I've had my 2012 1854 SBX tiller for almost a year now and put close to 100 hours on it. With just me and fishing stuff (55# riptide, 2 batteries, couple poles, gas, etc) I'm at 23 mph max on a good day at 3850-3900 rpm. 2 man fishing load drops to 20 and from there just gets worse. 3 man hunt load plus 80# lab and 5 doz or so decoys gets down to about 15, 4 man is 10-12 and barely planing. All speeds in deep water.

I know it's a heavy ass boat, but is that about where I should be? Prop measures right at 12". So it's a little worn but didn't think it was bad. I set the governor to allow it to hit 4350 in neutral which might have gave me ~50 more rpms loaded from when I had it set at 4200 per the manual. Carb seems to be opening all the way. Bottom of the boat doesn't have any hooks that I can really tell. Compression was good last I checked it, around 160 on each cylinder if I remember right. Runs perfect other than slow speeds especially with a load.

Anyone else have a stock Gen II 36 on a 1854 SBX to compare speeds? I'm getting a set of heads from delta asap, hopefully that will help alot. Planning on a new prop before season for sure, as well as a carb and maybe exhaust if I can swing it. Case gasket isn't leaking at all so I'm scared to open it up for a cam yet.

Any ideas or anything else to check? Love the boat, it's just about perfect for a do anything rig, just wondering if my speeds are about right. If I can eventually run mid 20s loaded I'll be happy.

I Have a GenII 36 on a 18x54 CC X-series hull. That does seem kinda slow. What was you speed when you first got it? I was running about 26-27 with a fishing load. I now have a Stage 2 but Prodrives will not yield any speed records. Moving some of your weight around may help some also

It had 74 hours on it when I bought it, so I'm not positive what it ran brand new. Speeds have been pretty consistent since I've had it though. I might have seen 24 one or two times but usually it's 20-23 at most with just me and fishing stuff.

I know a SBX hull is about 125# or so heavier than a X series so I may not be too terribly far off. The main thing I'm concerned with is once I'm loaded down with 3-4 people and crawling along.

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Check the valves, and you should be able to get more rpms out of it than what you are getting. Governor?

Those are heavy ass boats, stock motor gonna have a hard time with it.

He's talking about the valve seals, as in a leak down test, not lash, but I think the stock motor just don't have the nuts to push it.

My xseries runs roughly 3800 Rpms in the water at roughly 26 with two people. Your boat being heavier, I'd say that's about right. Either that or mines having the same problems as yours.


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I bet it's that prop. I'd get a new prop especially if that's 75 hours on the same one. The diameter isn't the only thing that wears. The blades could be not as wide too.

The governor shouldn't make a difference, it's just limiting your top end revs.

I had an experience similar to yours and when I put a new prop on it was a whole new boat.

Have you drained your flotation? I have a 2013 17/54 sbx that was getting 25 at 4000 rpms with 2 people. Called up prodrive and kp said try drainng the flotation. I unplugged it and it drained for about 35 mins straight. Im now sitting at 28.5 at 4100 rpms with the same load.

Well that will certainly help