Posts: 3488
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
Can you take a picture of the lower unit standing behind the motor and submit? And...a close up picture of one of the prop fins?
The excess torque you are feeling I am betting is from being trimmed down, which is forcing the boat into the water, thus the pull and the lean (lots of HP will do that....it's like revving a good old muscle car and watching the entire vehicle tilt just a little to one side). Does that torque and lean go away to some extent when you trim out?
What I am curious about is the amount of cupping the prop has and the location of the torque fin on the bottom of the cavitation plate. If there is little to no cup on the prop, the prop is not able to grab the water well enough to hold the bow up...thus the porpoising. Trimming the bow should happen easily...if you have to trim half way through the trim range, the prop is not grabbing. The torque tab, if turned too much to one side, forces the boat to want to turn in the direction it is pointed...and you are constantly having to keep on the wheel to keep it straight. THAT can be adjusted out to some extent.
One thing to keep in mind is that stock steel props will perform quite similar to stock aluminum props as they have the same design, with the only difference being durability. I think you can get a better performing aftermarket propeller rather than staying with suzuki.... A stock steel prop will not usually allow you to raise the motor much off the transom either, although it will grab the water better than an aluminum. I wonder if your prop is ventilating which is leading to the rev limter...(Shep's thought there...)
Many aftermarket propellers will wake a struggling boat up due to various characteristics: higher rake angle, more cupping, blade design, adjustable vent holes, etc. which allow you to customize your ride to the qualities you want. Some people like a quick hole shot, while others look for flat out speed, and yet others want easy handling qualities throughout the trim and rpm range. A stock steel will not have that adjustability.
So...if you can find a dealer demo prop program in your area, you can try out different brands and styles of propellers to help you narrow down which one works best.
Couple of recommended props to try: OMC raker (if spline fits...Im guessing you have a 15 spline shaft), Michigan rapture or ballistic, or...even some possible mercury props with the exchangeable hub system in them...I'll bet there is a better prop out there that can address your issues.
To me, it sounds like you not only need bow lift, but entire boat lift...a good raked and cupped prop will do that...the OMC raker fits that bill well and you can find plenty of them on ebay, given your spline count will allow the prop to fit.
Steve
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