CORRECTION*** I said the prop was “cavitating” when my prop was losing grip. I meant to say “ventilating”. While you are here check out my other vid where I did every maintenance activity for this motor: ua-cam.com/video/m1qcSxLACUE/v-deo.html
Much thanks! I'm 50 years old just learned probably the best trick! I can't wait to get my boat out later today! I have an old 1977 Mercury 4.5 that has always been in the first position! It's on a 1960 Alumacraft 12-footer
I just watched your other video on the 10 things to do to improve performance, and I can't wait anymore! I'm drinking my coffee and heading out to my backyard now! Man this is exactly what I needed! Yesterday was a poopy day on the water. Have a great day my man
I am in the UK and trying to find someone who's anything that makes sense on outboard is hard. You've told me loads I needed to know and it will prolong the life of my engine too. Cheers buddy thanks well happy.👍
Thank you, I bought a motor and it was slow because I am not good at using it. Now I know that there are speeds for the motor. A thousand thanks to you, thank you very much.
I just got a mercury 9.9 2 weeks ago. first time on the water I had no clue what I was doing. I put it on the most aggressive with a 9.4ft utility boat. And exactly like you said the stern was taking in some water. I just got a 14foot Jon boat today and I’m excited to take it out tomorrow. And now that I watched your video here I know exactly what I was doing wrong. Thank you so much.
Amazing video, new to boating and had been out a couple of times on the boat. It has a 30hp and just felt it should have had more performance from the engine. Watched your video and put the locking pin to no 4 and what a change in performance. Sits up on the water nicely, handles so much better and more than double the speed thanks to how she sits. Legend, thank you for taking the time to make such an informative video
My kid brother and I had a 12ft aluminum Mirrocraft v-hull w/10hp Johnson. Thing porpoised like mad with only one person, put a log in front when not 2 people in it, and that was OK. Went to the store, got 2 dustpans, filled them with window putty, and epoxied them to the bottom of the stern for trim tabs. Worked like a charm and boy that boat would fly. But they were plastic, cracked, epoxy failed and that was the end of that. Fun for a while, though.
This video is very informative, unfortunately I learned all those things about trim levels and the fact that the most her pushes against the boat I didn't know that, I learned that just by trial testing and all that kind of stuff, you answer a lot of question that I would have needed back before I got my boat so love your video, you're very smart, I've seen a lot of people do UA-cam videos but the key elements things that I had questioned for no one makes a video of it, this is one of the best videos of watch thank you
Dude I basically binged your videos on the Mercury 6 today! Bought one last Sunday and you have taught me so much! Thanks for some great videos! Keep ‘em coming!
Thanks again, I really appreciate the support. Fun little hobby. I’m no expert but let me know if you run into any issues. Be more than glad to help in anyway I can.
Awesome I know you will enjoy it! Gonna be some frustrations but going to be amazing to get out on the water. Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to find the best advice.
This is something I struggle with because most of the time i have my family with me. But lately i want to start solo crabbing. With all the weight in the back i need to remember to adjust trim before requiring trip. ThankyouB
Yeah me too. It’s frustration having everything dialed in then you take someone and it’s horrible :) my setup is so light that even changing my gear I take has an effect.
Very nicely done you’re an excellent communicator. Then obviously barely knowledgeable I learned a lot. I just picked up a 15 hp mercury four stroke. I can’t wait to try out what I just learned. Thank you.
I have some experience with small motors on a Crawdad and a Portabote Extreme. You can get a better attack angle sometimes by buying (heaven forbid!!) or fabricating a fixed or adjustable jack plate to lower the prop into the water further when set at an aggressive angle. It can add significant speed to your boat.
Sir, it's rare to get information/experienced you shared so succiently. Thank you. Just heading out tomorrow on my 14' fishing boat using a Suzuki HP 6 for the first time. If you ever service smaller Suzuki engine like mine, I look forward to learing more from you.
I really appreciate the support!! Thank you, that means a lot. I hope to get my hands on a Suzuki sometime. It’s on my list :) let me know how your trip goes and how you like your setup
@@Skinnyriver on my Dad's 17 foot fiberglass his 20hp Jhonson does a good job. I find small motors get it just right. Its about the weight to motor ratio though. I am getting the 5hp for my 18foot alunimum boat as a kicker that main motor being a 115hp which is too much for trolling. on the previous boat which is in the trade in process right now was a 20hp on a 14 foot utility boat I had to go in reverse to get the speed at about 2mph which works great for catching Rainbow Trout. 8 years of payments though. If you find it is too fast though try a different prop that can make all the difference. I didn't want to put the money into a different prop though as I did not plan on sticking with utility for long. It was all I could get during covid.
Still, a very good video. It certainly helped me figure out the issue I had with my motor when it high reved "ventilated" upon opening the trottle all the way. Fabulous stuff and thanks for posting.
From a newbie... THANK YOU👍👍🛥️ I've bought and restored a 27ft River cruiser.. Some trips I've 6 people sitting out back some days just me and my son, this is the first vid that actually explains how to use trim properly, I get it now🚤👍Thank You💖
@@Skinnyriver It helped quite a bit since I'm looking at getting a 12 ft Jon boat this spring.This vid (unlike others) had complete info to actually understand it.
Thanks for the video! I have a jon boat with a Suzuki outboard. Based on your video I have it set too aggressive. Can’t wait to try some different settings to see if it helps. 👍
Awesome! Glad it helped. Let me know how it goes with your new setup! I’ve had a lot of sib owners reach out. I’ve never had one, you all have me interested!
Thanks! I have a Suzuki 30HP with manual trim in position 2. It sucks when sailing fast because the maximum speed is not reached. You can also see that the engine leans too far back. Now i know it must be in position 3. With a Nimarine MX 410 RIB you have to remove the entire engine because the sides are too thick to remove the pin.
