Learning to drive

[UoShane]

After reading this thread http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110874
It has me wondering............everyone says my boat should do 70 I can get it to 60. Am i driving it wrong? It dont chine it dont get loose hell it dont even scare my wife. Its a v-pad boat, is there realy a way to drive these things? Is there something I do wrong cause it never breaks loose from the water and gets on the pad. What is the order of things? Full power let the boat hit top speed then trim? Trim and power at the same time? Or just seat time and watch the gps for top speed? Sounds stupid to me but if a driver can get 10 mph over another driver then teach me!

[tigweld]

If the boat is under control, much more input than trim will only slow you. Most v pad boats only need to be "driven" over 60.

[imq707s]

If you have the gas mashed and the boat is running straight without any kind of chine-walking.....that's all the speed you are going to get out of your current set-up.

Post some info on your boat/setup. Simple things like changing props and raising the motor up higher may get you that extra 10mph. I don't think your boat would even be up on the pad at 60mph...that's why it's still easy to drive :D

[Capt.Doug Metko]

Let Parker drive it, it'll go 100:eek: :eek: :eek:

[The Big Al]

Who is everyone?????

[UoShane]

Free beer,dinner and .............if you want. Someone come to St. Louis and fix this thing for me before it turns into a anchor for the jon-boat!

If it pulls to the left it aint high enough (the motor) did i read that some where?
lets see the set up..........1.5 inches below pad,24 pitch,1989 xri 200,21 foot seabold eagle,60.8 mpg at 6200 rpm. I started about 3 inches below pad with some info i got here i raised the plate. It is all the way up and the motor is up on the bolt holes as far as it will go, I cant get even with the pad without some vertical spacers (which I have just not on yet). I have tried a 20 pitch it got me outta the hole faster but lost 2 mph top end. Tried a 24 pitch with some bite got my 2 mph back but that was it. Took all the chit outta my boat for weight and nothing changed.

Some pic's of boat pad and running wot www.putfile.com/uoshane (http://www.putfile.com/uoshane)

[imq707s]

Do those motors have rev limiters on them? Are you hitting it ?

I would try something bigger like a 26 or 28 pitch prop. Also....I would get a 10" setback bracket for it.

[pyro]

No limiter on that one. I could turn my old '89 XRi over 6500...

The hull looks really wet in the running picture despite all the positive trim. Are you sure there;s not some soaked foam hiding somewhere that you haven't discovered yet?

It might be a good candidate for some additional setback, that would also help your height range issue. There's no point in running higher than 2" under on a hull like that, it needs all the blade area and bite and bowlift it can get. You may have better luck with a Trophy or Tempest thru-hub on that hull, they will carry weight really well, and help lift the hull more.

[UoShane]

Before i knew better I drilled a speedo pick on on the transom, it wasnt easy to drill and the dust on the bit looked dry. It may be soaked I dont know how the boat was kept before I bought it. I know since i have had it it dont see any water but the water its in. I have read some stories in here about recoring and thats gona be way over my head.

What do you mean no reason to run 2'' under the hull?
Is set back measured from the transom to the motor or edge of pad to the motor?
Theres no rev limit on it cause i hit 7500 rpm once, no not on purpose.
Is there any way to look for wet wood or wet coring without tearing a bunch of stuff out?
The floor is solid as a rock, the tranom has a small amount of give but it takes my 200 pounds of azz bouncing to move it.

[tigweld]

Check the hull for hook. there is a 21 seaboald v, close to me, with a bad hook(trailer:rolleyes: )

[Ron V]

I agree, from the pictures the motor looks too high, prop is losing bite and dropping the bow. I wouldn't expect to run higher than about 3" below the bottom. That's just a general opinion, I'm not real familiar with those boats but there is one up the road from me that is for sale and I know they are big. I'd be curious if the guys claiming 70 are talking speedometer, radar, or GPS. That's a big boat and even a 200 is going to have its work cut out for it and my guess is you're going to be out of horsepower somewhere in the mid 60s. If the transom is in good shape it could definitely stand some setback.

I'm planning a trip to Grafton during the second week of August to do some boating, would be happy to take a look at it.

[UoShane]

What do u mean hook?
Come on up Ron, we spend the day on the beach. Holler when it gets closer Ill give ya my number.

[Jay R.]

a hook is a concave bend in the bottom of the boat.
how much set back are your running? setback is measured as the distance between thetransome and the motor bracket mount. boats like that about 20 or more usually need about 10-15 depending on the boat, 12 is usually the best. you aren't getting that boat out of the water enough.

[Wildcat731]

my father had the same boat with a 99 2.5 200 and ran 70.8 so it will go that fast. That was the boat i learned to drive on when i was 14. It had a mercury para-lift on it, i think those are 12 inch setback units? Some one correct me if i'm wrong.

[Airboater]

Any pictures of the jack plate and where it mounts ,you should be able to get it above the pad if you have a 20'' mid .What size setback plate or jack is it ,like some say you will need 10''+ setback for a heavy 20ft boat and a 26 chopper or simular style prop .

[laster]

I owned one of those back around 90. Had a Yammy 225 on it and ran around 70. I was running about 6 inches of set back, don't know the height but not very high as it needed bow lift. The boat liked Merc chopper props. I would definitely recommend to check the bottom, especially the last 6 feet or so, with a straight edge to see if there is a hook. Mine carried the bow much better than what I see in the pics.

[UoShane]

Its running 5 mabee 6 inches of set back. I will put some jack plate pic up where the other pic's are. The pic is where i started before I raised it up.

[Airboater]

Looking at the picture you need a 10in setback bracket to bolt the jack to that should get you the height you need ,.I would start out with 1.5 below the pad and work up if you can find a 26 chopper ,if not try a size bigger in the style you are running now ,is that your normal running with the big rooster tail

[UoShane]

No I keep the tail motor high, I was just trying different things. I wish the water was closer so I could post, get answers go test and post. Sure would make the eaiser.

[imq707s]

I think the two biggest things you can do for speed are adding some setback (a 10" or 12" bracket would be good), and trying some different props.

For that hull, I would think a 4-blade prop with a ton of lift is what you need......and 25 or 26 Trophy would probably be a great start. From the looks of your picture.....all that extra trim is not getting you anything but a huge rooster tale. :D

[Action Dave]

Just my opinion, but I don't think a four-blade will help at all. The four-bladed props tend to lift the stern, obviously, you want bow-lift. I would definately try a chopper, or anything with a large blade surface. I use a Renegade 4-blade on my Action for water-skiing, and that prop won't carry the bow at all. Less boat in the water, less drag, more speed.

[imq707s]

Here are a few pics of my Vegas running with a 27 SRX prop and 10" of setback......my Trophy has more lift than the SRX :D I can hang the nose really high even if I'm just crusing around at 45mph....it really helps when the water starts to get rough.

I've ran a few Renagades also....the Trophlys are 10x's better.

[Action Dave]

I've ran a few Renagades also....the Trophlys are 10x's better.

Well noted... I'll have to try one. The Renegade does suck.

[baja200merk]

12in setback + 25p tempest plus + higher engine height would help fo sho