A lot of folks do it. Sometimes they blow up. Sometimes they dont....

 

No real world experience but I would just cruise at 4500 rpm and 35mph and enjoy the breeze. But I've also learned the older I get the less desire I have for bugs in teeth speed.

 

Chasing that last mph you have in your mind will be very expensive....and in the end likely disappointing. At this point you are looking at $1500-$2000 per mph. You will never justify the expense with fuel burn.

I would go and enjoy. I think that is a great matching.

 

So here's the deal - my fishing partners and I just purchased a 2014 Shallow Sport X3 that is rigged with a 2014 Yamaha 250SHO. So, yes, it is underpowered for a boat as big as the X3, but it runs perfectly, has solid hole shot and overall we're happy with it. The rub - we are constantly running it at 49-5200 rpms and turning about 38-41 mph, depending on conditions, and around 43-4600 rpms to run 32-36mph. It will run all the way up to 56-5700 as currently propped, but max speed is around 43-44 mph. Now, I know the X3 is not a speed hull, but the fuel burn is terrible trying to operate at these higher RPM levels to maintain a decent speed.

So we ran across the Nizpro retune kit, which reprograms the ECU to run higher RPMs and changes the HP band up to 330HP - supposed to improve low end torque, mid-range power and overall fuel economy, which is really what we are after.

We are out of warranty, and we can spend $1500 to retune the SHO to 330HP, or look at $30k plus to repower to a 350hp engine, likely a Suzuki trp. The $1500 doesn't bother us - its the worry of possibly damaging the 250SHO, and losing all that trade or resale value to offset the new engine cost.

So does anyone have any real world experience with retuning the SHOs.with the Nizpro Marine tuning program?

Tuning up a SHO on that hull is a game of diminishing returns. Better off biting the bullet on the 350 Zuke if you want better performance. The 350 weight really helps the X3 in draft and speed because that’s a nose heavy hull. You’re only going to get about 8 mph but it’ll sit flat (draft a touch less), it’ll jump faster and shallower, and probably have a better fuel burn. 250 anything on that X3 is a waste of fuel and money. 350 Zuke or 400 Verado would be my only 2 choices.

 

the tune is legit and can really open up the 200-250 sho motors. that hull is a waste of money to do it on.

 

Definitely. It needs the torque but it also needs more weight on the transom. The only time those hulls see 55 and above is on a trailer.

 

One of the guys in our crew has a X3 with 300 Merc. Tops out at 42 with him alone no gear. Few guys and gear and he's 38 wot. Not sure what his rpm's are but he goes through gas fast. Your numbers don't sound bad for a 250 on that boat. If you get up fine and hit those speeds I wouldn't change it.

 

Running a Foreman prop maybe? His shallow water props are not fast but the boat will get up on dry ground if it’s muggy/foggy….

Either way, the X3 is a slow heavy hull. Shallowsport is not in the speed game.

 

You could also check out HydroTec 's tuning. It is much cheaper. But I agree with the others. The tuning will be of minimal benefit on that hull.

 

Sell the Sho, buy the Verado !!!

 

Just to be clear, not chasing more speed - just wondering if the $1500 upgrade will put the RPMs to MPH in better alignment for fuel economy.

looking for better mid range and fuel economy-recognize this isn’t a speed hull and don’t care to go fast

 

Just to be clear, not chasing more speed - just wondering if the $1500 upgrade will put the RPMs to MPH in better alignment for fuel economy.

looking for better mid range and fuel economy-recognize this isn’t a speed hull and don’t care to go fast

No. The tune isn’t going to improve fuel mileage. On that hull, it would probably use more fuel per mph. Efficient hulls benefit from tunes for speed. Fiberglass tug boats do not.

 

Or you can spend 14 grand and slap a Nizpro supercharger on that 250

 

Or you can spend 14 grand and slap a Nizpro supercharger on that 250

that is bad *** and cheaper than repowering with a suzi

 

That is awesome-20mph difference on same hull

 

Hydro Tec Marine in MO will flash for $600 I believe, and he is way ahead of Nizpro...Call Wayne and talk to him.

 

I call BS without a view of the GPS. Guys with 400s aren’t even seeing 55.

 

I found the video from Nizpro and it would be nice to see the GPS speeds but that Eaton supercharger setup they are using is pushing mid 70mph bassboats close to triple digits there are also a few lake&bay boats running this set up running in the mid 90s . Alot of videos of boats using this setup on YouTube with GPS running low 100s and mid 90s on alot of other types of boats , key thing is weight .

 

But when the engine blows, (they all will eventually stock or modified), who do you go to repair it? I wouldn't think a Yamaha dealer would want to touch it. Seems pretty risky to me.

 

If you have $14k to burn for 18 more mph, I don’t think it really matters. At that point someone with that bank roll will buy a new outboard

 

250 SHO ($23k rigged) plus $14k? I’d just put a 450R on it and be done. Also have a warranty. Either way, it’s a waste of time or money on that boat to put anything over the 350 Zuke or even the 300trp on that hull.

 

Ran a 25x3 this whole weekend with a 300 g2 on it. I got 52 out of it loaded down and ran everywhere at 36 mph cruise. My 27 latitude (27x3) has a 32mph cruise at the same rpm as the 25x3. You will see about a 7 mph increase with the 350 Suzuki over the 250sho and some fuel economy. I run a 25 hayine with the nispro tube to 325sho. It helped a lot on that hull we went up two pitches and got a bunch better cruise at 5000rpm.

