This allows the front of the boat
to ride above the water line, with
less drag farther back. The differ-
ence in top-end speed due to prop-
er weighting could be as much as 7
mph, says Stinson.
To get a better idea of what a
modern tournament angler’s tackle
load weighs, I weighed a few tackle
boxes from my front compartment.
Remarkably, a small box of tungsten
weights, along with a binder-style
box of soft plastics (one of three I
often carry), weighed close to 13
pounds. This likely represents less
than 10 percent of the tac kle found
in the front of many tournament
pros’ bass boats. All of it can rob valu-
able miles per hour.
Drive It
How you get on pad makes a
difference in speed, too.
“Trim it up on pad, then, when
wide open, bump it down for a
quick 1-2 count,” adds Hanson.
This pushes the nose down
slightly, raises the rear of the boat
up out of the water and reduces
drag. Hanson claims two or three
such adjustments can often gain an
additional 3 to 4 mph.
Side-scan transducer placement must be carefully considered for best returns and minimal drag.
in side-scanning technology – mounted up and away
from the boat’s running pad.
There should also never be anything interfering
with the rotational side of the propeller (the right side
for most bass boats). Anything mounted to the boat’s
bottom to the right of the prop introduces air into
that seam of water. The air then “sticks to the blades
of the prop, and it won’t bite,” says Stinson. Cavitation
is the result.
Know When to Quit
Search for Speed Thieves
Anything on the bottom of the boat can rob top-end
speed, so Stinson recommends in-hull transducers when
possible, or having external transducers – like those used
Speed fans might think there’s more to be done to
increase speed. But for the most part, Stinson says,
there’s not, short of actually modifying the hull. But
what about wind drag?
“Boat speed is 90 percent hydrodynamics and 10
percent aerodynamics,” he claims.
Stinson says the biggest aerodynamic influence is
hull drag. Removing pedestal seats, windshields and the
like does little, if anything, to help gain top-end speed.
“At that point, you just need a different boat,” Stinson
jokes.
WHEN TO CONSIDER A CUSTOM PROP
32
Historically, swapping to a custom prop has been a way to gain speed, but the stock props on today’s modern rigs are
perfectly capable. However, owners of older rigs might still see improvement with custom props, and those running boats
extra-high might require a “chopper” or cleaver prop to prevent blowout.
Several custom prop shops have earned high accolades in the bass boat world, including Mark’s High Performance
Propellers near Indianapolis, Ind., and Performance Propeller of Nashville, Tenn. Both can tweak and repair stock props.
FLWFISHING.COM I APRIL 2017