2002 ss2000

[Baddog merc]

First post so sorry if it sounds or looks weird
I just purchased a mint condition ss2000 and have a couple of different props. running the original merc 200xs short shaft with a Hoss 29 3 blade. I know the boat is capable of some great speeds 85 plus I am told but I am walking all over the place at 58 i pushed thru to 63 and almost lost the boat since then i have flirted with 60 and its all over the place. I am used to pickle forks and have run my old Hydro at 116 so am comfortable with higher speeds. I run my jack about 3/4 up and trim all the way in. I have adjusted and afjustedbut still feel out of control. I am tightening the steering to get rid of some play.
I guess what I am asking is does anybody have any ideas how or what to try. I see only good things about the boats on line and purchased it on those reviews and lack of negative ones.

 

[aeneas]

Nice boat and engine!

Aha, I responded to your question in another thread with a question about your setup. We have similar setups - SS-2000/Merc 200xs ss. When you bought it - was it setup for the previous owner? Or have you put the boat + engine together?
Your boat should be capable of 95+. My boat is like on rails at 97.7 and I think I may have found another mph or two for this year.

My setup.
Jack: Fixed Allison jack, about even to the pad. 9,5 inches of setback.
Steering: Hydraulic (SeaStar Tournament Series) No slack.
Lower: Stock Sportmaster 1.87
Propeller: Mazco RE3 30p (very important with the right prop)

See that everything is tight, no slack.
Trim properly - NOT too much but so the boat is at slight angle of attack (see pic below)
Try to pass thru 60 upwards 70 and get her on the pad. I think she is unstable because she is trying but not succeeding in getting up on the pad. Also when you slow down - do NOT chop the gas, take her down gently.
Seat time! This is a special boat and wonderful boat! Good luck!

 

[Lotus 50]

Not uncommon. When I got my SS2000 I had V bottom experience with a 13' Hydrostream VooDoo. People used to say if you could drive a VooDoo you could drive anything. Nope. I was stuck in the mid 50s when I got my SS2000.

My free advice. Buy a 24-26" 4 blade. Less pitch and 4 blades both help the learning curve. Then get a 200 lb friend to sit in the passenger seat. I used my brother. I found the weight up front stabilized the boat. When I got better I found the weight up front with my then 150 cost a lot of speed. Set the prop shaft 1/4 to 3/8 below the pad. Be patient.

I started with a lightly modified 150 and hit 89.7. Now I have a 225 Promax and I get to 90 a lot faster, but that's as fast as I gave gone.

My 200XS arrives Monday, but won't be installed until I sell the Promax
I am joining your club

 

[Rick Propst]

As stated above i saw the first post as well, Learn how to drive it around 60 first hold pressure on the wheel to the left and small turns to the right to balance it, and when you let off again turn the boat to the left just a little and let off slow,,only after you can drive it at 60 then go up in speed another 5 mph and do the same thing there, then just keep doing that all the way up,, after you get to 90 mph (if its a stock lip pad) the bow will drop then bump the trim a couple of times up and she will almost drive herself,,, Forgot to ask is it center steer or side by side,,, My setup is 1/4 below pad with a 225 pro max ive been 100mph with this setup and its got a little more

 

[Baddog merc]

As stated above i saw the first post as well, Learn how to drive it around 60 first hold pressure on the wheel to the left and small turns to the right to balance it, and when you let off again turn the boat to the left just a little and let off slow,,only after you can drive it at 60 then go up in speed another 5 mph and do the same thing there, then just keep doing that all the way up,, after you get to 90 mph (if its a stock lip pad) the bow will drop then bump the trim a couple of times up and she will almost drive herself,,, Forgot to ask is it center steer or side by side,,, My setup is 1/4 below pad with a 225 pro max ive been 100mph with this setup and its got a little more

Morning,
Good advice from all of you , I don't doubt for a second it is my driving and lack of seat time. Only had it since July 8th (49th b day). I will try the set up and heights you are suggesting. Should I leave the 29 hoss on or go back to my 4 blade 24 ?
Mine has the sliding front seat, i typically run the boat with the seats in line back to front so pretty well balanced ,just a rookie with the V bottoms, coming from a cougar pickle fork to the allison is a bigger change than expected.
Cheers

 

[Rick Propst]

the smaller prop with the 4 blades will be alittle easier to drive at first,, but i started out with the prop im going to run most of the time which is a 30p lighting ET,, I had a STV and then got the SS, loved my STV but was kinda of Boring to drive unless you were running near 105+, the SS is a Blast to Drive,, It took me a few months to learn how to drive it,,Now its hard to get it to chine walk lol,,,Good Luck and Patience lol

 

