Proper engine mounting is important as well. A motor mounted a little lower will have better planning, but causes more drag and slower top end speeds. A motor mounted higher on the boat has better top end speed but poor hole shot. You can get this corrected easier by a jack plate, which allows the engine to be raised or lowered in small increments without removing the motor. Or you can have the best of both worlds with a hydraulic jack plate that can be raised and lowered with a control while the boat is underway.

If your boat has power tilt and trim, which is more important than a jack plate, you can lower the motor and angle of the motor for quick take off, and trim it up after planning for boat lift and much higher top end speeds. After your boat has planed off, the more of the boat and engine you can get out of the water, the less drag and more speed/efficiency.

A hydrofoil can be a good fix for smaller motors. They are excellent for planning the boat of quickly, and sometimes can improve top end performance. They don’t seem to be as ideal for larger horsepowered boats.

The last thing to look at today, and is the easiest to control, (well maybe not, my friends who race may disagree), is the throttle. Engines have a recommended r.p.m. to run for best efficiency. Generally its best to get your boat on plane quickly as possible, then trim the motor up, if equipped, for bow lift and back off the throttle.

If you correctly power your boat, including engine size, correct prop, mounting and operation, not only will your operating cost go down, it should greatly increase the life of your engine.