Great info. Thought I had already found the optimal position. But every fishing trip is different. Boat is lighter/heavier with gear/gas/passenger(s), etc. Future trips will be more enjoyable when I'm trying to impress family/friends with my small outboard. Thanks.
I just picked up a motor like this one and it was in need of a thrust rod. I had no clue what the part was called until I found this video! Also learned a lot about trim. Thanks man great video
Tested this on my 5.1m RIB with 2 30hp mariners, dad had the boat for 25 years. Was always in position number 1 or 2, the boat has been passed down to me, I tried position 3 and 4 " ( the sweat spot ) " . Top end went from 24kts to 31.3kts 😂 so stoked 😆 and the steering when it comes to choppy conditions is just so so so so much better !! No more fighting the bow turning. Fuel consumption must be down a ton aswell 😆😄
@@Skinnyriver yeah , my dad got it built when I was 3 😂 been sitting in the garage for the past 10 years , not a word of a lie if I can say something about the Japanese 30hp mariner serial number says it's from America but who knows. After 10 years both motors started on the second or third pull 🤔😆 bulletproof 😳 although the motors probably only have 100hrs on them
I just bought my first boat with more than a trolling motor. I knew it was missing something but couldn’t figure it out til ur video. I have no trim adjuster. Its not there and motor is against boat all the way down. Thanks for vid. I have yet to put it on water. Maybe today
I did this just Yesterday down my local lake. I tried my 11' Tinny out with a 5hp Outboard and a Riser Bracket off the back to bring the cavitation plate on the outboard level with the bottom of the boat. It took a little bit to get up on plane but once there and I moved my weight forward to the middle seat It flew. Only thing is it didn't like turning at full speed, it ventilated a bit. Im going to do some more testing with a smaller and lighter outboard and look into lowering the bracket and inch.
Thank you so much l have a Yamaha C4 on a 16'Lowe hoping l could get a little more out of it next time out on the water. Did not know that pin was for trimming. You ROCK bud!!!
When you're changing trim positions, are you having to reach over the side of the boat? We have a 14.6 Saturn raft with an NRS fishing package. It's VERY difficult to reach over the side due to the raft being round. Any suggestions? Thanks!
If you don’t have power trim and your trim is like mine, then yeah you have to reach around. Honesty I think these smaller outboards are meant for you to set the trim before hitting the water. At least on mine it’s almost impossible to change trim positions on the water. I have to set it before I go out or beach or to change it. However there is a shallow water trim position where all you have to do is pull up on it to raise it up. But when you drop it down in deep water it just goes back to the trim position you have the thrust set set in
I've got a 20hp mercury on a 14ft aluminum jon I've been testing trim myself right now I'm running at #3, guy before me had it set at the lowest and I would almost take in water like that. He obviously didn't know much 🤣 Just gotta play with it until you find the sweet spot! Most of the time #3 or #4 is what ya want
@@Skinnyriver great presentation skills, easy to understand and very helpful, I will be referring to your other vids for help in the coming months I’m sure 🙏🏽
I just got a Mercury 4hp 4 stroke and upgraded it to a 6hp with a carburetor and a different prop. I have a new 13 foot inflatable Kaboat that I will be using it on when I head to Michigan in September. I will have to see which position works the best, probably #3 or #4. The boat only weighs 85 lbs so I am sure the boat will move with the Mercury. The Kaboat is rated for a 10hp. I also installed a hydrofoil on the motor to make it plane out better.
Yeah mine has to be laid down on the tiller handle side. It should have a sticker that says which side to lay it down on. If you lay it down the wrong way it could leak oil into the cylinder
I really appreciate the comment!! Thank you, my guess is it’s a safety measure to pre position the lever in preparation for shifting to reverse. Because there is a chance the motor will jump up before the lever drops down when you shift to reverse.
Loving the videos very useful just had to put engine away for winter I haven't even had a chance to use it yet. Watching your videos over winter I will be a mercury expert by next season. Keep up the good work 👏
Thanks I’m new to boating once you’re getting ready to trailer the boat you have to remove the pin and raise the motor to not cause damage is that correct. I have a Mercury 5 hp 15”. Thanks for your help
Thanks for the view and support!!! , if you are in forward gear you can manually lift raise the outboard to a position called shallow water drive. That raises the outboard to a higher position when you are in shallow water. Here is a video on that ua-cam.com/video/jSrEoHNxgFM/v-deo.html but be careful you are only supposed to go idle speed when the outboard is raised. Also read your manual to make sure your model has this option. Also never raise your outboard so high the cooling water stops flowing. Your motor has to be able to suck in water and “pee” it out to keep motor cool. If it ever stops peeing water then you need to stop immediately
Lol omg, now I know my 9.5hp should not have been going max speed at like 6 mph 🤣🤣 I'll adjust the trim next time from the highest to somewhere in the middle and see where that gets me. Thank you!
Good point. As long as you are getting good water flow out of the cooling water outlet, there isn’t any risk. But yeah, always monitor cooling water flow when you change anything regarding motor position. I doubt Tohatsu/Merc would have these positions as options if there was risk. But your specific setup could cause risk if it causes the motor to sit higher than specified in owners manual.
@@Skinnyriver thank you. Just watched your vid on getting your Craftsman tractor back up and running, good job ! I few years ago, replaced the leaking head gasket on mine (a known flaw for that model). Felt very accomplished after doing it. Main tool I needed to buy for the job was a torque wrench.
