60hp Big Foot Merc questions

[scsavre]

I co own a 22 ft pontoon with a 60hp big foot merc. Both brand new fall of last year. So they are either 2012 or 2011.

I have only used the boat once so I am not real familiar yet.

The other owner used the boat all weekend and said the brand new battery isnt charging. The motor kills after a few minutes after each charge.

So now I am thinking back to the things I noticed the one time I used it a few weeks ago.

A couple of things.

The boat was only going 16pmh at full throttle with 2 people on board.

The RPMS were maxed out at 7000 ish on full throttle. (I think the gauge went to 7000)

The alternator wasnt kicking out a full charge according to the gauge even when going fast.

Any body have experience with this motor? The charging seems easy...a alternator problem....?

Lastly, its docked on White Bear Lake, any way theres some mill foil clogging something.

Thanks.

[harvey lee]

I would check your owners manual but I do not believe that motor should be much over 6000 rpm's at wot. It could void your warranty if you go over the max rpms they want for that motor.

I have no idea what the issue is but unless your boat is very heavy, you should be going a bit faster than 16mph with the rpm's at 7,000.

[BoxMN]

I have new (2012, new this late-spring) 60 Bigfoot on 22' (actually 23' deck) pontoon. My max rpms (merc 4 blade toon prop, 12" pitch) are about 5700 empty, about 5300-5500 tops with people and slight trim. Voltmeter indicates good charging.

I get about 21 mph on GPS (iphone) so you aren't too far off. Toons just don't go fast unless being pushed by a 150+ I did have them mount my motor one hole up from what people usually mount them, to reduce some drag. What the heck get as much performance out of even a toon, I say haha!

My guess is your tach has to be off, unless they put a 9"-10" pitch prop on that! What does it idle at? Mine idles about 600-700 rpms.

Are you sure the batt cables are tight and corrosion free? Do you have water in the battery?

[boatfixer]

Battery not charging? Tach not reading correctly? I'd say the rectifier needs to be tested

[Valv]

Battery not charging? Tach not reading correctly? I'd say the rectifier needs to be tested

x2

PS: rectifier and alternator are the same unit on your motor.

[tlbigstump]

That engine doesn't use the rectifier for a tach signal. I would check the little 25a fuse in the holder, someone probably touched wires when hooking them up this spring.

[alg]

I have new (2012, new this late-spring) 60 Bigfoot on 22' (actually 23' deck) pontoon. My max rpms (merc 4 blade toon prop, 12" pitch) are about 5700 empty, about 5300-5500 tops with people and slight trim. Voltmeter indicates good charging.

I get about 21 mph on GPS (iphone) so you aren't too far off. Toons just don't go fast unless being pushed by a 150+ I did have them mount my motor one hole up from what people usually mount them, to reduce some drag. What the heck get as much performance out of even a toon, I say haha!

My guess is your tach has to be off, unless they put a 9"-10" pitch prop on that! What does it idle at? Mine idles about 600-700 rpms.

Are you sure the batt cables are tight and corrosion free? Do you have water in the battery?

How do you use your iPhone to check boat speed? Or, what app are you using?

[boatfixer]

GPS on his iPhone

[alg]

Which GPS on the iPhone? Maps, Around Me, or some other? How do you get it to show speed?

[scsavre]

OK, Nelson Marine replaced the rectifier today. They said that will solve my charging problems. One other thing I had happen to me yesterday on the way to the ramp was at full throttle it sounded like the prop did a free spin. I reved way up and my speed immediately decreased. It felt just like the prop hub spinning. I asked Nelson about it today and they said I had to bring it back to Forest lake Marine (thats where it was purchased however they have been no help) because it wasnt a warranty issue.

Visually, nelson thought FL put the wrong prop on it, had the Tach programmed wrong and that the hub might be spinning.

So I am picking the boat up from Nelson and going right to Forest Lake - not a lot of fun when you live in Bloomington.

[BoxMN]

Hey ALG, I think I was using the App "GPS Kit" or something like that. Can't recall, don't have phone with me. But the DriveX would also show speed I think, but I know I wasnt' using that one in the boat.

Scott, just checking, but you sure you weren't trimmed too high? BTW - I got my pontoon from Nelson.

[scsavre]

after talking to forest lake motors, they actually went out of business and are called Tracker sports or something and will not honor any coverage or warrantys on past purchases. Great, so now I am having nelson at least get the tach fixed and then I will go from there. Im going to use my GPS to gauge my speed and then they said they can help me with the prop - all at full price of course.

[BoxMN]

Good luck Scott. We have bought boats from Nelsons for years, and they should take care of you. Of course, it might not be exactly as good (at the start) as someone who bought direct from them, but they want you business for the next one, so will treat you right.

Tim is now friend of mine, who I met from buying parts at Nelson years ago, and we bought from Rick the (older) redhead originally when they were on the East Side of St. Paul. Chris (white/gray hair) is nice guy, and Dennis is one of their Merc guys who really knows his stuff - he has helped us for no charge when it was something he knew we could tackle on our own (i.e. alarms and filters, water pumps, etc.) One other mechanics has been very helpful to us too, but I don't his name. I don't know all the folks there, but Tim set my motor up with the right prop, and lifted the motor a hole no problem when I requested it. He also had it ready for me even though it came in on a semi the Friday of Mem. Day weekend, and I was heading north with it ready to sail on Friday at 3 pm. Can't complain about that.

Anyway, hope you are running smooth and fast soon! PS if you can try a spitfire 4 bladed for pontoon, it really has great low end grunt, and incredible reverse, coupled with the bigfoot lower unit. Good luck.

[delcecchi]

If it was a new prop it should have a manufacturers warranty. Could you have had it trimmed up too high and it sucked air? (ventilated)

Someone walked around, hit a wake, etc? A merc prop uses that replaceable plastic hub thingy these days as I recall so you could pull of the prop and look at that to see if the outside is square or not. If it isn't you could buy a new hub kit.

[scsavre]

After Nelson worked on it it now said 19mph and 4500 RPMs. That is way better and just about enough. They thought the right prop would get me to 22mph and 5200 rpms.

[boatfixer]

What pitch prop?