owner. I sold my fixed keel ericson 29 sloop and found a spotless, loaded with every option 2002 26X with the Honda 50 OB. I just sailed it 45 Miles from Destin FL to Pensacola FL and back and I'm impressed. Question, I don't think the ballast is draining completely. When I power over 8MPH I wait until I see the water has stopped draining from the back, and when it has I go faster. But Twice, I've pulled the boat onto the trailer and still a lot of water came out both times although I thought it was empty. I bring all this up because my first day out on a lake near my house in NC I was surprised at how fast I could get the boat going but then suddenly I hit a shallow object and destroyed the prop. I got a new prop from a guy in Charlotte NC for a great deal, he said it was 11 3/4 X 10 pitch just like the one that was on the outboard already. I installed it and it looked the same but it was a different color, and from michigan wheel props. Now I can only get the boat going around 18MPH at 6k RPM near redline,whereas before I was going faster and the engine seemed more quite. How fast do you guys get your 26X's going? What engine prop configuration? I can't see the numbers on this black prop anywhere so I'm suspicious that either the guy sold me a prop with a different pitch, or should I motor with the trim raised to better drain the ballast tank. Load is just my GF 120lbs and me-175lbs, and a cooler but nothing much really. Everytime I've powered the boat the mast and sails were set up but ofcourse furled and tied up.Here's a clip of my recent trip on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5ply66bj4Y