OK I have a 23hp LTGD and it is a fight to keep the prop down. I have had a couple other GD before and never had this problem. I was wondering if yall had some tips to fix this problem. Now the prop is wore out and I have one that is supposed to be here today but I don't know if that could have any effect on this. I tried to bend the back of the cavitation plate up like a wing and that had no effect I even bent in down just for good measure and that did nothing.
So what needs to be done any help would be appreciated.

You have to bend it up. I used a freinds and it was bent up alot but it did not come out of the water for me. His was bent all the way across the plate.

Yes I did have it bent up. And it did not make any difference.
But I was also told that the new prop would help keep it down. And the old prop is about an inch short. I put a new prop on last night and will be taking it out in the next couple days to see if that will help.

Is your boat a short (15") or tall (20") transom? When I had my LT on a 20" transom, I had to add and extra tab to the cavation plate to keep the prop in the water.

My 23 GD longtail on a 15 inch transom boat tracks deeper with the 9x6 prop than it does with the 9x7.....

Mike - is guessing that your boat is a 20 inch transom --- I am guessing so too....

Some guys cut down the cavitation plate dramatically - removing over half of the material - because they like to run prop in the surfacing mode....

The angle of the cavitation plate is different on the 15 and 20 versions - it can be converted too....

Also check the bottom limit bolt - someone might have put a longer one in there - that can lead to serious problems like a broken shaft or u-joints.... At rest on the trailer the prop should go 12 inches below the bottom of your boat and almost touch the ground....

I have a 20 GDLT shorter shaft "crawfish" model. When I got it some one added a wing to the cavitation plate. It also helps this if you move the weight that is in the boat around.

The boat is a 16' X 44" Go-Devil Boat. So the boat set up should be right.

I was thinking about putting a wing on top of the cavitation plate. But first I want to see if the new prop helps things, someone I talked with said that it should help alot. we will see.

And on another note taking that old prop off was a SOB!!!!! But I got it.

I have a 16X44 GD boat with a 23hp LTGD and was having the same problem keeping the prop in the water. I was having to keep constant pressure on the handle which was pretty tiring.

I bought the boat used and when I first got it the back edge of the cavitation plate was bent up at almost a 90 deg angle. I got a new prop and it did not help the problem. I bent the back edge of the cavitation plate down to around 10 deg. thinking it might have been adjusted up to far. Bending the plate down did not help but it did not really make the problem any worst.

I finally bent the leading edge of the cavitation plate down about 5 deg. and this seems to have corrected the problem. The crease on the leading edged on each side of the cavitation plate were the last 2 " or so are bent down is where I think the problem was, however I bent the whole leading edge down. The last time I went out I could run at WOT with very pressure on the handle.

Well well well...If it ain't Long tail Larry....Long time no type...You been sniff-in some teal butts????? Good to see ya here.Mudgrappler has been lost without ya.

Well I tried out the boat with the new prop and no it did not help the problem. So I bent the front edge down some and did seem to help still a little hard to hold down, I could probally bend it a little more. But you know I can't stop thinking that there is somthing else to do than bending crap. I don't know just what I'm feeling. I did send Go-Devil an email I have not heard from them yet.......... Scracth that last statement Warren Coco just called me. He told me to bend the front down and the back up 15 to 20 degrees. If I still don't have enough to bend up in the back add a 2 inch extention on the back to bend up. He said the cavatation is due to the extra cup on the new props
Now thats customer service.

I think what you are feeling is that a longtail boat and motor setup is not really made to go 30mph. My boat runs with the least (no) effort at about 3/4 WOT, the difference is around 1 to 2 mph. If you want to go fast with no effort then you need a surface drive.

At least that was true for me.

Who's, going 30mph with a 23 lt.

No body goes 30mph with a 23hp LT. I guess I was trying to say that my boat has a sweet spot for most conditions were it does not take much effort to operate and which is less than WOT, when I push it faster it takes more effort operate. When you get in the mode of having to fight a longtail it will wear you out fast. Surface drives seem to do better at WOT speeds.

Back to the topic. I bolted a piece of metal to the back of the cavatation plate bent it up at about 20 degrees and at WOT runs with little to no effort. Just like it should. Thanks for all of your input.

Ch No disrespect taken. They were really just giving me a ribbing. You will usally fine a little joking mixed in with most topics. I took my boat out this weekend also (bent the front leading edge down a little more and the back up to around 20deg.) and it also ran good at WOT with no problem. Don't go out of your way but post a picture of the plate you put on if possible.

And thanks for the posts I am still learning about my motor and it helps to see other problems and solutions.

well thanks to this forum maybe i can finally fix the same problem i've been haveing with my gd...i was trying the same crap bending that plate every angle i could and nothing ever worked the only good thing i got out of it was my right hook got strong from fighting to keep the prop in the water lol...it looks like you used galvanized metal for the fin...hows that holding up?

"RIGHT HOOK"

on a left hand drive - longtail - OK - I gotta ask what you were doin with the right hand while you was drivin ????

The Universal Grab Bar ????

It's universal cause we all have one ???

sorry guys i meant my left...i've been overseas too long and i'm slowly losing my mind...but the good news is i come home this weekend with enough money in my pocket to get that gt i've been wanting

Just gig ya a bit - glad ya made it back to Texas...

Everywhere - cept LA - just made me wish I was back in Texas...

no it's fine...i seen where you were on that wallisville ride...i'm good friends with justin and his brother landon....between them two i'm use to it lol