[Baddog merc]

the smaller prop with the 4 blades will be alittle easier to drive at first,, but i started out with the prop im going to run most of the time which is a 30p lighting ET,, I had a STV and then got the SS, loved my STV but was kinda of Boring to drive unless you were running near 105+, the SS is a Blast to Drive,, It took me a few months to learn how to drive it,,Now its hard to get it to chine walk lol,,,Good Luck and Patience lol

Agreed i really like the feel of the boat and it looks very different with the race cowling. Don't see many of them up in my neck of the woods(130 miles north of Toronto canada)

 

[Lotus 50]

There are two yellow SS2000's on Lake Couchiching, mine and another guys. But we are only around 90 miles north of Toronto. The fastest prop I ever had with my 150 was a 31 Hoss Triton. Your 29 Hoss might be a good choice once you get the hang of driving.

 

[Whaaaaat]

Took me a couple tanks of gas to get mine over 65. 4 blades definitely makes a huge difference. It was like having 4 wheel drive.

Read the red book from Allison!! It helps to understand what the boat wants.

I think my main hurdle was over correcting for the chine walk at first, I finally got it after a slight dose of adult beverage to slow the reaction time and let the boat climb itself up on the pad.

Carry a small full cooler or a sandbag with you to be able to shift some weight. If yours is like mine the seat doesn't slide all the way center you might still need some weight on the port side. I solved my weight issue by putting a big heavy odessey battery in place of the light interstate the previous owner had. The extra 40 or 50 lbs in the rear port corner helps.

Someone post the red book for him. My copy won't load.

 

[procomp]

If you meant 3/4 above the pad that is scary high especially for a newbie. Mark your jackplate so the center of the propshaft doesnt go higher then the bottom of the pad

 

[Baddog merc]

If you meant 3/4 above the pad that is scary high especially for a newbie. Mark your jackplate so the center of the propshaft doesnt go higher then the bottom of the pad

Not above ,3/4 up on the jackplate. I may not not be the smartest guy out there but i sure aint crazy. Never even heard of this "rebook" As mentioned i will try the 40lbs of sand in the passenger side.
Appreciate all the replies it seems to come down to seat time and small increases in speed.
cheers, heading to the lake at lunch.
Oh Lotus 50 I am just off the 400 about 30k south of parry sound. On Starlake. May drag the boat down to couchi in early august to a buddies cottage will let you know if i do.

 

[nort]

Come down to the drag races in Gravenhurst in early August.
There’s more then a few of us running Allies in different classes.
I’ve got a couple props you could try.

 

[Baddog merc]

Come down to the drag races in Gravenhurst in early August.
There’s more then a few of us running Allies in different classes.
I’ve got a couple props you could try.

Morning,
Another question. I am running a 4 blade 24 right now and have finally started to get the hang of the boat. Can drive it comfortably at 74 but if I just touch the trim boat starts to get squirley ( not sure if that’s a real word) anyhow I am up at 6500 rpm which seems high. Should I switch to the 29 hoss 3 blade that the boat ran last year ??
What is the sweet spot rpm range for a well tuned 2002 200xs opti

 

[aeneas]

The revlimiter for a stock gen I 200xs is 6.800 rpm.

 

[flying07]

I was once here. . . . before you change the boat, make sure it's the 'boat'. . . . have someone who 'can' drive an allison drive it . . . . might save buying a bunch of parts and chasing what isn't wrong. . . . lord knows it saved me. . . . allisons are a different breed, the fun is learning and saying 'you can drive an allison'. . . . just my 2 cents

 

[Baddog merc]

yeah I agree had some reasonable progress this weekend to 73 mph. Slow and steady wins the race. Trouble feeling when it goes up onto the pad and just the finest trim seems to make it walk

 

[flying07]

yeah I agree had some reasonable progress this weekend to 73 mph. Slow and steady wins the race. Trouble feeling when it goes up onto the pad and just the finest trim seems to make it walk

That's an allison! you get on the pad, and a bump of trim doesn't raise the bow, it raises the entire boat! have you been in an allison with someone else driving at speed? it helps. . . . . i was having 'fun' learning we will say, my buddy gets in, blasts it up to 92 with both of us, i thought i was going to die as i thought we were 10 feet above the water!! he sets it down and says 'boat runs great'. you learn a lot knowing what it 'should' be like. . . . that's why allisons are so so so so so sweet . . haha

 

[Rick Propst]

wait to you get to the point where the whole boat is out of the water and the bow drops, what a feeling lol, then just give her two bumps up and then she feels like she is on Rails

 

[Baddog merc]

Got it to 93 this weekend. Felt pretty good. Hit a bit of rough water and it got a bit scary but I think I have it figured out.
Thanks to all of you for talking me Through the process. I am still driving with 40lbs of sand in back left