Skid Planer pictures-build a better mouse trap?

[dcarter]

Show me your pics!
I am looking to build a bolt on Skid Planer for better holeshot. I want some feedback on how wide is sufficient, how far back the wing or flaps need to go and where is the optimum mounting. When I say mounting, how far above the pocket does it need to be to give optimum holeshot but be out of the water when on plane?
I do not have a jackplate and do not plan on adding one. Here is my first try and it seems to cut some time off the holeshot versus without.

http://i34.tinypic.com/2nj9jfc.jpg
http://i37.tinypic.com/25jeeq0.jpg
http://i38.tinypic.com/2urv04m.jpg

[Liberator*21]

I've built quite a few for bass boats and it's greatly dependant on your hull design......a width 12" to 14" should work out well, but be careful on the length. There is no magic plate that works on every hull desigh. The longer the plate, the more water will be redirected, example........If your plate is mounted low enough and long enough you can starve the prop of water because of the plate redirecting it...........

There's allot of things to consider when doing this, take little steps at a time...........good luck.:thumbsup:

[dcarter]

ok, that's basically what I have now. I am going to try and lower it in say 1/4" increments and see if that helps or hurts me. Thanks!

[Liberator*21]

I just completed this skid plate for my Liberator. Here's a few pics before I have everything powder coated.

The only reason I put one on is because the static set back plate is open at the bottom and would act as a water scoop upon launch. I choose to make this style over just a cover plate as not to trap any water in the static set back, water is free to flow out upon launch.....................

http://i35.tinypic.com/i53qqe.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/wqo9vl.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/33ymbfk.jpg
http://i38.tinypic.com/2pselgh.jpg

[Skirace87]

Nice work

[Riverman]

The only reason I put one on is because the static set back plate is open at the bottom and would act as a water scoop upon launch. I made mine for the same reason but more for coming off plane. And it works!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/river_57/lp3.jpg

[dcarter]

Riverman,
Would you be able to take a side shot of your plate? I want to see how close it comes to the bottom of the hull and get some idea on the outer lip design you used.
thanks
Dale

[Riverman]

Not until the weekend, but I will.

[4JawChuck]

Liberator and Riverman, really nice workmanship on your skid plates.:thumbsup:

[Brack]

here's my homemade skid-plate........:D

[dcarter]

Liberator, yours is great. Thanks Riverman. Brack nice job!
I have lowered mine the last couple times out and it does seem to work for getting on plane quicker. I have not experienced it blowing out the prop or any negative effects yet. A couple more adjustments and I should be able to scrap the prototype one and make a final product and get it powder coated.

[JrCRXHF]

This is how mine is setup.

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs049.snc3/13634_175326261921_505411921_3475880_6585392_n.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_N4yenoX55yI/ShCqjxiEgCI/AAAAAAAAS9s/umZGK7S9hq0/s720/DSC_0281-1.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_N4yenoX55yI/ShbII8XZctI/AAAAAAAATY0/s7hkuauIOpY/s512/DSC_0466.JPG

I have tabs too on the boat. My boat is different from what you guys are running but i thought i would give this to you as another idea.

[Riverman]

Riverman,
Would you be able to take a side shot of your plate? I want to see how close it comes to the bottom of the hull and get some idea on the outer lip design you used.
thanks
DaleHere is a pic from last winter before the plate was finished.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/river_57/liftplate.jpg

[dcarter]

Riverman,
Thanks for the pic. It looks like you have a pocket in the rear of your boat like mine. Your planer is flat with a small lip at the rear of the plate and it is closer to the bottom of the hull than the one I built. Do you know if the planer touches the water while you are running on plane? Approx. how far back does yours extend?
I am going to build one like the one in your picture and mount it like yours to compare with the one I already made to see if there is a difference.