I have a coleman crawdad myself with 3.5hp motor and electric trolling motor also I have used the trolling motor but haven't worked up the courage to use the fuel motor until after seeing your video so I'm going to test it out this weekend thanks for the help but was wondering which website did you get the mph and rpm gage on
Thanks for the view! Hope the test run goes well. Getting an outboard for the Crawdad was the best decision I made. I just use Speedometer iOS App and screen recorded it from my phone
helpful. thanks. i'm considering a new suzuki 9.9hp for my 13 saturn hd dinghy. would it be advisable to get power tilt to avoid the hassle of adjusting manually?
I don’t think so, once it’s set it’s pretty good. I rarely change mine now. Power trim adds a lot of weight. I personally would get power trim until I got up to 15hp but it’s preference depending on $$$ and weight
I'm planning on buying a 14' Crestliner 1448 M. I just recently purchased an 8HP Yamaha 4 stroke motor for my raft. The boat comes with a Mercury 15 HP 4 stroke. Do you think that the 8HP motor would be sufficient? I've never had a boat with a motor so I would appreciate your opinion. Thank you for your videos, they are very helpful. George
The 8hp should be ok, but the 15hp is probably more suited for that boat. Check the motor rating of the boat, it’s generally more fun of a setup to be on the higher end. So if it’s rated for a 25hp then a 15hp will perform much better than an 8. Are you thinking about selling the 15hp and keeping the 8hp because of your raft?
I ended up selling the raft because it was too difficult to reach the motor, but I kept the motor. It's brand new, I only ran it for 1-1/2 hours. I could try and sell the motor or just keep it and start off with that. The bow is a modified Vee in the front.
Thank you! Awesome and informative video. I recently bought my first boat and it has a Yamaha 9.9 like this, where there is no power trim. Question: When I launch/retrieve this boat, how can I tilt the motor up so it doesn't hit bottom on the ramp? The guy that sold me the boat just launched it with the motor in the bottom trim position, but I worry about hitting (and it has some scuffs on it from previous use). Without a power trim/tilt, how can I elevate the motor while I'm in the water for retrieval? It seems I don't have the leverage needed due to its weight. Thanks!
There usually is another trim position higher than the low position. You can shift to forward to unlock the trim, then you grab the lower unit and lift up until it clicks. When in the water and motor off, shift to forward to unlock and grab the back top and pull with both hands. That’s really the only way to raise it when in the water. Here is another video showing how it locks ua-cam.com/video/AN6HvUSDv9I/v-deo.html
Yeah everytime I take mine out, I’m know I’m going to drop it! Plus mine is spring loaded so it can shoot out! Best thing to do is beach it first that way you are in shallow water and can find it if you drop it 😂
Is it safe to have your outboard slighly trimmed up all the time? It's not like with the big outboard motor + bass boat, where you have to trim down before making a turn?
Love your videos man. My boat is really similar to yours and last year I was looking to buy a new motor when I came across your channel. And thanks to all the information you have I bought the same 6hp merc you have and I love it. I also really like your video going over all the maintenance items. You do great work.
Hello. I've been watching videos and updating a 1977 boat and motor. First steps we took was over hauling the old wiring, bilge pump set up along with the fuel lines. So far everything has helped massively. But regardless with an 8.5 hp we are not getting any better than 5 mph. Looking at the trim we are running at the worst position possible so I will change that next trip. At anything above 75 percent throttle it feels like it's slipping. If feels like it is spinning in a air pocket its cresting? Will trim help this ? The prop is a bit beat up and I can't be certain if it's even the right one. Is spline count and rough size all I need to get a new one?
Yeah your prop is either ventilating (too close to the aerated water behind your boat) or cavitating (prop edges are beat up). I would bet it’s ventilating. 2 things, lowest trim position will get the prop further down in the water. Also check your mounting position. Your outboard cavitation plate needs to be parallel with bottom of your hull
@@Skinnyriver it is definitely ventilation. Motor is in the lowest trim possible. As far as the cavitation plate I haven't checked. It definitely needs some tlc to get it half as good as it should be. Of course the person who sold it to me claimed it gets up on a plane super easy and goes 20 mph. I know I'm not clearing 8 going down fast current. And barely breaking 4 mph up river. I'll keep tweaking and see if I get it any better. Motor runs like a champ but if it's going to burn gas and be loud I expect it to be able to go faster than I can paddle in a kayak haha.
Anytime I get it to around 70 percent or above throttle it slips. Everyone once in awhile from initial take off it'll let me speed up all the way yo max rpm and you can feel the massive speed increase.. but then the air pocket and slipping occurs. It'd a 14 for. Only gears is the motor. Trolling. Battery and fuel. I haven't gone solor yet. But I may today depending on fuel line and spark plug replacement. Previous owner claimed it had a bad leak and he had to fire up the bilge all the time. Our first trim we took on tons of water. I looked at his bilge set up which every fitting was loose and hose was flat with hull. It siphoned water in faster than we could get rid of it. Re routed the hose with a "trap" over my fuel tank and we maybe took on a gallon in 2 hours . So everything done by or recommended by him has been a huge waste of time. He claimed it can easily get on a plane and go 20 mph buy I assume it's just salesmanship. Worst case I'll get a 15 hp merc new if I have to. I'll keep tweaking it and sell it as it it's in pristine shape for an 80s motor.
Check the motor height, it sounds like it may be too high. If you are losing grip it can only really be 2 things (motor prop too high and close to boat or prop edges are beat up). Another thing you can try is to go to a prop with higher pitch to try to get more grip
For a Honda 5 HP , does the pin matter at all or ? Noticed this aftermarket Trim bolt = bolted on there and is not as easy as press in , and change pin location.
