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"Just purchased a 2001 Bayline

"Just purchased a 2001 Bayliner 2859. I'm curious to whether or not the following information seems right on speed vs. mileage.

Motor: Mercruiser 7.4
Boat Weight: 10000 (fully loaded)
Max Speed: 18 MPH
Max RPM: 3300
GPH: 20-21

Can anyone else share their stats in regards to the same boat? It appears to be a stainless steel 3 blade prop, but cannot access the size yet.

Thanks."
 
"Is this a stern drive or stra

"Is this a stern drive or straight inboard?

For a sterndrive, it seems a bit sluggish.
You ought to be able to get the rpms up to about 4500."
 
"Aaurgh! That thing's a s

"Aaurgh! That thing's a slug! I've ridden on a bunch of 28 ft B-Liners, and every one of them would top 30 mph with ease. Yours should do atleast 35 mph and make 4,500 rpms easily. (My buddy's, with a 350 Magnum, hit 40 mph at around 5,000 rpms.)

There is something frastically wrong here. I would not touch the prop until I find out what that is. Start with a good tune up and, if that doesn't do it, get a compression test.

Jeff

PS: That's my all time favorite B-Liner! Please keep us informed on your progress."
 
"Try cleaning the hull. If th

"Try cleaning the hull. If the texture of the gelcoat is like sandpaper, time for a good wet sanding and rubbing out--labor intensive but will make the boat slide thru the water like a hockey puck on ice. For some reason, every older Bay Liner I see is heavily oxidized and in need of a major gelcoat refurb. Is it a lack of maint. or just poor workmanship?"
 
"Guy,

I see that you are


"Guy,

I see that you are saying that by waxing the bottom of the boat you should be able to "slide" through the water better.. Now here is my question, I have heard that by waxing the bottom of the boat it will infact slow you down do to more friction between the boat and the water and also acts like a suction cup, but if you give it a light sanding (like color sanding) you will actually break up the friction and will create air between the boat and the water inturn less friction and more speed.. The reason I ask is because this is what I have "heard" from some of the "FOUNTAIN GUYS" at the marina, So I don't know if they are BSing me or not.. The other example they gave me was (when is your boat faster, water like Glass or water with just a little chop)"
 
Bill:

Have you ever watched


Bill:

Have you ever watched rain water run down a clean gutter on a hill? It moves very fast. Now compare that with rain water that has to traverse a rock strewn drainage ditch on the side of a hill to get to the lake. The water moves slowly as it hits the rough terrain. I would think that the same applies to a boat.
 
wow now I have two real good e

wow now I have two real good examples and both are very valid points. I guess this will be my new project test.. Thanks Guy I'll let you know what I find out..
 
Hey Rod... I tried the prop e

Hey Rod... I tried the prop excel sheet do you have one for a tri hull 20 ft Marquis 888 merc..
302 V8.. or do I just use the fast v hull..
 
"Someone's pulling your le

"Someone's pulling your leg telling you to rough up the bottom instead of waxing it. I've both sailed and airboated for years and can tell you a slick bottom definitely improves performance and speed.

However, wax needs frequent re-application - ignore what the bottle/can/container says about lasting all season. There are a couple of other options, though, that are more permanent - for airboat use, there are a few products that last a while - one is called "Frog Spit," but all are pretty similar. For one step better, you can buff the hull well and apply a rub-on urethane (NOT Polyurethane) coating available at most any boat store - it will last a year or more easily. For the absolute best (and most expensive) you can sand the hull down and apply Teflon VC Performance Epoxy by Interlux (see www.yachtpaint.com). No antifoul properties, but no worries if you're not in the water for more than a week or two. That stuff is ridiculously slick and stays that way. It's also tough as nails if you run over sand or up on the beach. You have to be pretty detail-oriented about the hull prep, though. I've seen VC get an extra 3 knots out of an already smooth sailing hull - and we're talking about a sport in which folks will spend a couple of thousand bucks to gain a knot or two and are only reaching max speeds well under 20 in the first place, so it's a large percentage increase.

If you want cheap and easy, buff and use urethane polish, reapply every year or two. If you want more permanent, drop $300-$500, spend 25 hours or so on detailed sanding, and use VC."
 
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