60/40 Yamaha jet to 90/65 Yamaha jet

[BUSHRVN]

I'm looking for anyone who has done this swap/upgrade on their out board jet boat. I have an Explorer Industries 162 with the 60/40 Yamaha jet and I'm planning on upgrading to the 90/65 Yamaha jet due to wanting to get on step a little quicker and have a little more jamb pulling tubes etc. with the kids.
I do not want to change to a bigger boat etc., just a power upgrade due to the fact that I haul this boat up on top of my truck so that I can take it into BC along with my toyhauler bumper pull RV. So don't suggest a different boat.
I'm hoping someone here has done this swap and tell me of real world experiences with the performance differences this will make. Dave at Explorer Industries says that it will make a significant difference but also suggested talking to actual owners for a more in dept actual use testimony on it.
Anyone here done this swap or close to it?
Thanks in advance.

[TimeOff]

A friend of mine did that exact same swap to the same model 162. Couldn't be happier. The engine doesn't weigh much more and can throttle back more on step so fuel economy ends up the same. Hole shot time almost in half.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by TimeOff

A friend of mine did that exact same swap to the same model 162. Couldn't be happier. The engine doesn't weigh much more and can throttle back more on step so fuel economy ends up the same. Hole shot time almost in half.

Ha! Probably just what the op wanted to hear.

[BUSHRVN]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Ha! Probably just what the op wanted to hear.

Yep!

[BUSHRVN]

Originally Posted by TimeOff

A friend of mine did that exact same swap to the same model 162. Couldn't be happier. The engine doesn't weigh much more and can throttle back more on step so fuel economy ends up the same. Hole shot time almost in half.

Great, that's what I'm looking for! Thanks,

[BUSHRVN]

Anyone else with any experience on this?

[Positrac]

I have an Explorer 166 with a 115/80 hp Yamaha jet. The best thing I did to it was add a set of Nauticus Smart Tabs. I gained about 3 mph top speed and can keep it on step right down to 16 mph. Best $200 I ever spent. They make a mount for the top of the tabs that lets you fold them almost straight down for trolling. I have those mount installed backwards so it allows me to pull mine up so that the tabs are above the bottom of the boat for pulling into shore.

As for the 90/60, it would be tons on a 162. I’d still buy the Nauticus Smart Tabs though.

I went last year to the tabs, a high-skew 4 blade stainless impeller and a quick flow rack and pinion helm and it was a new boat. 1 1/2 turns of the wheel lock to lock. At 18 mph I can crank the wheel and punch it and the boat leaps from side to side. Great for going slow, staying on step but still being able to avoid rocks.

[Ebrand]

Had a 90 Yamaha with a jet leg on a work boat.

Was horrified at how much lift it had and how quick it got on step.

4 big guys all over 230lbs. 50 Gallons of fuel a bunch of gear way over the boat spec plate limits.

Zipped up on step like it was just me in the boat.

It was good on fuel though. It used LOTS.

Very impressed with how it performed.

[BUSHRVN]

Originally Posted by Positrac

I have an Explorer 166 with a 115/80 hp Yamaha jet. The best thing I did to it was add a set of Nauticus Smart Tabs. I gained about 3 mph top speed and can keep it on step right down to 16 mph. Best $200 I ever spent. They make a mount for the top of the tabs that lets you fold them almost straight down for trolling. I have those mount installed backwards so it allows me to pull mine up so that the tabs are above the bottom of the boat for pulling into shore.

As for the 90/60, it would be tons on a 162. I’d still buy the Nauticus Smart Tabs though.

I went last year to the tabs, a high-skew 4 blade stainless impeller and a quick flow rack and pinion helm and it was a new boat. 1 1/2 turns of the wheel lock to lock. At 18 mph I can crank the wheel and punch it and the boat leaps from side to side. Great for going slow, staying on step but still being able to avoid rocks.

Interesting. I saw the tabs you mention at the boat and sportsman show last week and wondered what they were about. That makes sense, I just might have to try that as well. Thanks for the tip and the info on the motor. I’m definitely going to do the swap, and look into the Smart Tabs. The only problem I’ll have is that I have a flip down stainless extending ladder mounted at the rear where one of these would go that would be an interference.

[BUSHRVN]

Originally Posted by Ebrand

Had a 90 Yamaha with a jet leg on a work boat.

Was horrified at how much lift it had and how quick it got on step.

4 big guys all over 230lbs. 50 Gallons of fuel a bunch of gear way over the boat spec plate limits.

Zipped up on step like it was just me in the boat.

It was good on fuel though. It used LOTS.

Very impressed with how it performed.

Great, that’s what I want to hear. I don’t want to spend the money only to wish I’d gone even bigger (not that I can with this boat) or didn’t get as much gain as I’d hoped for. I’ve got three kids, two of them are teens, so with five of us and gear I want more jam.