I’m not sure, Honda should have the same thrust rod as all others (spring with a retaining clip on the other end) unless it’s used and someone lost it and put a bolt in there
![How to TRIM your BOAT, with OUTBOARD or STERNDRIVE [Basics Of Boat Trim] - NAUTIMUNDO](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3Vt8zuL6Y34/mqdefault.jpg)
CORRECTION*** I said the prop was “cavitating” when my prop was losing grip. I meant to say “ventilating”. While you are here check out my other vid where I did every maintenance activity for this motor: ua-cam.com/video/m1qcSxLACUE/v-deo.html
It was cavitation
@@coastalcleaningandmaintena2884cavitation is an excess of air in the water.
Much thanks! I'm 50 years old just learned probably the best trick! I can't wait to get my boat out later today! I have an old 1977 Mercury 4.5 that has always been in the first position! It's on a 1960 Alumacraft 12-footer
Awesome, let me know if it improves performance. Be careful!!! You may hit 60mph. 😀
I just watched your other video on the 10 things to do to improve performance, and I can't wait anymore! I'm drinking my coffee and heading out to my backyard now! Man this is exactly what I needed! Yesterday was a poopy day on the water. Have a great day my man
I have the same motor!!loove it!!
I am in the UK and trying to find someone who's anything that makes sense on outboard is hard. You've told me loads I needed to know and it will prolong the life of my engine too. Cheers buddy thanks well happy.👍
Thank you! I really appreciate the view and kind words. Thanks
Great video
Thank you, I bought a motor and it was slow because I am not good at using it. Now I know that there are speeds for the motor. A thousand thanks to you, thank you very much.
I just got a mercury 9.9 2 weeks ago. first time on the water I had no clue what I was doing. I put it on the most aggressive with a 9.4ft utility boat. And exactly like you said the stern was taking in some water.
I just got a 14foot Jon boat today and I’m excited to take it out tomorrow. And now that I watched your video here I know exactly what I was doing wrong. Thank you so much.
Awesome, thanks for the view. Let me know how it does on the 14ft. 9.9 on a 14’ is a perfect setup
@@Skinnyriver worked like a charm friend! Even against the current on the Mississippi was no effort !
Nice!
Amazing video, new to boating and had been out a couple of times on the boat. It has a 30hp and just felt it should have had more performance from the engine. Watched your video and put the locking pin to no 4 and what a change in performance. Sits up on the water nicely, handles so much better and more than double the speed thanks to how she sits. Legend, thank you for taking the time to make such an informative video
I appreciate the comments, thanks!! Sounds like you have a great setup! Hope you enjoy it!
Is what i needed 2. Ive always had a sick wake boat with power trim. Now that im older im just getting a 12 footer with a 9.9. So great info
I don't even own a small boat (yet), but learned more from this than I had previously. Thanks!
Awesome, I appreciate the view. Hope you get that small boat, they are a blast
62 lb thrust trolling motor from Newport Vessels sips power and blasts past every other jonboat on the lake. So much fun.
Yeah you got everything you need! Nice setup
@@Skinnyriver did I mention the 24 rod holders
Just bought my first small boat and motor, so this was very helpful! I had no idea how the manual trim adjustment system works :D
Awesome thanks for the view!!!
I swear UA-cam has anything you could need to see now. Thanks for the vid
I appreciate the view and support, thanks!!!
My kid brother and I had a 12ft aluminum Mirrocraft v-hull w/10hp Johnson. Thing porpoised like mad with only one person, put a log in front when not 2 people in it, and that was OK. Went to the store, got 2 dustpans, filled them with window putty, and epoxied them to the bottom of the stern for trim tabs. Worked like a charm and boy that boat would fly. But they were plastic, cracked, epoxy failed and that was the end of that. Fun for a while, though.
Thank you for this video, I just bought myselft my very first outboard motor (Tohatsu 6HP) and learned a few things from your video. Thanks again!
Awesome, thanks for the view
This video is very informative, unfortunately I learned all those things about trim levels and the fact that the most her pushes against the boat I didn't know that, I learned that just by trial testing and all that kind of stuff, you answer a lot of question that I would have needed back before I got my boat so love your video, you're very smart, I've seen a lot of people do UA-cam videos but the key elements things that I had questioned for no one makes a video of it, this is one of the best videos of watch thank you
Awesome! I really appreciate the view and the kind words. Thanks!
Dude I basically binged your videos on the Mercury 6 today! Bought one last Sunday and you have taught me so much! Thanks for some great videos! Keep ‘em coming!
Thanks again, I really appreciate the support. Fun little hobby. I’m no expert but let me know if you run into any issues. Be more than glad to help in anyway I can.
Exactly what I needed, thanks!
Awesome good deal! Thanks for the view!
Great video. Just mounted a new Y6hp on my S4 Wavewalk...first boat, first motor. I'm sure you just saved me a ton of frustration.
Awesome I know you will enjoy it! Gonna be some frustrations but going to be amazing to get out on the water. Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to find the best advice.
@boshtalk7724 what pin height did you use for your wavewalk? I have the same model and so far seemed to get best results 2nd down from the top.
This is something I struggle with because most of the time i have my family with me. But lately i want to start solo crabbing. With all the weight in the back i need to remember to adjust trim before requiring trip. ThankyouB
Yeah me too. It’s frustration having everything dialed in then you take someone and it’s horrible :) my setup is so light that even changing my gear I take has an effect.
Very nicely done you’re an excellent communicator. Then obviously barely knowledgeable I learned a lot. I just picked up a 15 hp mercury four stroke. I can’t wait to try out what I just learned. Thank you.
I really appreciate it, thanks for the view!
I’m literally 2 and a half minutes in and this legend has taught me so much!
Thank you!!
Thank you!! I’m glad you got something out of the video. I Appreciate the view
Best trim explanation for manual trim setup. Thank you.
Thanks!!!
This is literally a video for day 1 beginners. But I watched it anyways. Haha good job.
Yeah, it’s kinda targeted to those who have never had an outboard. But we were all day 1 beginners at some point. Thanks for the view!
