 to 8 mph. I mean the props got a few nicks in it but nothing serious and I've had a 27 trophy of a buddy of mine's on there (no nicks it's like new). The boat runs the same speed as now 68 but only turns 5200 or so. Thanks for ya'lls help. I'll keep working on it.

Mike Cork

Yep to do it right you need to run it with your normal tournament load. For me that is a half a tank of gas. I quit filling it up when the gas prices went threw the roof, if the price comes way down I will top off  ;)

If, I was you I would borrow that Trophy again and bring the motor up and see if you can get your RPM's back ;) it will be touchy though if you get too high your RPMs will sky rocket and your MPH's will plummet.

Fishing is more than just a hobby

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Kody Bradbury

Definitely set it up for a full tourney load.  I ran mine light today just because it was a nice day and I wanted to see what it'd do. :blue

weekend warrior

I have to fill mine up with this 250. It takes all 36 gals. to run all day on Greers and I could use a little more. I'll try the 27 trophy again with the plate high and see what happens. Thanks.

AB

Quote from: BassBUFF on December 21, 2006, 09:16:36 AM
He was running a 27 Tempest, 72.9 @ 5950 on a LE21 w/250 Pro XS, 3.5-3.75" below pad. Switched to a stock 28 Bravo I and got 76.1 @ 6100, loaded, 1 person.

So he did go up in pitch but the rpms went up too, which is bass-ackwards from normal. Guess the Bravo I turns a little better than the Tempest, 4 blade vs 3 blade?

Those numbers don't jive at all....The BravoI is harder to turn than the Tempist and should need a smaller pitch to get rpms.  I think the BravoI he ran was a worked prop (thinned quite a bit) in order to get the rpms to come up.  Remember the BravoI was built for large horsepower sterndrives and hence, the blade area and size corresponds to the need to stay together with heavy loads.  The blades are very think with very little ventilation provided for holeshot.  They are a WONDERFUL fishing prop when they are worked.

Both slippage numbers are around 20%.  Something is fishy here.... 

Mike Cork

AB, I agree they don't jive, the first time I read it I thought it said a 26 Bravo PoPo

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Kody Bradbury

I did read that it is a lab finished Bravo on that boat.

BassBUFF

Quote from: Dkota05 on December 21, 2006, 06:10:56 PM
I did read that it is a lab finished Bravo on that boat.

Must've missed that, but it makes sense now. Thanks for the clarification Dkota05!