With a small performance boat set up is key.10" of setback is too much, 2-5 is optimal. Dual cable steering, might also be a good investment. As is a water pressure gauge so you know how high you can run the motor.

I bought my dad a new stainless 4 blade for his 20ft Monterey IO. While I was trying different models at my local marina (helps being drinkin buddies with the owner) one of the 4 blades we tried lopped off the adjustable fin lol. Think thats what happened with your prop?

Apollo wrote:I truly appreciate the help.
When boat came out of the water last night after being in the water for 2 weeks I noticed the directional adjustable fin located above the prop gone (not there). I have ordered a new one will install and try to find best setting. I guess a 10" jack plate combined with no directional fin was the problem.
I'll check out bob's .

JB

You don't need that adjustable fin. It's generally out of the water anyway. Try a torque tab instead. It might help with your stability issues.

The high five is a good ski prop with stump pulling low end. Choppers are a good all around prop as long as you don't have a lot of weight in the boat.

With a small performance boat set up is key.10" of setback is too much, 2-5 is optimal.

I truly appreciate the help.
When boat came out of the water last night after being in the water for 2 weeks I noticed the directional adjustable fin located above the prop gone (not there). I have ordered a new one will install and try to find best setting. I guess a 10" jack plate combined with no directional fin was the problem.
I'll check out bob's .

JB

Good lookin' Vector!

There a probably others but Bob's has a four inch hyd. plate.

http://www.bobsmachine.com/Products/jackplate_hydraulic.cfm

The sudden veering off is concerning. Tight steering and solid motor mounts may be in order. I'll bet it will be better when you move the pivot point forward by lessening the jack size. JMHO...a jack may not get you to go 65. You may about 150 hp.

I've run the boat and it seems you are right in that 10.5" seems like too large of a set back. Porpoising is a little more than ideal. The main problem is safety. it seems that at around 55 to 60 mph it seems to be running straight and true but can suddenly seem to fall off and veer sharply to left. stability is not good. Seems like maybe with the 10.5" set back jack plate the pad may be too far out of the water causingSthis lack of stability?? Also the weight of the motor being so far back makes it hard to carry rear passengers as water pours over the transom no matter how careful you are when you slow down and comes off plane.

We are going to take the present jack plate off of the boat. I am returning it for a full credit. For now i will temporarily mount the motor directly to the transom but with the knowledge of how it runs we will mounted it a little higher.

I am going to try to locate a 3 or 4 " set back jack plate. Do any jack plates of the this size have the motorized option or are they all manual units?

As far as your jackplate being a problem, it might cause the boat to porpus due to the weight of the motor being further back on the transom but I guess I would try it before I changed it.

Where are you from? If you can get with someone close by and try a couple props you can save some headache of buying and selling....or not selling a bunch of props, I have a tendency of buying and mounting on my wall. I have never ran a laser 2 on a performance hull but it sounds like Jacklake has one coming, I would hold off on buying until you hear how it works for him. A vector and viper will handle real close to the same.

The photo was taken the day I picked up the boat in january. since then I have moved the tongue forward. The boat is in the water all season. This fall I will store it directly on blocks in my garage.

I read the Vector history and all the comments about the angle of the pad or hook increasing over the years as more and more boats were built. As per my serial number the boat is a 1975. The pad lokks unaltered and has only a very slight hook so hopefully it is okay.

I normally will be in the boat by myself 185 ibs and with my wife 130 lbs. The fuel tank is 15 gallons located on left (port) side underneath and beside motor well. Battery is presently on right side. I plan to carry a 5 gallon spare can in the bow under foredeck.

Any ideas on propping and jack plate situation would be appreciated. Has anyone got an early Vector with a recent 115 hp
engine. I know from reading this forum that you can put much larger engines on these boats and reach higher speeds. I am looking for all round cruising performance and most of the time will be running at 30-50 mph. I was hoping to be able to safely top out at 65mph with one person on board.

Interested in hearing about the Laser II. Is my 10" jack plate a problem?

Does anyone

Welcome nice boat .Have you read any of the info avlbe at hydrostream history and performance I have a 200on my Vector and they are quite a handful hopefuly you and your passenger are close in weight .I took a friend out and he is about 25-30 pounds heavier and it made the boat very ill handeling wanting to fall to one side and very unprodictable .Thankfully my friend that usualy goes out with me is same weight as me .And as I was told when I got my first pad boat seat time seat time .Im no where as good as Viper 77 but deffently not as freaked as the first ride in my Valero when it started to chine walk at 70 I got out of it to fast and it chined worse and scared sh$t out of me but now that I have some seat time not scary just fun fun fun . So again Welcome and ask away . Is your trailer to short looks short in pics alot of boat hanging past bunks just dont want to see ya trash the transom .