Top end speed

[kyfooter]

Originally Posted by TRBenj

No doubt there are better footing boats out there... but if a few mph is all that separates the guy from enjoying his boat to the fullest, jumping ship to another brand may be a little extreme. $1500 worth of engine upgrades will get him the extra speed he wants. One would assume that the overall ownership experience factored into his purchase originally, and nothing has really changed on that front (in other words, going to a lesser built boat with a better barefoot table may have negative ramifications). The wake and table will be no less lousy at 45mph than they currently are at 39mph.

All this coming from a non-MC owner... but Ive had to answer the brand/speed/wake question before. Very happy with my engine modifications and boat brand of choice!

Not trying to convince anyone to buy a different boat. Just commenting on a similar situation that I found myself in. I too tinkered with different props, but found that the hull was preventing the large bump in speed that was desired. I"m a huge MC fan. But if my option was $9k in an '89 ProStar or $12k in a '99 Sportster...I choose the Sportster.

If $1,500 gets you 5 mph...well worth it.

[Kevin 89MC]

The other posters covered most everything, but I will add my 2 cents for the original poster. I also have an ’89 PS 190 with 1:1 trans, original nibral prop (have both a 3 and 4 blade). Mine does have electronic ignition, and I rebuilt the carb. I used to get about 41 mph, maybe 42 on a calm day with no weight in the boat. That was not GPS verified, but via perfect pass, which was timed into the slalom course, so probably fairly accurate. I’ll spare you all the details, but I cracked a head, so I installed GT40 heads. I did not put on a new intake or cam, which a lot of people have done, and which is similar to the “HO” engine offered in about ’92 I think.
My top speed is now about 46, and will creep to 46.5-47 under ideal conditions. Again not GPS confirmed, but most important is the gain from just the heads. As others have said, gaining top end speed on these water hugging hulls is quite tough, and demands a lot of HP. While I’d like to get more HP (not enough $ right now), I would think the heads alone probably got me at least 20-30 HP. I got the heads from a local junk yard for about $100 (had to pull them myself), and after getting them cleaned & holes drilled, I have a big HP gain for about $500. Install wasn’t too bad, if you can take the time to do it right. Pretty cheap power upgrade IMHO. Someday I’d like to add a new prop, intake and cam. But for now the boat pulls so much stronger for course skiing, and footing is definitely improved. Full throttle now is almost too much, and we can finally do 1 foots without fear of sinking.
I could never have done this if not for all the help from the folks on this board (thanks again everybody), so you have come to a great place for this kind of stuff.
Good luck!
Kevin

[tlukens]

Power:Weight. You could loose some weight. Less people /coolers in the boat. Proper technique goes a long way. You don't have to go as fast if your doing it rite. And it hurts less to crash at 35 than 47mph. Or getting the tow point higher; tower or a super fly high on top of the tower. Just a few cheaper options then trying to make a ski boat go fast.

[east tx skier]

Originally Posted by Kevin 89MC

The other posters covered most everything, but I will add my 2 cents for the original poster. I also have an ’89 PS 190 with 1:1 trans, original nibral prop (have both a 3 and 4 blade). Mine does have electronic ignition, and I rebuilt the carb. I used to get about 41 mph, maybe 42 on a calm day with no weight in the boat. That was not GPS verified, but via perfect pass, which was timed into the slalom course, so probably fairly accurate. I’ll spare you all the details, but I cracked a head, so I installed GT40 heads. I did not put on a new intake or cam, which a lot of people have done, and which is similar to the “HO” engine offered in about ’92 I think.
My top speed is now about 46, and will creep to 46.5-47 under ideal conditions. Again not GPS confirmed, but most important is the gain from just the heads. As others have said, gaining top end speed on these water hugging hulls is quite tough, and demands a lot of HP. While I’d like to get more HP (not enough $ right now), I would think the heads alone probably got me at least 20-30 HP. I got the heads from a local junk yard for about $100 (had to pull them myself), and after getting them cleaned & holes drilled, I have a big HP gain for about $500. Install wasn’t too bad, if you can take the time to do it right. Pretty cheap power upgrade IMHO. Someday I’d like to add a new prop, intake and cam. But for now the boat pulls so much stronger for course skiing, and footing is definitely improved. Full throttle now is almost too much, and we can finally do 1 foots without fear of sinking.
I could never have done this if not for all the help from the folks on this board (thanks again everybody), so you have come to a great place for this kind of stuff.
Good luck!
Kevin

On my 93 with the 351 HO (gt-40 heads), I could get 45.5 on gps. So your speedos are probably pretty close.

[j.mccreight@hotmail.com]

Everybody else just about nailed it, I'll throw my info out there, '89 TS190 1:1 351W, 4400rpm@43mph with OJ 13x13 4 blade Legend, with the 13x13 3 blade oe prop 4400rpm @ 44 mph, after a few changes I now can hit 5000rpm @ 47.5 mph with my std crew, this is digital tachometer hooked directly to distributor and GPS at sea level...

[CantRepeat]

Put a wipple charger and and a new tune on my 06 and got it to 69 mph on the garmin!

[j.mccreight@hotmail.com]

Originally Posted by CantRepeat

Put a wipple charger and and a new tune on my 06 and got it to 69 mph on the garmin!

...........

[Jerseydave]

Originally Posted by CantRepeat

Put a wipple charger and and a new tune on my 06 and got it to 69 mph on the garmin!

Different animal, V-drive. But wow, are you serious? 69mph is unreal for that boat. Is that on an MCX, LY6 or L18? Horsepower estimate?

Sorry for the threadjack, but I just have to know.

[CantRepeat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdZRX0AvkmE

[Kyle]

My '93 190 with the gt40p heads, cam, intake, ~325 HP, acme prop 4 blade, 1.52:1 slot tranny will hit 46.7 GPS confirmed.

I have run other brands of props and tried 3 blades vs 4 blades. I have had it 47.? something before, but the prop was not as smooth as the one I am running now.

I have yet to see 48 and have given up throwing money at it trying to hit 50mph. I would say at least another 100hp would be needed to gain to 49-50 range or supercharger. Both are ridiculous and not necessary.