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Dauntless 180 - Engine height
FASTFJR	#1  Posted on 09/21/09 - 2:10 PM
Member Posts: 202 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/02/07	I'm looking to see were other owners of 2004-2007 Dauntless 180 have the engine mounted on their boat. I'm thinking about raising mine up a hole or two. Also, what prop are you running? Thanks 2007 Dauntless 180-2007 Mercury Verado 150
Joe Kriz	#2  Posted on 09/21/09 - 2:20 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11447 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	I don't think it necessarily has to do with how other people are setup as everyone may have their boat loaded slightly different. You need to make sure your cavitation plate is just at the top or slightly above the waterline when running at cruising speed with your normal load. Adjust your engine height to achieve that goal. What hole is your engine mounted in now. top hole which means the motor is mounted all the way down? 2nd hole which means it is mounted one hole up? etc....
Tom W Clark	#3  Posted on 09/21/09 - 3:44 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	The motor should be at least "two holes up" (mounted using the third set of bolt holes). The 14-1/4" x 18" Mercury Enertia should be an excellent prop for that boat.
FASTFJR	#4  Posted on 09/22/09 - 4:29 AM
Member Posts: 202 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/02/07	Attached is a link to a video I shot Saturday. http://8140341.phanfare.com/4343803#i...D=81268931 The boat is a 2007 Dauntless 180 with a Verado 150 turning a Quicksilver "Typhoon" 17 4 bladed prop with 20 gallons of gas 1/3 total, 1 adult & 1 teen aboard. Most of the video is 4000 RPM @ 26 MPH with quick burst to 5000 RPM. Compared to some of the photos I've seen the engine seems to sit low. At the moment its at the 2nd hole from the top. Their are 3 more holes left to raise it. My thinking is to go another two? I also plan to install trim tabs over the winter. Every once and a while in sharp slow turns I get a blowout, other than that the prop holds great. The boat came with a Vengeance 17P which was OK. I switched to the Typhoon to help lower my planing speed (which it did) and give me some bow lift Its not the best video but it's all I have to work with. Edited by Tom W Clark on 09/22/09 - 7:42 AM 2007 Dauntless 180-2007 Mercury Verado 150
Tom W Clark	#5  Posted on 09/22/09 - 7:47 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	With the Typhoon (aka Mercury Offshore or VenSura) you could go up one more hole. If you use an Enertia, you can go two more holes. The Typhoon/Offshore/VenSura is not a great gripper in my experience, It is very easy to break loose and needs to be run fully buried. The Enertia will grip very well and tolerate higher motor mounting height and much greater trim angles. I note in the video that you ddid not even trim he motor out at all. If that normally how you run the boat?
FASTFJR	#6  Posted on 09/22/09 - 7:59 AM
Member Posts: 202 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/02/07	Tom 1st off thanks for the info. The motor was trimmed up some, about 3 on the smartcraft gauge. It was very choppy on the bay Saturday and I was trying to keep the bow down. Yes, I could have trim it up a little more, too much and the boat will start to porpoise. I like your idea about switching to the Enertia 14-1/4" x 18 and moving the engine up two more holes. I do have a Vengance 17P that came rigged with the boat. Would the Enertia make a bigger difference. 2007 Dauntless 180-2007 Mercury Verado 150
Tom W Clark	#7  Posted on 09/22/09 - 8:23 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	You already own both the Typhoon and the Vengeance, so try them both out after you have raised the motor. I think you will suffer a little ventilation with both of those props but more with the Typhoon. If you find that unsatisfactory, THEN go out and buy the Enertia, which I think you will really like. You could then sell your Typhoon and Vengeance and recoup the expenditure on the Enertia.
FASTFJR	#8  Posted on 09/22/09 - 11:13 AM
Member Posts: 202 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/02/07	Thanks Tom Any idea of how many RPM the engine will gain upon raising the height? 2007 Dauntless 180-2007 Mercury Verado 150
Tom W Clark	#9  Posted on 09/22/09 - 11:37 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	No, not really. Try it and see.
FASTFJR	#10  Posted on 09/22/09 - 12:38 PM
Member Posts: 202 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/02/07	Will do Thanks 2007 Dauntless 180-2007 Mercury Verado 150