War Eagle 542 Setup

[Elcid_Fowler]

I need some input from you guys that know what you are doing with these boats and the setup. I picked up a project WE 542 with a low transom. Boat is open floor, gun box, bench in back with gas and battery in back (for now), normal low deck up front. I'm a traditionalist and old school so while I admire the fancy new boats I love a simple jon that I can use with the kids and in the creeks at Pawleys. However, this was a smoking deal and gave me an open floor as I seem to be taking the little ones duck hunting more than fishing from the jon boat. It also came with a CMS Breakway on it...

I was curious and mounted a brand new 2018 F25 on it as high as possible and ran it. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a solid 3.5 mph fast than my same size Duracraft with the same amount of gear inside, factory prop, etc. So now I've got the itch to figure out the best setup for these things. The ass end sits low. It runs great once up on plane but this is a kid friendly machine. My 8 yo will be shuttling me around in it soon. I don't need it swamping on him. What are my best options from those of you that know this setup well. I really don't want a gas tank or battery sitting openly out in the floor. Kind of defeats the purpose of going to this layout vs. the old Duracraft.

Do I have options other than the obvious which would either be 1) remove the breakaway and forgo the benefits, if they are truly benefits vs the cons. or 2) give up space in the gun box for the battery to be mounted in the front and/ modify the deck to hold either a custom/or flat slim gas tank? Can some of you guys that know this boat and setup give me some ideas to consider while I'm still motivated to tinker with it before just painting it and calling it my old jon boat?

Also - Should I venture into a different prop to see what I can get out of her?

[justpracticin]

add pods

[mdb2]

Surprised it sits that low. My setup is exactly like yours with a 2 stroke 25 and no breakaway and I couldn’t make water come over the transom if I tried. It will run a solid 30 with a full tank and me and a kid. That 4 stroke must be some kind of heavy. I think phone man said a while back that the war eagle 1542 was made for a 25. He was right. It’s the perfect boat for my part of the edisto River.

[Buckin Bronco]

The cmc is going to make it sit lower with added weight and the offset. I use to keep a bag of concrete in the front of my 542. I had a 40 4 stroke on it too.

[dixiedeerslaya]

if your kid is driving it probably wont swamp at all. unless hes bigger than you.

[Elcid_Fowler]

Haha - I’m with ya Dixie. But when you come of the throttle it takes a bit of finesse to keep water out. I was surprised for it to sit so low as well. My 4 stroke is the new F25 and is only slightly heavier than a 2 stroke.

[Tater]

Short transom.....the Aynor squats of the boat world.

[JBK]

I did the old fire hose trick on mine. It worked well. If I was going to keep the boat I would have a welder add on to the transom and get a long shaft motor. Great boats, but I'll never own a short transom again.

[Goin Coastal]

I had a 542 with tall transom with a Merc 30 2 stroke. Added a CMC Pt 130 for trim. It sat very low in the back. So with yours being a short transom, it probably is border line swamped. Adding pods would definitely help.

[Chessbay]

I spent a couple hours this afternoon researching manual jack plates for mine. The short transom is not an issue for me, I never have a problem with water in the back. My issue is that I feel like the motor is too low. My motor is as high as it will go and then some and it’s still low. Planing with three grown men is a bitch.

I need about two or three more inches of motor height and the jack plate seems to be the best way to achieve it, but then it seems you deal with short transom issues and setback. Not sure what the answer is.

[Woodiewacker82]

Just sell me the hull and go buy
A tall transom.

[Elcid_Fowler]

Short transom.....the Aynor squats of the boat world.

Ah hell Im selling then. No way I’ll be associated with that nonsense.

[Elcid_Fowler]

I wonder if taking the breakaway off will make a difference. I may try that over the next few days...

[Tater]

Ah hell Im selling then. No way I’ll be associated with that nonsense.

Now we’re getting somewhere

[ecu1984]

Surprised it sits that low. My setup is exactly like yours with a 2 stroke 25 and no breakaway and I couldn’t make water come over the transom if I tried. It will run a solid 30 with a full tank and me and a kid. That 4 stroke must be some kind of heavy. I think phone man said a while back that the war eagle 1542 was made for a 25. He was right. It’s the perfect boat for my part of the edisto River.

What he is experiencing is not unusual, 4-strokes are heavier than 2-strokes.
Like others have said, add pods, more weight in front, rearrange batteries or live with it

[Woodiewacker82]

And with the offset it moves the weight behind the transom that causes it to sit lower.

[Elcid_Fowler]

Is anyone running a lawn mower / atv battery to save weight? The CCA's seem to be adequate and everything else is LED in the boat so nothing will draw much. These new F25's all come with a pull start so in the worst case the battery is dead I always have the pull option. If I went this route I'd save approximately 21 lbs in the back.

[bitesize]

Run a odyssey motorcycle battery

[FULLCHOKE]

I run a AGM lawnmower battery as my starting battery to save weight. I have it on a 4 stroke Merc 60 and it cranks up fine. It does save weight and works for me. I also have a larger battery for trolling motor and electrical accessories, AGM only for cranking. I might be worried running just an AGM, I've tested it as my only battery with the electronics hooked to it and it died in less than an hour of running the spotlight and trolling motor. But since you have a pull start as backup you may be alright. Just wouldn't be able to run your trolling motor or electronics for long depending on draw.

I do run just a AGM in the smaller Gheenoe I have. It cranks up the 22hp just fine and it also has enough juice to run a trolling motor on and off for a morning. It works fine for a morning of hunting, but I would not be comfortable going all day with just an AGM on a motor that does not have pull start.

Link for the AGM I run: https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[FBT]

As previously mentioned, the cmc and the (setback) heavy 4 stroke motor are the issues here. They arent a good combo for a 42 wide short transom boat. I dont have experience with pods but im assuming they would add flotation/displacement and would help with your issue. Actually, the new f25's are pretty light for 4 strokes....the cmc adding weight and setting the motor back are your major issues. if it were me, id just remove the cmc and go straight to the transom.