TOPIC: Bear Cat and G3

Finly got my buddys G3 with the Bear Cat I put on it for him last year out on the water. After fixing a wire the was wrong she fired right up and purred. So took her for a run she got up on plane a little slow. I have the 13 picth prop on it that Bill recamaended and could only get up to 27.5 mph GPS. Don't know rpms no tach. Got half way up the lake and turned it off and would not start think we have a bad solanide so have to tow her back. Here is a pix of what Mac thought of being towed back.
Mike aka pathfinderz1

put a tach on it after you get her running then tell us the rpm at wot underway.

That's about the best mph I've had so far on any of mine, 16ft aluminum Sylvan and I'm running a 12 pitch prop at 5300 rpm WOT. Carry a small recoil size rope in the boat for rope starting and remember to crank it CCW. You'll be surprised how easily they will rope start, don't ask me how I know

Mike,

The speed you are getting sounds about right for a 4 cycle "55"
You can try an 11 or 12 , but the speed will likely come out near the same. My finding is that the "55" just isn't a fast motor in a boat. They go like hell in little cars with multi speed transmissions. A boat is a tough thing to get speed from. The old 2 cycles produced tons of torque at low RPM, and they had no problem screaming along at full throttle all day long. The little 4 stroke just has a real tough time developing torque at low RPM, therfore, too tall a prop makes them very slugish out of the hole, or they won't plane out the boat at all. Propped correctly, they will have decent torque, but top speed will be about 30 MPH or less. Don Tiriney gets about 27 - 28 mph from his Bearcat on his Larson Thunderhawk Jr. which may be lighter than a G3.

The Homelite / Bearcat motors were great little engines, but the vintage bearcat advertisements that compared the power of the "55" to the power of a 75 HP 2 cycle were a complete joke. I personally feel that the "55" is a very poor choice for the G3. The G3 should have a 2 cycle "go fast" engine. The "55" is about the best motor ever made for a patio boat, or a fishing boat. They hardly use any gas, and they don't make clouds of blue smoke.

Mike,
You need a tach in order to size the prop correctly.
If you are running below 5000' of altitude the stock jets are the right ones. However, you might have the high altitude jets in the carbs I've had that happen a few times when "lack of power at high speed" is the complaint.


Bruce is right that for high speed work a two stroke with better power to weight ratio is often the choice.
But as far as speed goes, some examples from the field include:
Don Tierney called me yesterday and said you and him gps'ed his Larson at 32mph with both of you in it.
I have a few customers with 14' boats getting speeds to 36mph.
On my POwer Cat 18C with twin Bearcat 55 outboards, 13" 3 blade aluminum stock props, I got 34mph with 3 people on gps at 5500rpm.
However, I liked her best at 22-23mph at reduced rpm where the engines were quiet. Best runabout I've ever had, that Power Cat. Best description I can give is driving a couch across the lake!
Don's Skagit 17 cuddy cruiser gets 26mph wot, and cruises at 21 on gps, running a single 55 and that's a hell of a lot heavier load than the G3.

Put a tach on that G3 and call me direct from the lake, I have about 100 propellers in stock if you need another one.

As I stated this boat was to be run on a lake were 2 stroks are band. And the bear cat was the best choic for the price. Not going to put out $10,000 for a motor. Bill you were the one that rececmended the 13 picth for this setup. I have the 10 picth that came with the motor.I was not expecting 40 or 50mph but figued at least 30 or a little better. Well it don't much matter I won't be able to do anything on the G3 till spring. Because of my losing a leg well half a leg.
Mike aka pathfinderz1