[Riverman]

About 8-10 inches. It is nowhere near the water when underway. :smiletest:

[JR IN JAX]

here's my homemade skid-plate........:DYou need to stick that thing in some salt water so it will look like mine. My engine would get an "inferiority complex" next to something that looked that good.

[cocacola]

Cool thread guys...I was thinking of the same thing for about a year now.
Atleast I have more ideas.

How about making a second one or selling me your prototype?

I have the static plate like Liberator 21....a huge water scoop.

Also it washes down the motor when coming off plane.

[Liberator*21]

David,

I've got a few extra 3/16" thk. 6061 T6 Aluminum Skid Plates I've made without holes in them if your interested, they have the turned down edges........There a good starting point where you'd have to make the brackets to hold the plate.

I just picked my new Skid Plate and brackets up from the powercoater and man it's gonna look real sweet once I get it mounted on the static plate..............:D:D:D

[cocacola]

Great. If you can, PM me with pics and cost.
My static mount is 8" offset from the transom.

http://home.flash.net/~davidsan/Lavey%20Sebring/images/IMG_4500.JPG


David,

I've got a few extra 3/16" thk. 6061 T6 Aluminum Skid Plates I've made without holes in them if your interested, they have the turned down edges........There a good starting point where you'd have to make the brackets to hold the plate.

I just picked my new Skid Plate and brackets up from the powercoater and man it's gonna look real sweet once I get it mounted on the static plate..............:D:D:D

[Liberator*21]

David,

I'll try to PM you some pic's of the plates with sizes tonight or tomorrow.

Here's a pics of one I made up for a Bass Boat.........

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w201/90profx/Skid%20Plate%20101/h.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w201/90profx/Skid%20Plate%20101/hh.jpg


Thx,
Gary

[cocacola]

thanks Gary.
Looks good.

[Liberator*21]

Just now had time getting it all bolted up after powder coat.................

http://i50.tinypic.com/1znrhvl.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/2vb93wg.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/6zxbah.jpg

[cocacola]

outstanding

[Liberator*21]

outstanding

Thanks David. As you can see, I put a top plate on it to keep the water from coming up and through the static plate..............:)

[cocacola]

Yes...I notice. You blanked out your license plate in one pic, but not the other.

fantastic job

[Liberator*21]

The full plate isn't visable that's why I left it alone, thanks again for the compliments.

[native2]

The full plate isn't visable that's why I left it alone, thanks again for the compliments.

Does your midsection have exhaust pipes??? Never seen that set up. Can we see pics? BTW nice skid planer.

[Liberator*21]

So you caught a peek of my "Top Fuel Zoomies"......., just a little o'l school style..............:D

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w201/90profx/Zoomies/IMG_0869.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w201/90profx/Zoomies/IMG_0868.jpg

[cocacola]

you are setting new standards.
very cool, but wife would hit the roof if I did that to the skiboat.

[native2]

Cool. Neat idea.:thumbsup:

[cocacola]

I like the little red reflector (tape?) on lower unit.
Helps keep people from running into it at stop light....right?

[Liberator*21]

You got it...............:D:D:D You guy's are go'n over my pics with a microscope......................LOL

[ridgerunner]

Sweet Liberator and Lavey. That is some damn professional looking work. Love the pipes, bet they scream.:thumbsup:

[Liberator*21]

Sweet Liberator and Lavey. That is some damn professional looking work. Love the pipes, bet they scream.:thumbsup:

Sorta sounds like a top fueler at idle cackling away, sounds mean when you blip the throttle............:reddevil::reddevil:

[cocacola]

did you ever consider something similar to this (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Nauticus-Tab-SX-Composite-Boat-Trim-Tabs-SX9510-80-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem1e59622880QQitemZ130348624000QQptZBoatQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQ5fGear)?

[Liberator*21]

Ya, I thought about those but I don't really need anything that moves, mine is just to keep the larger volumes water out of the static set back upon launch and coming off plane, other than that don't need anything. Having an air entrapment hull, you really want the boat to lift the bow freely while still keeping the prop in the water.

