Speeds?

SPEEDS?

I'm going to say about 18mph. She is a very heavy boat and will not come up on plane with the gearing ratio I have on the drive currently. But she will pull us up river at a perfect trolling speed while the motor is set on idle. I'm guessing that if I changed the gear ratio and got more spin out of the prop she would probably come up on plane and move out. The motor is rated for about 60hp in stock configuration and I'm running a 12" prop.

......You've got a car motor strapped onto a stuface drive frame and your only getting 18??

That's right.... take into consideration that the boat weighs about 800lbs bone stock. I've added at least another 1000 - 1100lbs with extended decking, trolling motor, generator, fish bucket, lights, 6 batteries, and motor. Then add 4-5 guys on any given night that we fish plus anywhere from 150 - 650lbs of fish. I don't think that is too bad. What should I expect? Like I said earlier, I didn't build her for speed. We run in anywhere from 3ft of water to where we have to get out and push her off of rocks (that's less than 10"). If I wanted more speed, I could change the gear ratio in the drive unit and up the prop speed.