Great informative video. You got right to the point with no time wasting fluff. Information I can use.
Thanks for the view! Appreciate it
I have some experience with small motors on a Crawdad and a Portabote Extreme. You can get a better attack angle sometimes by buying (heaven forbid!!) or fabricating a fixed or adjustable jack plate to lower the prop into the water further when set at an aggressive angle. It can add significant speed to your boat.
Sir, it's rare to get information/experienced you shared so succiently. Thank you. Just heading out tomorrow on my 14' fishing boat using a Suzuki HP 6 for the first time. If you ever service smaller Suzuki engine like mine, I look forward to learing more from you.
I really appreciate the support!! Thank you, that means a lot. I hope to get my hands on a Suzuki sometime. It’s on my list :) let me know how your trip goes and how you like your setup
Thanks bro…i watched this vid after my first ever try with my new SIB and outboard, I now know what to do. Thanks
Congrats on the new setup! I appreciate the view
thanks for making this I am a strong believer in small motors like this for trolling regardless of the size of your boat most commonly the 9.9
Do you find they troll too fast at idle? I tried trolling on my Jon boat and even at idle it was way too fast.
@@Skinnyriver on my Dad's 17 foot fiberglass his 20hp Jhonson does a good job. I find small motors get it just right. Its about the weight to motor ratio though. I am getting the 5hp for my 18foot alunimum boat as a kicker that main motor being a 115hp which is too much for trolling. on the previous boat which is in the trade in process right now was a 20hp on a 14 foot utility boat I had to go in reverse to get the speed at about 2mph which works great for catching Rainbow Trout. 8 years of payments though. If you find it is too fast though try a different prop that can make all the difference. I didn't want to put the money into a different prop though as I did not plan on sticking with utility for long. It was all I could get during covid.
my friend had a 9.9 for his utility boat too and it did a great job trolling he has upgraded since then.
@candoslayer awesome points thanks. Yeah I’m looking at a lower pitch prop and maybe dragging a 5 gallon bucket 😅 thanks
The added weight of the tank should help. Gas is heavy.
new to Motor (electric) boating , and learned some things (drag and trim). Thanks....10 ft inflatable Zodiac. Love it so far.
Awesome, glad you are enjoying your new boat. They are a blast. Thanks for the view
Still, a very good video. It certainly helped me figure out the issue I had with my motor when it high reved "ventilated" upon opening the trottle all the way. Fabulous stuff and thanks for posting.
Great video thank you so much I learned a lot best part was the "pick up ur thrash" comment that shows u care
Awesome thanks for the view!!
From a newbie...
THANK YOU👍👍🛥️
I've bought and restored a 27ft River cruiser.. Some trips I've 6 people sitting out back some days just me and my son, this is the first vid that actually explains how to use trim properly, I get it now🚤👍Thank You💖
Awesome! I appreciate the view and support. Thanks!
Best video about trim yet.
I appreciate the kind words! Thank for the view and support
@@Skinnyriver It helped quite a bit since I'm looking at getting a 12 ft Jon boat this spring.This vid (unlike others) had complete info to actually understand it.
Great info Skinny. I'll be checking the proper motor height first then take it out and do the trim checking next. Much appreciated!
Awesome, let me know how it goes! Thanks for the view
Thanks for the video! I have a jon boat with a Suzuki outboard. Based on your video I have it set too aggressive. Can’t wait to try some different settings to see if it helps. 👍
Awesome! I love Suzukis. Awesome motors. Let me know how the testing goes
I already knew this but it was good to watch your video for a refresher course, excellent presentation
I really appreciate the view. Thank you!
Looks like a Coleman crawdad boat. Those are very cool. Thank you for all the info😁
Yeah I love my Crawdad! It’s an awesome little boat and very stable with a high weight capacity. It’s perfect for my 6hp
@@Skinnyriver I used to have one. They're rare and Great when you find one
Excellent tuition, I didn't even bother to read the instruction book
lol thanks. Still a good idea to read it :) I really appreciate the view and taking time to comment!
Excellent point about picking up one's trash !
This has helped me massively as I’ve just bought my first outboard and sib and new to it all
Awesome! Glad it helped. Let me know how it goes with your new setup! I’ve had a lot of sib owners reach out. I’ve never had one, you all have me interested!
Great explanation to how the trim settings work ! Thanks
Thanks! I appreciate the view!
This was a really great video...I just purchased a 13' gheenoe with a 6hp Yamaha. Some great tips!!!
Sounds like you have an awesome setup!! Thanks for the view
Great video im trying to learn as much as possible before my boat gets here.lots of help.thanks friend.😊
Good luck, let me know how it goes when you get to. What kind did you get
@@Skinnyriver hi,I got a 2.5 yamaha 4 stroke.
Thanks! I have a Suzuki 30HP with manual trim in position 2. It sucks when sailing fast because the maximum speed is not reached. You can also see that the engine leans too far back. Now i know it must be in position 3. With a Nimarine MX 410 RIB you have to remove the entire engine because the sides are too thick to remove the pin.
Just found this! best straightforward explanation have come across! Much appreciated!
Thank you!! I appreciate the view and you taking time to leave a kind comment!
Great information. Setting up a 7.5 on a 12 foot aluminum. 1 or 2 to keep the bow down. Needs about 50 lbs in the bow.
Awesome! Sounds like you got a great setup.
Fill a LARGE drysack with water, at the bow.
@@Skinnyriver I've got a HOU Prospector 16
with sailing ⛵ rig
and petrol motor.
so
can go anywhere.
Nice!
Great info. Thought I had already found the optimal position. But every fishing trip is different. Boat is lighter/heavier with gear/gas/passenger(s), etc. Future trips will be more enjoyable when I'm trying to impress family/friends with my small outboard. Thanks.
