What's wrong with this set up?

[mike_meridian]

I am a river kayak fisherman considering buying a 2012, 1448 Allweld with a Merc 25 jet. The boat, motor and trailer were in like new condition. When we went for a test run, it only ran 14mph on the gps, with two men (about 210lb/e). In the brochure the naked boat weighs 330lb. A mutual friend was with us in his 1448 riveted Alumacraft with the same outboard and he claims to be running around 28mph on a good day, he was certainly leaving us in the wake.

I suspect the poor performance has to be in the setup. Both boats were bought from and setup by the same dealer. I have read on the forum that the toe end of the foot ought to be even with, or 1/4" above the keel. It seems that his was higher and that there was a more extreme angle with the sole of the foot to the transom.

I dont have any experience with gas powered boats, so I probably would not purchase the boat without first confirming that the lack of performance is just in the setup. Allweld has a good reputation and the boat is rated at 25 hp, so it seems the boat should have better performance.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[amk]

I'm no outboard jet expert but I've been in a couple. 1448 allweld with a 25hp is tiny. All welded boats are heavier than riveted and a 25 jet is weak. Get a 1648 with a 60/40. Just my 2cents

 

[duckfish]

Does the current owner of the boat say this is the performance he's seen since new or claim it used to do better?

If he says it can do better, odds are the impeller clearance is too high, impeller needs sharpened, volute liner is heavily scored or all of the above.

 

[mike_meridian]

Does the current owner of the boat say this is the performance he's seen since new or claim it used to do better?

The owner says doesn't claim it used to be faster. He bought the boat as an addition to his big water (Tennessee River) boat. For some reason he lost interest in skinny water and didnt pursue getting it set up completely. He is very forthcoming with information, says he lost interest. It was his gps that reported the 14mph.

 

[duckfish]

Sounds then like it could either be this is all the boat is capable of, or potentially the motor position is not optimum. I've never had a jet that small so I can't tell you with certainty what you should realistically expect. My sense is that if you are talking about a jet pump on a 25 Hp head, it may well be under-powered.

One thing I can say with certainty, grossly under-powered boats (especially jets) are an annoyance. Most everyone I know that's been thru it hasn't lasted more than a few years before upgrading.

If I were in your shoes, unless it's a screamer of a deal, I'd keep looking. Or at a minimum have him change the set-up to prove it can do better before buying.

 

[mike_meridian]

He is going to work on the setup. That might be all it can do. I just figured Allweld wouldnt manufacture a boat where the maximum allowed HP wouldnt push it sufficiently. "Sufficient" is subjective, I know. Common knowledge around here is that the boat must be riveted aluminum. It is hard to go by what other folks says their boat will do, fella at work says his 1448 rivet will do 28mph. The other fella has a 40/30 yamaha on a 16' rivet, says his runs well, but he wants more speed. Might stick to plastic, more options to launch, just more work.

One of the issues I have is that I dont have a 4*4, and there are not that many accessible put ins, which means I would have to run a ways upriver to get to places I like. My river has become a kayak haven, my old uncle says river not a deep as when he was young. I used to fish it with my grandfather who ran a 25 prop. Duck River in TN.

 

[Ranchero50]

A 25 jet is equivalent to a 10-15 prop and they don't move a heavy 14'er well. My heavy wooded 1448 with a merc 9.9 wouldn't plane out so I suspect two men and a small jet would struggle to as well.

 

[blazer02]

A 25hp jet motor should push a 1448 with two men in it easy if everything is in good working order in the jet and the motor is installed at the proper height.it should make around the 28mph that the alumaweld is making.i ran a 25 horse johnson on a 1848 blazer that loaded down with 250lbs of gear floor rod box and big livewell and two men weighing 240 apiece and down river would make a steady 20 going down river and ran this setup for years intill i could afford a new motor.where i run a lot we are under a 25 horse at the jet restriction so most people run a 25 horse power head and will make 20 and better on 1742s 1842s 1648s.

I would probably guess that if the boat has only ever ran around 14mph and the boat is only 330lbs the motor is not set at the right height.some pics of the transom and how motor is sitting on it would be able to confirm if this is the case.