Starflite top speeds

[Mark]

We've got a good thread on Pulsare top speeds going, I thought we needed one on Starflites/Starliners. I know there are lots of them on the board. Let's hear exactly how you've got them setup and what kind of top speeds you are getting. These hulls seem to ride a little bow heavy and are therefore more sensitive to how they are setup. I'm not just interested in whose the fastest, I think we could learn from what's working with different power, props, etc. BTW, the cool fall weather will often give you a couple of hundred extra RPM and therefore MPH. So let's follow the basic template below and tell us about your best run to date. Engine heights should be inches propshaft is below V. Speeds should be GPS or radar only since speedo readings really don't mean anything. Thanks for playing!

Model: 1986 Starliner
Motor: 1992 200 2.5 EFI Merc
Setback: 11" (8" Detwiler JP + 3" spacer)
Engine Height: 2.75" below V
Gear Ratio: 1.87
Prop: 25" Renegade 4 blade
RPM: 6200
Top Speed: 69 GPS
Prop Slip: 12%

 

[jrumon]

My '92 Starliner did 87.1mph on GPS and needed more prop!

300 Promax, 10" CMC, 28 chopper II, 1/2" below the V, driver only, 1/2 tank of fuel, full gear on board... and 87.1mph GPS top mph recording.

I bought a custom trick SS 5-blade 28p ET style prop but never had a chance run it full out and break that 90mph mark before I sold the boat... BUMMER!!!

P.S. the 5-blade is "For Sale" if anyone wants it!

 

[Mark]

Say Jim,
What RPM were you turning and gear ratio gave you 87 MPH? I'm curious about your prop slip. Most guys find that the real high engine heights give them too much slip and not enough bow lift. I'm guessing that becomes less of an issue over 80 MPH?

 

[jrumon]

Starflight set-up details at 87.1 MPH:

>1992 Starflight hull stock with front nose foam removed.
(new non-water logged interior if that matters)
>1999 Merc 300 Promax with 2000 ecu & coil pack updates.
>Stock Merc 28p Chopper II prop.
>Nose-coned fleetmaster lower unit;
(strangely was 2mph faster than my sportmaster housing)???
>Running 1.75 gear ratio.
>New 10" CMC hyd. jack plate
>Propshaft 1/2" below the bottom of the "V".
>Had 1/2 tank of 93 octane fuel and 1/2 tank oil.
>Full gear in the boat;
(anchor, lines, jackets, flares, GPS, oar, etc.)
>Just ME in the boat..(190lbs)
>Tach was at 6400ish rpm when I glanced;
(motor did not seem to be on the limiter yet).
>Speedo was burried (new 80mph Fario Euro).
>Early morning cool summer air...70 degrees.
>Light breeze and about a 4" chop.
>Made 4 two mile long passes...2 upwind & 2 downwind

End results:
>87.1 MPH on Garmin GPS "max speed" recording
(exact pass I have no idea... didn't look each time)
>Prop Calc shows about 10% slip when checked

I really think it would have run OVER 90 MPH with my custom 5-blade ET, just never had a chance to run it full out before I sold the boat.

 

[Mark]

OK you Starflite/Starliner guys! I know you are out there.(In fact I'll be suprised if they are not the "favorite mate of all time".) Let's hear about your setups. Jrumon maybe had the fastest, but there is still a lot we can all learn from what other guys are doing with different power, props and setback.

 

[F150GT]

I'm setting one up also with a 200 hp, Whats workig best with moderate horse power?

 

[jrumon]

Mark...
FYI, my 92 Starflight had a 92 Merc 200XRi on it when I purchased it. On a 6" CMC hyd. plate and stock non-coned lower, tach showed 6000 rpm with a new 25 tempest plus and the motor too deep (no low water pickup). Speedo showed 70mph, but never GPS'd it for actual... Jim.

 

[Mark]

F150GT
I can tell you this. I've only got one year under my belt with this hull, but I did a lot of research on the Net and everybody says the same thing. If you are rigging a small block V6 you need 12" of setback. These hulls run flatter than even most other Mates(might be the stepped hull, but certainly the long bow). They are a great rough water boat, but if you want to fly you have to help get the bow up. I wasn't happy with the running attitude with only 8" and added 3" spacers. That did the trick. You can probably get away with 8-10" for larger V6's (225+ HP).

 

[merc245]

On my 92 star flite I 10in bracket with a cmc hyd lift for 15 in total.I ran not GPS'd but with a high performance aftermarket pick up to a solid 73/74 mph at 245hp with only spinning a lazor II 21p. As I remember the bracket didn't add all that much speed. But the leverage allowed me to carry 4 grown men close to 70mph. you can see my set up at merc245s pic gallery lower half of p.1 of pic this.

