Could your boat use a little more get up and go? Why even bother having a boat if isn’t giving you the top speeds you want?
Lucky for you, there are several solutions to boost your boat speed. Plus, they’re relatively simple and won’t break the bank. To get you started, we’ll take a look at five of them here.
1. Reduce Weight
You’re probably already aware that the lighter your boat, the more quickly it will accelerate. This is basic boating for beginners. When the hull is able to ride higher out of the water, it reduces drag. So this begs the question, are you aware of how much extra weight you’re lugging around on your boat?
It’s time to take inventory. Consider everything you have in the storage compartments and keep only the items that are essential, such as lightweight marine lithium batteries. Eliminate any extra towels, fishing rods, that spare cooler, etc. you have on deck. Place any heavy items that you must keep on board in an aft storage compartment.
2. Use a Boat Jack Plate
Much like the hull, the lower the outboard motor is in the water, the more drag you have. A jack plate is a handy item that raises your outboard motor’s lower unit so that less of it is in the water. This, in turn, increases your boat’s efficiency.
A high-quality jack plate is built with corrosion-resistant aluminum and can improve your speed up to 10 mph. So if you want a long-lasting jack plate, stick with quality.
3. Bolt a Supercharger to the Engine
Did you know that packing more air and fuel into your cylinders can really drive the power on your boat? This is the idea behind a supercharger.
A supercharger is driven off the engine’s crankshaft with a pulley. Before the fuel and air mixture enters the cylinders, the supercharger compresses it. Then the pistons compress it further resulting in a contained explosion of power.
It’s important to note, however, that reliability may be compromised and you may void the warranty. But you’ll gain a lot of speed.
4. Change Propeller
When trying to figure out how to make your boat faster, consider swapping out your current propeller with one constructed of basic stainless steel. You’ll have less drag with a stainless steel prop because the blades are typically thinner. They also don’t flex under load so you can rely on steady performance.
Just be sure to get a propeller that matches the requirements of your boat’s power, weight, and hull type. Look for a dealer who will allow you to try one out before you purchase it.
5. Incorporate Blueprinting
If you’ve had your trusty boat for quite some time, there’s a good chance that the hull is now warped or has developed a hook or rocker. If that’s the case, these imperfections are limiting your top speed.
You can return your boat’s hull to the manufacturer’s original shape with the process of blueprinting. And once your hull has a smooth new finish, you’ll add 5-10 mph to your top speed.
Kick up Your Boat Speed
You now have five easy ways to increase your boat speed. So get out onto the wide-open water and let her rip! All your friends will be begging to get into the water with you every chance they get.
And for more great informational articles that will expand your knowledge on a variety of topics, keep checking back with our blog!
