Boat Speed

[greg706]

I have a 1984 15 1/2 ft Cheeta. On back I have an 1984 or 85 model Yamaha 115. The top speed on this thing is around 51 or 52 mph. I checked with a GPS. Does this seem about right to you guys? I would think I should go a bit faster.

 

[NRG]

Thats prob about right, maybe a tad slow, but depends on boat weight and hull design, try it with just you, half tank gas, and no gear, also trimming motor just right will make a lil dif in speed, my 17.5 with 150 I get from 48-55 depending on load, and trim position, but I find I get best gas mileage at about 40mph, WOT sucks down the gas. I sure wish boats could get the gas mileage cars do!

 

[Davo]

I'd say that's pretty fast for a 115. I have a 175 on an 18'6 boat and it should only hit in the mid 60's.

 

[Fat Albert]

Davo - 4/26/2007 10:46 PM I'd say that's pretty fast for a 115. I have a 175 on an 18'6 boat and it should only hit in the mid 60's.

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<font color="#ff0066">It would run much faster if you wasn't carrying 63 rods......    lol</font></p>

<font color="#ff0066">and yes, that is about right for a 115.  I had a 17 ft and mine topped at 53mph.....</font></p>

 

[hl&s]

I thought you told me and Jr it would run 80 with a full load, including the 40 lb of fish in the livewells !! LOL. Or was that LD ?emoBigsmile

I just bought a 89 Cajun 16 ft with a 89 Johnson 88 Spl. It tops at 49 mph by GPS with just me, my gear, and 3 batteries. The fuel gauge rotates about as fast as the prop, just in the opposite direction !

See ya at the lake !

 

[Fishheadspin]

i agree with Davo. sounds a bit fast. my 18 ft javelin with a 150 goes 57-58 loaded, actually over loaded.

 

[greg706]

I guess I am doing pretty good to hear you guys tell it. This boat if pretty light, thats why I thought it would move a bit faster. But come to think of it I did have a partner with me and a crap load of gear. hl&s it will do 80......... on the trailer, on the highway.

 

[greg706]

hl&s you know LD,s boat will do more than 80. At least thats what he will tell you.

 

[Liveliner]

What kind of RPM's are you turning at 51 MPH? And at 51 do you have any steering torque?

 

[Roccus]

I lost 80 pounds over the winter and now my boat and lawnmower are both faster. I guess weight does equal speed.

 

[Triton4Bass]

I've never GPS my TR-18 Triton w/ 150 Faststrike, but loaded w/ just me and half tank of gas, it bumps 72 on the speedo. With you boat size and motor size, that does seem kind of fast, but people say that about my boat as well.

 

[adamwstewart]

Speed is relative...

Relative to your point of view. If you're using the spedometer on your boat, it's measuring speed relative to the water current, rather than speed relative to some fixed position, hence some of the difference between GPS indicated and spedometer indicated speed.

Let's say you're driving against the current, which is moving downstream at 4 mph. Your spedo indicates a speed of 54 mph, but your gps indicates only 50 mph. Both speeds are accurate, in their own way.

If you were driving downstream in the same current, your speedo should still indicate 54 mph max speed. But GPS might indicate a speed as high as 58 mph.

Of course, this does not account for the reported inaccuracies of boat mounted spedometers. But that's another discussion. I guess the question is, which one of the above speeds matters most?

AWS

 

[greg706]

Wow! to say the least. I know the GPS is correct, have checked it many times. I was going up the Coosa River when it hit 51, I think it may have held at 52 for a bit. I would think this is slow for this boat (15 1/2 ft.) . This boat is light, to me that is. I am not worried about it now. You guys seem to think that is fast for my gear. I guess I am lucky it goes as fast as it does. Thanks Folks!