[longhead]

I put a 90/65 E-Tec on my 162 and am very happy with the results. Fuel burn is a lot more but well worth it. Try find an older 2 stroke or go with the E-Tec as the 4 strokes are heavy and don't rev nearly as fast.

[BUSHRVN]

Originally Posted by Positrac

I have an Explorer 166 with a 115/80 hp Yamaha jet. The best thing I did to it was add a set of Nauticus Smart Tabs. I gained about 3 mph top speed and can keep it on step right down to 16 mph. Best $200 I ever spent. They make a mount for the top of the tabs that lets you fold them almost straight down for trolling. I have those mount installed backwards so it allows me to pull mine up so that the tabs are above the bottom of the boat for pulling into shore.

As for the 90/60, it would be tons on a 162. I’d still buy the Nauticus Smart Tabs though.

I went last year to the tabs, a high-skew 4 blade stainless impeller and a quick flow rack and pinion helm and it was a new boat. 1 1/2 turns of the wheel lock to lock. At 18 mph I can crank the wheel and punch it and the boat leaps from side to side. Great for going slow, staying on step but still being able to avoid rocks.

I googled the tabs and did lots of reading and looking at images and videos etc. They seem like they would be an issue with hanging down for a jet boat on river though. Don't they get in the way while coming to shore on a river, dragging or getting hung up when the boat drifts sideways or backwards etc.?
I definitely like the benefits that they provide and would like to try them, but,,..

[Positrac]

I wish I had a picture of them turned up. This is the down position. You can adjust the downward pressure by moving the bottom of the strut through 5 different holes. After they are adjusted you don’t touch them. When the boat takes off they help lift the arse end out of the water and get you on step. No bow rise or arse squat. I can take off in a foot of water and be on step in a couple boat lengths. When the boat is scooting along the upward pressure of the water on them makes them ride even with the bottom of the boat. As you slow down they start to drop and help keep you on step. I used to drop off step around 20 mph and I can get it down to about 14 mph now before dropping off step.

The mount at the top can be swung and the tabs then sit higher that the bottom of the boat and are still even able to go higher when the strut is collapsed. They work great. If I’m going into shore or drifting in shallow water I just raise them up. If they get hit while going forward they just raise up automatically with no damage.

I can still get on step and do 30 mph with a Honda 350 Rancher on the back.

[Positrac]

[url=https://postimages.org/]


[/url]

[BUSHRVN]

Originally Posted by Positrac

[url=https://postimages.org/]


I wish I had a picture of them turned up. This is the down position. You can adjust the downward pressure by moving the bottom of the strut through 5 different holes. After they are adjusted you don’t touch them. When the boat takes off they help lift the arse end out of the water and get you on step. No bow rise or arse squat. I can take off in a foot of water and be on step in a couple boat lengths. When the boat is scooting along the upward pressure of the water on them makes them ride even with the bottom of the boat. As you slow down they start to drop and help keep you on step. I used to drop off step around 20 mph and I can get it down to about 14 mph now before dropping off step.

The mount at the top can be swung and the tabs then sit higher that the bottom of the boat and are still even able to go higher when the strut is collapsed. They work great. If I’m going into shore or drifting in shallow water I just raise them up. If they get hit while going forward they just raise up automatically with no damage.

I can still get on step and do 30 mph with a Honda 350 Rancher on the back.

Yea I was looking at the trolling version and wondering if there was enough movement in the rotation of the top mount to get them above the bottom of the boat. The back of your boat is likely the same back slope as my 162, so if it works on yours I should be fine then. I've read a few complaints online about the shocks going back in two/three seasons. I wonder if it would be a wise idea to remove the shocks and bring them in for winter if the boats not stored in a heated space to prevent extreme freezing during cold snaps.
I was thinking also of getting the normal tabs and making my own top mount from a piece of aluminum angle so that I can put one hole in the perfect spot where it needs to be for use and have a hole way up so that I can just put the pin at the top and raise the whole unit up vertically against the back of the boat totally out of the way for travel etc. I think I'll try this route.
Thanks for the input.

[stinkynuts]

do you feel the smart tabs would help my 162 with mt 60/40 ? or do you ned the power of the 90/65 to really make them work ?

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by stinkynuts

do you feel the smart tabs would help my 162 with mt 60/40 ? or do you ned the power of the 90/65 to really make them work ?

I bet with the Smart Tabs you could get out of the hole in a third of what it presently takes you and in shallower water too.

This is the third boat, first with a jet, that I’ve had them on. All of them were better boats with the Smart Tabs on. I found they really helped my 166 when the wind came up. I can now throttle back and still stay on step without the constant slap that comes with a relatively flat hull.

[stinkynuts]

thanks for your in put only thing is i have to figure out how to mount them on the 162 there is about an inch of plate that comes out past the transom any ideas on that ?