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Any BT Elite Owners with a Suzuki 90 Out There?

3K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  TwitchAO 
#1 ·
I am currently building a BT elite. I was wonder if anyone had any feedback on prop diameter and pitch and any other build suggestions. I'm currently getting a stock PTR 19 pitch powertech. Also I'm debating on the rear ninja platform if anyone has any feedback on that (can you open the rear hatch when the motor is trimmed up?).
 
#2 ·
I had a BT Elite for over a year with a Yamaha 70 (4 stroke) and I would not recommend you going with the bigger motor. This skiff is very weight sensitive and hard to fish with 3 people as I took a few waves over the bow which has never happened to me on my 18-HPX. In my own words, the skiff has a big top cap/section with a smaller foot print/hull in the water. That being said it was a great poling skiff with honest 7" draw and I loved the set-up of the boat from the center console/cooler seat with grab bar and the huge poling platform with step up for us older guys! The skiff jumped right up on plane with the Yamaha 70 and was very economical with top speed around 38-42 (educated guess).
 
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#3 · (Edited)
I appreciate the input but I'm pretty set on the motor choice. I have ran and poled a strike with a 90 and it was pretty good. Not that much draft or stability difference from one with a 60 etec which weighs close to the F70. This is why I'm building an Elite instead of another Mosquito. The HPX 18 is a different animal than the Elite. V hull all the way to the transom and more freeboard at the bow. It's a much bigger boat. I am coming from a mosquito so not worried about the weight sensitivity. I am a fly guy so usually only fishing one with one guy poling. I am not a fan of the F70 because of the lower unit gear. Can't turn big 3 blade props that well. I have had a few conversations with Jack Foreman(Crossroads Propeller) about that. Also want to stick with Suzuki for the warranty(6 years) and they do not make a good 70. I Just want some base data on the PTR 3 blade to see if I went to a bigger diameter if I would need to go down in pitch. or should I even mess with it if it does what I want. (Take off about half way up on the jack plate without caveating, and does it blow out when trimmed super hard high on the jack plate for crossing shallow bars.
 
#5 ·
If you put that big heavy engine on the elite it will certainly squat and draft will suffer. Way to heavy to float level.
 
#6 ·
Unless all you want to do is go fast and require a minimum of 10” to float that 600# hull, don’t even think about it. Its a poling skiff.
 
#8 · (Edited)
This is a pic of Will Benson’s Elite which he has had for the last 6 years. No weight up front not even a trolling motor or a battery and it’s not squatting that bad and that 90 etec is only 10lbs difference than a Zuke 90. This boat was designed to run a 90 for guides who would be carrying a heavier load. You did not ask how I was going to be running this boat so how do you even know the 70 would fit what I’m doing like chasing striper on a lake during the winter covering large bodies of water with a limited time window or making really long runs in NOLA and the Everglades and would like to run in the mid 30s in the lower rpm range. And no you do not need a 6” boat in there. I know from owners (one with a 90 SHO and one with a Zuke 90) that it’s a 8-9” drafting boat and I’m cool with that. If I wanted shallower I would have stayed with the mosquito. And for anyone else, I don’t care about your thoughts on my motor choice. If I did I would have given this thread a different title.
 

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#9 ·
This is a pic of Will Benson’s Elite which he has had for the last 6 years. No weight up front not even a trolling motor or a battery and it’s not squatting that bad and that 90 etec is only 10lbs difference than a Zuke 90. This boat was designed to run a 90 for guides who would be carrying a heavier load. You did not ask how I was going to be running this boat so how do you even know the 70 would fit what I’m doing like chasing stripper on a lake during the winter covering large bodies of water with a limited time window or making really long runs in NOLA and the Everglades and would like to run in the mid 30s in the lower rpm range. And no you do not need a 6” boat in there. I know from owners (one with a 90 SHO and one with a Zuke 90) that it’s a 8-9” drafting boat and I’m cool with that. If I wanted shallower I would have stayed with the mosquito. And for anyone else, I don’t care about your thoughts on my motor choice. If I did I would have given this thread a different title.
I have a Strike with a Zuke 90 and as you know similar in dimensions with the Elite. Will recommended the Powertech 4 blade 18 pitch SS prop and I went with it. Power and torque is impressive. You never know how many people and equipment you'll have on board on any given day and the max hp with the 90 will never let you down.
I don't know about the ninja platform and hatch opening but Will or Liz can give you that information or connect you with an owner for their opinion.
 
#10 ·
I have a Strike with a Zuke 90 and as you know similar in dimensions with the Elite. Will recommended the Powertech 4 blade 18 pitch SS prop and I went with it. Power and torque is impressive. You never know how many people and equipment you'll have on board on any given day and the max hp with the 90 will never let you down.
I don't know about the ninja platform and hatch opening but Will or Liz can give you that information or connect you with an owner for their opinion.
Thank you. I have not wanted to bother Liz right now cause she has been slammed. I have recently reached out to a few owners. I like 3 blade props and as we all know there is more than one way to prop a boat. I’m going to get a second prop no matter what for a spare and wanted to see if upping the diameter with light cupping would work on this hull. I did that to my mosquito and it was awesome but that was a sponson boat. I wish someone had gone to jack with this hull so there was some more information but I think jack has slowed down making props but imo he makes the best shallow water props around.
 
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