(05-01-2025, 03:11 AM)BearLakeFishGuy Wrote: I agree that you have too much prop (pitch). My boat is a 17.5' with a 115hp Merc. I'm running a 4-blade, 15 pitch prop. I'm making about 5800-6000rpms depending on whether I'm at Bear Lake or Willard Bay. I think the 115 XS is supposed to max out at 6000-6200rpms? Have your boat dealer swap the prop. Also, after using a 4 blade on my new 175PG WT Tracker, compared to my 3 blade on my 1750 Lund Tyee.....I will never go back to a 2 blade prop. Anyway, just adjust that trim tab and it should straighten out your pulling problem with the trimmed-down motor. Oh, and I have my 10" Garmin hooked to my crank battery. I have trolled for 7-8 hrs without starting my main engine. There has never been an issue. Just look at the amp draw on your depth finder and they you can easily calculate how many hours it would take to drain a 12v battery by looking at how many amp-hours the battery is. I think people worry about this "drain" on your starting battery WAY TOO MUCH.
A 4-blade prop will get you up on plane faster, but a 3-blade will be more fuel efficient and give you a higher top end. I noticed going from the YamaMerc 115HP to the 2.1L 2-valve engine improved torque noticeably. My 3-blade Enertia gives me plenty of responsiveness and really good fuel economy. Heavily loaded for tuna I get 4.5MPG vs 4MPG with the old engine. Lightly loaded I get 5.6MPG, and about 9MPG on the troll.
The Pro XS engine is tuned for higher max RPMs than the standard EFI, but the slightly increased top end and somewhat better hole shot comes at a cost. You're talking an additional 300RPMs on top, while the price increase is about ~$500-$600. The stock engine produces 120HP, the XS makes 126HP. Worth it?
Single main, no kicker. 