Advice please! Buying a 18 xtr legend -115 standard or 115 pro xs command thrust

Bruce Patry wrote:

I’m probably overthinking this decision but I just don’t have anything to compare it to.

fwiw I’ll try to give you a comparison. I own a 2013 Alumacraft 175 Dominator with 115 Yamaha. Looked up the xtr and very similar in specs.

As primarily a fishing boat it works great. As an all around boat to also do sunset booze cruises, works great. Pulling kids on tubes, all good(would need to add a ladder). Teaching kids how to ski with multiple adults in the boat, still good. Wakeboard, same story. Adult on two skis might be just fine, haven’t tried yet.

20 years ago most of our time was spent on slalom. Dad, myself, aunt, uncle, cousins, friends all slalomed while other friends wanted to learn. Now, it’s only me and just a couple times each summer behind the other boat in the family.

I don’t know your financial situation or how long you’ll keep the boat. You may be just fine saving the cash and not getting the 150. If your family and friends are anything like we used to be then the 150 would be mandatory.

Got curious and looked up the XS CT. If you’re thinking about watersports and don’t need/want/can’t do the 150 this is a really good choice for $1000 upcharge. If you were fishing or cruising only then maybe not.

patk wrote:

Now, it’s only me and just a couple times each summer behind the other boat in the family.

The “other boat”? Me thinks the lowly other boat might feel a bit slighted if she were to hear you refer to her in such a manner.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to research and give me your thoughts. Seems like your boat and this one are very similar. When you say 20 years ago was it the same engine in that machine?

Boats have come and gone in that 20 years. Mostly various 20′ runabouts with 200hp or more. Aunt and uncle ran a jetski. The Alumacraft is newer. Dad’s pet peeve that I inherited was an under powered boat for skiing. We grew up skiing and now appear to be growing out of it with age and no youngsters to replace us.

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

The “other boat”? Me thinks the lowly other boat might feel a bit slighted if she were to hear you refer to her in such a manner.

Hey for for most of the last 10 years it was a 2002 Chaparral that worked really well. and yes you probably figured out I didn’t say what our current “other” boat is for fear of derailing the thread as many on this board hate them. I’ll try not to slight it on the future

patk wrote:

I’ll try not to slight it on the future.

It’d look great behind my Sequoia.

So – the big question is – this was a year ago. Did you go with the 115HP or 150HP – I am in same position for 2022 Legend – looking at x18 – and the cost of 150hp just jumps it to the point I was not hoping to get too. How did it go with your boat? Any details would be great

All these responses and all but a couple even addressed the actual question.

The biggest difference between the standard 4 stroke and the ProXS is the max RPM rating. You can push it another 300 rpm or so. That means you will be able to prop down with the ProXs which will help with low end torque and hole shot (exactly what you want when skiing). I have the 115 ProXs on an 18ft aluminum boat and installed a 4 blade Stainless Spitfire. It shoots you out of the hole whether I have 1 or 5 people in the boat. Pretty sure I’m not pushing it to the limit at max speed though but I’m still getting 40-43mph. I have 17 pitch and its maxing out at about 5800, I could easily go down another size and I bet it would really snap out, but I might lose a few mph. I know they say to max out the hp rating, but I really don’t think you will be disappointed with the 115 ProXs on that boat.

Thanks – that is awesome. Hoping to hear back from original requester to see his feelings after he got the board with 115hp – since it is very similar to myself. But this info helps as well. Just curious as to what is cost for this type of prop?

Not sure what your price situation looks like but for me ProXS was a $200 upgrade over a regular 4 stroke. Absolute no brainer in my opinion. I don’t have tyhe CT gear case, I would probably have sprung for that if I had the option to have it without waiting when I bought my boat.

2018 Impact XS 1775 clocks in at 17 ft 11 inches, so it’s an inch shy of an 18 foot boat. The 115 Pro XS pushes me and 2 other adults with a cooler and gear at 42 – 44 mph depending on prop, so I’ve certainly never felt underpowered.

The Spitfire prop is not cheap. $5-600