Specifications

quarters maneuvers.
While the effects of unequal propeller thrust (torque
steering), wind, and current may not always be present, a
practiced driver will use them to his advantage.
Unequal thrust is a phenomenon shared by all single-
engine, propeller-drive boats. A counterclockwise
rotation propeller tends to cause the boat to drive to
port when going forward, and to starboard when going
backward, with the rudder in the straight-ahead position.
At high speed, there is compensation for this effect
and it is virtually non-existent. But, at slow speed–and
especially during backing–the effect can be very
pronounced. This is the main reason most experi-
enced drivers approach with the dock to the star-
board of the boat.
Stopping–or checking headway–is a technique that
must be mastered. With no brakes, reverse must be used
to stop the boat. The momentum of the boat will vary
according to the load. Make it a practice to slow to no-wake
speed before shifting into reverse.
When practicing maneuvering techniques, always do so
in open water that is free of traffic. Adequate practice may
make the difference between a pleasureable experience or
a damaging–at the least, embarrassing–one.
HIGH SPEED OPERATION
Your MasterCraft boat was designed to be a high-
performance ski boat. You may have seen professional
drivers with advanced operating skills perform high-speed
maneuvers and on-a-dime turns. DO NOT attempt to
duplicate or simulate these feats. Paid, professional
drivers log thousands of hours on the water and carefully
choreograph every move. Plans are made in advance in
the event the routine must be aborted. Maneuvers of
this nature could cause serious injury or death, as well as
damage to your MasterCraft
that will not be covered
under warranty.
For the best engine
performance and longevity,
the wide-open-throttle (WOT)
engine operation must be
near the top of, but within, the
specified WOT operating
range. To adjust the WOT
operating range, you must
select a propeller with the
proper diameter and pitch.
The propeller supplied with
your boat was chosen for best
all-around performance under
average operating conditions.
Load, weather, altitude and
boat condition all affect WOT
engine operation. If you use
your boat for several different
applications such as
wakeboarding, barefooting
and cruising, it may be necessary to have two or more
propellers of different size and pitch to allow the engine to
operate in the WOT range for each application.
Propping the boat should be done after the engine
break-in and the initial 10-hour dealer check. The boat
should be loaded the way it would normally be for each
application. For example, if you are propping the boat for
wakeboarding, fill the ballast tanks and add the people and
gear you would normally expect to carry in the boat. Take
the boat out and after warm-up, run it at wide-open-throttle
and note the maximum RPM. EFI engines are equipped with
RPM limiters to prevent over-revving. Take note if the RPM
limiter is activated.
If the WOT RPM is higher than the maximum RPM in your
engine’s WOT operating range, the boat is under-propped.
The engine operating ranges for engines in MasterCraft
boats are:
RPT-1 engine:
4600-5000 RPM
MCX engine:
4800-5200 RPM
LQ9 Cadillac engine:
5200-5600 RPM
8.1 Liter engine:
5000-5400 RPM
Installing a higher-pitched propeller will reduce the WOT
RPMs. An engine that is over-revving may quickly experi-
ence catastrophic damage.
If the WOT RPM is lower than the minimum RPM in
your engine’s WOT operating range, the boat is over-
propped. Installing a lower-pitched propeller will increase
WOT ROMs.
An engine that is under-revving is “lugging.” This
places a trememdous load on the pistons, crankshaft
2006 MasterCraft Owners Manual–Page 10-2