 

Obviously you don't know very much about the cost of a Merc 450r or the wait time to get one . 65k for a 450R plus rigging .

 

Who in the world did you price it through? That’s $25k higher than MSRP. The wait, yeah, I know they are about 12-18 months out. That price is utterly ridiculous though. When I priced one a few months ago it was $37k rigged, which is still a lot of money but not $65k.

 

Mercury Racing has them priced at 54k thru 64k depending on options , I can assure you your not buying a 450R from any one in the nation for 37k rigged Mercury Racing is proud to tell you that they are marked up 50% over the cost of a 400R. PRO Team mercury sales can't even get a 450r any where close to that price, 37k will get the average boater into a 400r and I can assure you there is a HUGE jump in price between the two engines .

 

I agree. I have been on the Mercury pro team for a while. This last year I let it laps after the wait for motors went high. 450r is a 50k plus motor. People need to remember that a x3 isn’t a fast hull it’s a chop eating people mover.

 

Reading comprehension is a lost art. He never asked for more speed, he simply asked about cruising speed and fuel efficiency.

For the cost I'd say go for it. It's a much older motor, worst case is you have to repower, which is the other option anyways. Be sure to post up your results so the information will be out there.

 

That's true , I posted the video on page on just for grins, the tuning is what the original poster was asking about was the gains and how effective it would for his situation at a price point . The big misconception about tuning using the Nizpro he was asking about is everyone thinks it's gonna just make your boat gain 5 or 6 mph and that not the case unless you are tuning a stock 200 4.2 liter sho , the 200s through the 250s are physically the same hardware and the power is different from the tune maps installed by Yamaha . The Nizpro has two tunes one that changes the factory 6300 rpm Rev limit to 7000 Rpms or the second tune which Maintians the 6300rpm limit . I've personally have had 3 engines with this tuning and top end all I ever saw was a honest 1 or 2 mph difference running the same size prop before the tune on a Yamaha Sho 250 , where I did notice the huge gain was from the 4000 rpm range all the way to around the 5300 rpm , did I Save extra fuel I couldn't really tell you if I did or not but I could notice more in the mid range and it felt more crisp on the top end . Now what alot of racers are doing with that 7000 rpm tune is they are running a smaller prop to put the engine in the mid to upper rpm range where the tourqe curve and the horsepower curve is at its highest point and that is the reason for that option and I would never recommend doing that unless you like living on the edge . The original poster can add this at lower cost than buying a new outboard and will get a little more out of it and may see enough gains to satisfy his needs till he can afford or is ready to repower . That's my experience with the Nizpro tuning option it does make a difference but it's not gonna be like adding a 350 zuke or 350 verado .

 

The math will never work out to spend $1500 on a tune to save fuel. Ever.

If you just want it and need to feel the roar then you don't need any excuse. But justifying the cost as a fuel saving measure is something we try to tell our wives. They nod in acceptance but they know we are stupid too.

 

You are chasing bigfoot, the hull itself is the speed restriction. Thinking you are going to slap a 330 tune or the 450 supercharger set up on it and gain crazy numbers like bass boats that are a high performance v hull or one of the air entrapment cat hulls like Eric Eimmons boats, your completely mistaken. The hull was engineered to hold the weight of that large of a hull up flat to get as shallow as it can. It wasn't designed with lifting and leveling strakes to give natural hull and bow lift and produce top end speed . Giving it more horse power so it can turn a larger prop and run at a lower rpm to save fuel is also grasping at really thin air. You are also limited on the prop pitch that it takes to pop that heavy of a boat out of the hull and up on top of the water with out wanting to grab and dig down to lift the bow up so it can push the bow over. Take a Simmons rev 23 for example. he can put a 23 5 blade and the boat will about jump on top of the water but runs 80 ish. Or he can slap a larger pitch top speed prop on it run upper 80s plus and the hull shot will drag and this is on a light hull engineered to run on top end. Now think about a hull that was engineered to take a barge and let it get up and run in sub 10 inches. As Sgrem said the math isnt there, if you managed to save a tiny amount on fuel you will never see it after paying for a tune, supercharger or a new larger engine all together.

 

If the O.P truly wants an answer as to what's going to happen, they might as well get the tune and play with props to see if it will make a difference, I have zero prior experience with nizpro

 

Remember, the manufacturer tunes are not always the most efficient. It may be tuned the way it is for emissions, or power. The same engine can be set for different HP such as the Suzuki DF 150/175. Not sure about the Yamaha engines, but many different horsepower engines are the same block. Just like everything else we do we all like a little customization. I don't see what it would hurt to try.

 

Thanks for all the insight everyone So I've talked to 3-4 different people that have done the tune (on cat hulls), and all seemed to be of the same opinion - the tune helps in mid-range power and torque, and does provide a little more top end speed (and yes, I realize I own a floating "fiberglass barge" not built for speed, yada, yada, yada-LOL!-but it fits what me and my fishing partners need in a boat). Most have been running over 3 years with no adverse impacts. Also talked to a 2 local installers of the tune, and found out the price is actually around $750 (nizpro's site is a do it yourself kit, with all the cables, etc so dont need all that using an installer).

We've logged about 30 hrs on this boat the last month, so have a pretty good log of data and performance across rpm levels and conditions, so think we are going to give it a try and see what we get with the tune-might just be throwing away $750, but if it works, super cheap investment in this bathtub-LOL!. Will run it with the existing prop to get an apples to apples comparison, and likely will have to change pitch.