 

[Mark]

Merc245
Thanks for weighing in on this. I looked for your setup info and could not see it there. I remember seeing the rest of it somewhere, but who knows where. How about running it down again for us here? Power, prop, engine height, setback, RPM, prop slip. Thanks.

 

[bdusted440]

thats smokin in a starflight

 

[checkmate243]

I have a 1992 Starflite with a 2002 merc 225EFI. I run a 25p Tempest plus @ 5700 with a top speed 74 at this time. Have 8" of set back and a lot of positive trim. I have the Tempest cupped to much for my set-up. A stock 25 tempest two years ago would run mid to high 70's low on gas. Great air would help out a lot! I’ve tried all kinds of heights with the prop shaft. Two inches below the pad seem to show the best speed. I feel the prop is the answers to top speed. I have only tried three. Love to see 80 some day! Patrick

 

[Rob'Z]

Two inches below the step in the transom or two inches below the vee in the hull? There really isn't a "pad" on the Starflite hull IMO.

 

[jrumon]

I got the 87.1 mph with the propshaft at 1/2" below the bottom of the "V" (as checked with a 6' straight edge).... and that was on a 10" CMC plate.

 

[toyboatmarine]

1990 Starflite
2002 Mercury 250 Pro XB 3.0
14" of set back (8" hydro dynamics fixed plate mated with a 6" bobs hydr.
Prop shaft is 1" below the bottom
82Mph (GPS) @ 6200 RPMs
1.75 fleetmaster w/ factor low water pick-up
3/4 of a tank of fuel, 1 person
Twisting a modified tempest plus 27"
The boat in my opinion likes a 6"-9" whind chop..
what I need prop with more bow lift, and less stern lift.
Any Ideas.. Who here knows how to modify a OMC Raker to fit a merc? I think that would be the ticket for a prop on my setup.

 

[jrumon]

toyboatmarine...
The OMC Raker will go directly onto a Merc with NO CHANGES... But a Merc prop will not go onto an OMC with rehub or shortening the splines.

You may want to try an OVER-HUB type prop, they really work awesome after 80MPH.
Merc Chopper
Merc ET
Mazco RE3 or RE4
OMC SRX
Hill 5-blade too!

 

[Mark]

Okay guys, I didn't get as many responses here as I had hoped, but I am going to give you the benefit of my research. Over the years I have been compiling setup info I have seen on Starflite/Starliners. If there are specs missing on some, that is because it was omitted by the owner. Some of the speeds may be speedo and not GPS, I have no way of knowing because many don't say one way or another. You can probably guess which ones! SB stands for setback. EH is engine height as measured by propshaft below the V. Everything else should be self-explanitory. This is everything I've got. Hope it helps.

HP SB EH Prop RPM MPH
1. 175 22 Las 6000 53
2. 225 8.5" 3" 27 Ren 5500 58
3. 200 61
4. 200 21 SS 6300 62
5. 200 5" 2" 65
6. 200 23 Temp 65
7. 200 25 Temp 6000 65
8. 200 5.5" 25 Temp 66
9. 200 5.5" 25 Temp 6000 67
10. 200 10" 2" 24 Trop 67
11. 200 8" 3" 25 Las 5800 68
12. 200 23 Temp 6200 68
13. 200 6" 23 Temp 6150 69
14. 200 11" 2.5" 25 Ren 6200 69
15. 225 25 Temp 70
16. 260 8" 22 Chop 7000 71
17. 200 12" 3" 25 Temp 6400 71
18. 245 10" 2" 23 Yam 7100 73
19. 245 15" 21 Las 7200 74
20. 225 8" 25 Temp 5700 74
21. 225 12" 1" 25 Temp 6500 74
22. 245 12" 22 Chop 7300 76
23. 225 25 Temp 78
24. 250 14" 1" 27 Temp 6200 82
25. 300 10" .5" 28 Chop 6400 87

 

[checki]

Hallo
I have finshed my starflite open bow projekt
20"Honda 225 vtec
24 pitch ballistic xl 3-blade (the tempest is a touch slower)
5,5" cmc hydr. jack plate
prop shaft 2" below the bottom of the V
no low water pick up (25-30 psi )
gear ratio 1:1.86
6100rpm 67mph gps,I think 11% slip,no bow cover
good hole shot, excellent mid range
The Honda is the smoothest motor I've ever owned.

W.F.G.

Hubert from Germany

 

[JW]

Sounds good Hubert!

My Pulsare only ran 68 mph with the open bow and 6" setback with the Promax 225. I went to 10" setback and a good bow cover and went to 73.5 mph with only those mods.

 

[jrumon]

Mark..
My 300 Promax Starflight was 87.1 mph "max speed" reading on my Garin GPS. I just wish I had the boat a few more weeks to try that 5-blade... I honestly think 90+ would have been possible (but might have needed to raise the rev limiter to 6700)... Jim