My setup is bonestock. I have a 1999 2003 sidesteer with 99 225SS with a Tooters SportMaster (1.87). The engine is untouched and I run with the exhaust pack in it (never have taken it out, to dang loud for my tastes). The speeds I gave were very much loaded, including the livewell being full of water. I have a 54# OMC foot control on the nose that has never been removed. At the rally lastyear I had a topped off fuel tank, 100# pounds of tackle under the front nose (I know because I have weighed all this stuff) and to my surprise I had 18 rods and reels in the rod locker and under the front deck (but how much can they weigh? The average bassrod and reel today is measured in ounces) my cooler was JAMMED to the top with 2-3 bags of ice, 24 pack of beer and several bottles of water and snacks. I run with one battery in the left rear storage compartment and the other sits on the left in front of the fuel tank, the right front of the tank sits the trim pump for my SS. The storage compartment behind drivers seat is crammed full of maps, glasses, fire ext, spark plugs, wrenches, marker buoys etc... The right rear compartment holds my ladder, life jackets, throwable, jumper cables, bulk spools of line, rain suits etc... The butt seats were on the decks and their gas pedastals were in the open compartment on the left. I cant remember if I had both buckets and the bench in or if I had only the buckets. Todd Bucknall's GPS read 91.0 with that load, the two of us (I am 6'4" 235 and I would guess Todd at 185? That was with their 28" Quad IV OT @ 6700 during the rally at Douglas Lake (1k ft) in the early morning humidity (it began to rain actually) and it was warm. We ran my stock 27" Trophy 88.8 GPS minutes before at exactly the same plate setting (14.5" hyd CMC/Alli plate). The pad on my 2003 is stock as well (well its been modded by several stumps and the sandy beach I hang out at in the summer time!
) Both Todd and I both agreed that there was probably 2mph more in each prop with that load if we only would've played with the setup but that rain was hurting without helmets.
This Saturday as a matter of fact while fishing a club tournament at Sardis, MS my partner watched his GPS show 80.7 while cruising at 6k (again with my stock 27" Trophy) in windy conditions that were just short of whitecaps. That was a VERY heavily loaded condition with wet carpet (it had been thunderstorming off and on all morning) and my gearcase a little lower than normal so the prop could get a good bite in the rougher water. I didn't make a topend run as conditions didn't allow for it but I have no doubt RDW would've run in the 88-89GPS range at Sardis' 260ft altitude in cool weather (despite the high humidity).
Fire what kind of altitudes are you running in TX? Based on your speeds it sounds like you are running at Russ' type of altitudes in NM. I just don't see why ANY ProSport with a ProMax wouldn't run 88-90+ with a two man load in altitudes under 2k ft.
RDW sure sounded good on top of that churning water at 80 Saturday
RA