Awesome, yeah mine changes all the time too. After a while you get to know exactly what the best position is given your gear and people riding along
Thanks new to boating got a 6hp not sure where to set the trim now I can have a play with confidence thanks..
Awesome!! Just start slow and keep an eye on water level relative to the top of the boat :) and find the sweet spot!!
Thanks!! Nobody never talks about this!!! 💯💯🎯
Thanks! I appreciate the support. Any other video ideas you have let me know!
thanks sir this really helps me in my new 5 hp smoker craft set up
I just picked up a motor like this one and it was in need of a thrust rod. I had no clue what the part was called until I found this video! Also learned a lot about trim. Thanks man great video
Good deal man, thanks for the view and support.
Great informative video. I appreciate you taking the time to perform the trim positions on the water.
Tested this on my 5.1m RIB with 2 30hp mariners, dad had the boat for 25 years. Was always in position number 1 or 2, the boat has been passed down to me, I tried position 3 and 4 " ( the sweat spot ) " . Top end went from 24kts to 31.3kts 😂 so stoked 😆 and the steering when it comes to choppy conditions is just so so so so much better !! No more fighting the bow turning. Fuel consumption must be down a ton aswell 😆😄
Awesome 😀 that’s really cool the boat has been in your family that long
@@Skinnyriver yeah , my dad got it built when I was 3 😂 been sitting in the garage for the past 10 years , not a word of a lie if I can say something about the Japanese 30hp mariner serial number says it's from America but who knows. After 10 years both motors started on the second or third pull 🤔😆 bulletproof 😳 although the motors probably only have 100hrs on them
I just bought my first boat with more than a trolling motor. I knew it was missing something but couldn’t figure it out til ur video. I have no trim adjuster. Its not there and motor is against boat all the way down. Thanks for vid. I have yet to put it on water. Maybe today
Let me know how it goes! have fun out there
Just found your channel, great info professionally presented. Factual stuff everyone needs to know!!
Thanks! I really appreciate the views and the comment. Thanks again
I did this just Yesterday down my local lake. I tried my 11' Tinny out with a 5hp Outboard and a Riser Bracket off the back to bring the cavitation plate on the outboard level with the bottom of the boat. It took a little bit to get up on plane but once there and I moved my weight forward to the middle seat It flew. Only thing is it didn't like turning at full speed, it ventilated a bit. Im going to do some more testing with a smaller and lighter outboard and look into lowering the bracket and inch.
Awesome, yeah it takes a lot of trial and error with small boats. I still get ventilation from time to time
Very helpful video TY! Just got a 20HP Merc on a skiff , I plan to start in the middle hole 3, figure it out from there!
Nice, appreciate the view and taking time to comment. Let me know how you like the 20!
Great info. New to boating and just starting out with a small 4hp mercury. Info and demonstration was spot on. Cheers
Awesome thanks for the view and kind words!
Good message and "trash throws trash "
thanks! I may use that in the next video
100% agree I hate when people litter. Great video
Thanks, I appreciate the view!
Awesome video man! I learned so much with your videos. I have a 2015 5HP Tohatsu
Awesome! Thanks for the view!
Thank you ! Another great teaching video.
Thanks for the view and continued support!
Truly amazing video, broke it down perfectly
Thanks! I appreciate the view and support!
Thank you so much l have a Yamaha C4 on a 16'Lowe hoping l could get a little more out of it next time out on the water.
Did not know that pin was for trimming.
You ROCK bud!!!
Thanks man! Appreciate the support. Good luck squeezing a few more mph out of your setup
Awesome easily understood examples and explanations. Great work! Thanks for the information and supporting a cleaner earth.
Thanks! I appreciate the view and taking time to comment!
This is the best. Explanation! Thank you
Awesome! I appreciate the view and taking time to comment!
When you're changing trim positions, are you having to reach over the side of the boat? We have a 14.6 Saturn raft with an NRS fishing package. It's VERY difficult to reach over the side due to the raft being round. Any suggestions? Thanks!
If you don’t have power trim and your trim is like mine, then yeah you have to reach around. Honesty I think these smaller outboards are meant for you to set the trim before hitting the water. At least on mine it’s almost impossible to change trim positions on the water. I have to set it before I go out or beach or to change it.
However there is a shallow water trim position where all you have to do is pull up on it to raise it up. But when you drop it down in deep water it just goes back to the trim position you have the thrust set set in
I've got a 20hp mercury on a 14ft aluminum jon I've been testing trim myself right now I'm running at #3, guy before me had it set at the lowest and I would almost take in water like that. He obviously didn't know much 🤣 Just gotta play with it until you find the sweet spot! Most of the time #3 or #4 is what ya want
😂 I bet a 20 on a 14 flies!!
@@Skinnyriver I've got a 1996 2 stroke 25hp Evinrude on a 14ft. Flat V haul and she definitely flies.
Thanks Skinny a Very interesting and helpful video for someone like me who has just bought his first set up to explore my local estuary’s 🙏🏽
Awesome! Thanks for the view. Hope you enjoy your setup!
@@Skinnyriver great presentation skills, easy to understand and very helpful, I will be referring to your other vids for help in the coming months I’m sure 🙏🏽
Great and informational video. Thank you for all the hard work!
Appreciate the view! Thanks
I just got a Mercury 4hp 4 stroke and upgraded it to a 6hp with a carburetor and a different prop. I have a new 13 foot inflatable Kaboat that I will be using it on when I head to Michigan in September. I will have to see which position works the best, probably #3 or #4. The boat only weighs 85 lbs so I am sure the boat will move with the Mercury. The Kaboat is rated for a 10hp. I also installed a hydrofoil on the motor to make it plane out better.
That’s awesome. Have you had the motor on the water since the carb upgrade? Curious if you can tell a big difference?
superb video and learnt alot from you ..you are such a nice guy .. feeling u are reakky,,specially the end of the video ...you make me more human ...
I really appreciate the view and kind words!! Thank you, have fun out on the water!
Awesome video man I learned a bunch. Thanks so much
I appreciate the view thanks!!
Awesome video mate answered all my questions in one video cheers 👍
Awesome, thank you for the view! Wishing you a lot of fun out on the water this year!
Hi, can you lay these 6 hp engines down for transportation, great video first I’ve seen on setting up the trim, Thanks.
Yeah mine has to be laid down on the tiller handle side. It should have a sticker that says which side to lay it down on. If you lay it down the wrong way it could leak oil into the cylinder
Without a doubt this was the best video for trim position and how the reverse lock works. Any idea why the reverse lock engages in neutral?
I really appreciate the comment!! Thank you, my guess is it’s a safety measure to pre position the lever in preparation for shifting to reverse. Because there is a chance the motor will jump up before the lever drops down when you shift to reverse.
Very helpful. I have 1989 crawdad with a 2stroke evinrude 6hp
Awesome thanks for the view. I had a 2stroke and kind of miss it. 4strokes have some advantages but an good old 2stroke is hard to beat
Loving the videos very useful just had to put engine away for winter I haven't even had a chance to use it yet. Watching your videos over winter I will be a mercury expert by next season. Keep up the good work 👏
Thanks! I really appreciate the view, support and taking time to comment! Any video ideas let me know!
@@Skinnyriverlike i said maybe a video on winterizing the merc 6 would be useful especially for us here in the u.k. many thanks
Yep sorry got it, hopefully this weekend!
@@Skinnyriver that would be amazing. Many thanks.
Incredible quality!!!
Thanks for the view and support!!
Thanks I’m new to boating once you’re getting ready to trailer the boat you have to remove the pin and raise the motor to not cause damage is that correct. I have a Mercury 5 hp 15”. Thanks for your help
Thanks for the view and support!!! , if you are in forward gear you can manually lift raise the outboard to a position called shallow water drive. That raises the outboard to a higher position when you are in shallow water. Here is a video on that ua-cam.com/video/jSrEoHNxgFM/v-deo.html but be careful you are only supposed to go idle speed when the outboard is raised. Also read your manual to make sure your model has this option. Also never raise your outboard so high the cooling water stops flowing. Your motor has to be able to suck in water and “pee” it out to keep motor cool. If it ever stops peeing water then you need to stop immediately
Thanks I understand now how the shallow drive works
This was super informational. Thanks!
Awesome, I appreciate the support. Thanks!
Lol omg, now I know my 9.5hp should not have been going max speed at like 6 mph 🤣🤣
I'll adjust the trim next time from the highest to somewhere in the middle and see where that gets me.
Thank you!
lol yeah let me know if you are able to get out of grandma gear by changing the trim
@@Skinnyriver will do! Thank you
(I can probably ditch my "need a 30hp on this 12ft v-hull aluminum boat" now that I know this)
Nice testing, but, I wonder if the most aggressive position will damage the water pump, and will the reward of going 3-4 mph faster worth the risk?
Good point. As long as you are getting good water flow out of the cooling water outlet, there isn’t any risk. But yeah, always monitor cooling water flow when you change anything regarding motor position.
I doubt Tohatsu/Merc would have these positions as options if there was risk. But your specific setup could cause risk if it causes the motor to sit higher than specified in owners manual.
Did you notice if the different positions effected how much water was able to come through the water pump? Thank you.
I kept a really good eye on that and it still had a lot of water flow on the upper positions
@@Skinnyriver thank you. Just watched your vid on getting your Craftsman tractor back up and running, good job ! I few years ago, replaced the leaking head gasket on mine (a known flaw for that model). Felt very accomplished after doing it. Main tool I needed to buy for the job was a torque wrench.
Excellent video!
Thanks! I appreciate the view
I have a coleman crawdad myself with 3.5hp motor and electric trolling motor also I have used the trolling motor but haven't worked up the courage to use the fuel motor until after seeing your video so I'm going to test it out this weekend thanks for the help but was wondering which website did you get the mph and rpm gage on
Thanks for the view! Hope the test run goes well. Getting an outboard for the Crawdad was the best decision I made. I just use Speedometer iOS App and screen recorded it from my phone
3.5 hp won't push the crawdad real fast, but it'll be faster than your trolling motor, and it'll be plenty safe.
helpful. thanks. i'm considering a new suzuki 9.9hp for my 13 saturn hd dinghy. would it be advisable to get power tilt to avoid the hassle of adjusting manually?
I don’t think so, once it’s set it’s pretty good. I rarely change mine now. Power trim adds a lot of weight. I personally would get power trim until I got up to 15hp but it’s preference depending on $$$ and weight
I'm planning on buying a 14' Crestliner 1448 M. I just recently purchased an 8HP Yamaha 4 stroke motor for my raft. The boat comes with a Mercury 15 HP 4 stroke. Do you think that the 8HP motor would be sufficient? I've never had a boat with a motor so I would appreciate your opinion. Thank you for your videos, they are very helpful. George
The 8hp should be ok, but the 15hp is probably more suited for that boat. Check the motor rating of the boat, it’s generally more fun of a setup to be on the higher end. So if it’s rated for a 25hp then a 15hp will perform much better than an 8. Are you thinking about selling the 15hp and keeping the 8hp because of your raft?
I ended up selling the raft because it was too difficult to reach the motor, but I kept the motor. It's brand new, I only ran it for 1-1/2 hours. I could try and sell the motor or just keep it and start off with that. The bow is a modified Vee in the front.
@JorgeGonzalez-be9vh id keep it and try both. If the 15 runs really well, I think you would like it better
Thank you! Awesome and informative video. I recently bought my first boat and it has a Yamaha 9.9 like this, where there is no power trim. Question: When I launch/retrieve this boat, how can I tilt the motor up so it doesn't hit bottom on the ramp? The guy that sold me the boat just launched it with the motor in the bottom trim position, but I worry about hitting (and it has some scuffs on it from previous use). Without a power trim/tilt, how can I elevate the motor while I'm in the water for retrieval? It seems I don't have the leverage needed due to its weight. Thanks!
There usually is another trim position higher than the low position. You can shift to forward to unlock the trim, then you grab the lower unit and lift up until it clicks. When in the water and motor off, shift to forward to unlock and grab the back top and pull with both hands. That’s really the only way to raise it when in the water. Here is another video showing how it locks ua-cam.com/video/AN6HvUSDv9I/v-deo.html
@@Skinnyriver I cannot thank you enough!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I commented on the other video, which is also excellent. 🙂
I am afraid to accidentally drop the pin in the water... Perhaps I need to somehow chain it to the boat!!
Yeah everytime I take mine out, I’m know I’m going to drop it! Plus mine is spring loaded so it can shoot out! Best thing to do is beach it first that way you are in shallow water and can find it if you drop it 😂
@@Skinnyriver Yes!! Thank you!
Simple and to the point. I learned some things. Thanks.
Awesome thanks! I appreciate the view and taking time to comment
Great video I have the same motor (tohutso) with a 12 ft aluminum boat and always have someone in the front and I believe I have on position #4
Yeah this 6hp on a 12’ boat is great! My next setup will probably be a 14’ with a 15hp but man the 6hp on a 12’ is great
@@Skinnyriver yup mine is a 4hp so just a smaller carb top speed with the two of us and gear 7mph 🤣 I want to get a 9.8hp
Is it safe to have your outboard slighly trimmed up all the time? It's not like with the big outboard motor + bass boat, where you have to trim down before making a turn?
They don’t have power trim so it’s set it and forget it
@@Skinnyriver thank you!
Great video! Im gonna try a different angle for my 4 hp next time Im out fishing 😁👍
Awesome video!!!
Thanks, appreciate the view!
Love your videos man. My boat is really similar to yours and last year I was looking to buy a new motor when I came across your channel. And thanks to all the information you have I bought the same 6hp merc you have and I love it. I also really like your video going over all the maintenance items. You do great work.
Awesome thank you for the support. I’m glad you are enjoying your motor and it sounds like you have a great setup
I learned a lot today too. Thanks mate
Thanks! I appreciate the view and support!
That's a great video, exactly what I need to know for my boat
Awesome! Thanks for the view!
Thanks man. I learned a lot.
Awesome, thanks for the view!
Hello. I've been watching videos and updating a 1977 boat and motor. First steps we took was over hauling the old wiring, bilge pump set up along with the fuel lines. So far everything has helped massively. But regardless with an 8.5 hp we are not getting any better than 5 mph. Looking at the trim we are running at the worst position possible so I will change that next trip. At anything above 75 percent throttle it feels like it's slipping. If feels like it is spinning in a air pocket its cresting? Will trim help this ? The prop is a bit beat up and I can't be certain if it's even the right one. Is spline count and rough size all I need to get a new one?
Yeah your prop is either ventilating (too close to the aerated water behind your boat) or cavitating (prop edges are beat up). I would bet it’s ventilating. 2 things, lowest trim position will get the prop further down in the water. Also check your mounting position. Your outboard cavitation plate needs to be parallel with bottom of your hull
@@Skinnyriver it is definitely ventilation. Motor is in the lowest trim possible. As far as the cavitation plate I haven't checked. It definitely needs some tlc to get it half as good as it should be. Of course the person who sold it to me claimed it gets up on a plane super easy and goes 20 mph. I know I'm not clearing 8 going down fast current. And barely breaking 4 mph up river. I'll keep tweaking and see if I get it any better. Motor runs like a champ but if it's going to burn gas and be loud I expect it to be able to go faster than I can paddle in a kayak haha.
Is the ventilation causing the low speed? Does it lose grip all the time or only so often?
Anytime I get it to around 70 percent or above throttle it slips. Everyone once in awhile from initial take off it'll let me speed up all the way yo max rpm and you can feel the massive speed increase.. but then the air pocket and slipping occurs.
It'd a 14 for. Only gears is the motor. Trolling. Battery and fuel. I haven't gone solor yet. But I may today depending on fuel line and spark plug replacement.
Previous owner claimed it had a bad leak and he had to fire up the bilge all the time. Our first trim we took on tons of water. I looked at his bilge set up which every fitting was loose and hose was flat with hull. It siphoned water in faster than we could get rid of it. Re routed the hose with a "trap" over my fuel tank and we maybe took on a gallon in 2 hours . So everything done by or recommended by him has been a huge waste of time. He claimed it can easily get on a plane and go 20 mph buy I assume it's just salesmanship.
Worst case I'll get a 15 hp merc new if I have to. I'll keep tweaking it and sell it as it it's in pristine shape for an 80s motor.
Check the motor height, it sounds like it may be too high. If you are losing grip it can only really be 2 things (motor prop too high and close to boat or prop edges are beat up).
Another thing you can try is to go to a prop with higher pitch to try to get more grip
Great vid man..
I appreciate the view. Thanks!
For a Honda 5 HP , does the pin matter at all or ? Noticed this aftermarket Trim bolt = bolted on there and is not as easy as press in , and change pin location.
I’m not sure, Honda should have the same thrust rod as all others (spring with a retaining clip on the other end) unless it’s used and someone lost it and put a bolt in there