[MarkMuzzy]

Sorry to hijack, but this is definitely interesting to me and you guys sound like you know what your doing. How would you mount 1 on a mod V to flat hull with a tunnel and pods. Like this! Or could I just run a flat plate back from the bottom of the jack plate and it seems like it would help the hole shot as well.
I have a big problem with water shooting up in the boat if I trim the motor down and in rough water it will shoot in as well. I'm running a 6in setback Detwiller hydraulic jack plate. Thanks

[Liberator*21]

I'm not much on aluminum hulls but looking at your pics, I'd say you got 2 options.

#1 mount directly to the hull/transom and run rear braces down from the J/Plate.

#2 mount the skid plate onto extentions down from the J/Plate only. If you use option #2, you'll be able to do some adjustment to get the perfect height you need to reduce/eliminate the water problem.

The hull (tunnel in the middle) might be a bit of a challenge, but in either case if you mount to the J/Plate, there's no harm done to the hull/transom if it don't work out for ya

Hope this gives ya sump'n to shoot for....:smiletest:

[MarkMuzzy]

Thanks it does and once I get my motor back together, I will look at mounting something to the jack plate bracket and see if I can correct a couple of problems, but will definitely reference this thread and pics for help. Thanks again!

[cocacola]

gotta get started on this again....it's boating season.




Just now had time getting it all bolted up after powder coat.................

http://i50.tinypic.com/1znrhvl.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/2vb93wg.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/6zxbah.jpg

[Liberator*21]

Go get-r-done David..................

[Miss Isle]

Sorta sounds like a top fueler at idle cackling away, sounds mean when you blip the throttle............:reddevil::reddevil:Yeah, it's funny when someone who has no idea comes up and wants to know what the Cam specs are for my Looper.:thumbsup:

[mr_velocity]

I don't have the skills nor the tools to work with aluminum. I made myself a mold, little glass and epoxy I was able to vacuum bag this for our little cat.

Love the pipes, on this boat the motor is just too loud (at least for the us in the boat) adding the pipes got the noise behind us. We just cut them on an angle and attached them to the lower. I like your setup much better

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/7457/p1011421vd6.jpg

[Brabender]

Mr Velocity
How did this Modification Help out
Did you gain any speed? stop porpoising?

[mr_velocity]

Mr Velocity
How did this Modification Help out
Did you gain any speed? stop porpoising?

When we started with the length in the picture above we couldn't get any bow lift. We cut it down some. I don't think we see much of anything with the addition other than maybe 1 - 2 mph on the top end. The 4 blade prop pops us out of the hole and we don't see any propoising.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7498/p1011541lz0.jpg

[Mr. Demeanor]

I just built a blackoff plate because I would get soaked every time I went over a boats wake. The water shot up the static plate and the lower cowling directed forward at the back of my head. The fat that I sit so close didnt help.
I was thinking about other options like a plate and thought a single trim tab like a Bennet trim tab would make a good starting point. It has the right shape and a built in hinge.
http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/images/prodImg/M80sportab%202.jpg

[cocacola]

Finally got my custom skid planer fabricated.
Pics are before painting and correct hardware.
It's loosely bolted on now.
I used 1/2" stainless bolts with large flat washer, locking washer and nylok nuts on final assembly (not shown).
Painted it with primer and bedliner spray.

all total...less than $110 (including hardware and shipping).
It's 7/16" steel.
One bend, 2 slots.

if you need a lead on custom fabrication....PM and I'll share my lead.





215431215430215429215428

[Liberator*21]

That looks like it'll get the job done, if it doesn't you might have to make it longer.

[cocacola]

Finally got around to doing some lake testing with my skid planer. Not entirely happy. Since I wasn't towing kids around with tube, I had nothing to compare ease of planing at low speeds. That wasn't the issue....

Since it's a Mod-VP, there are trim tabs mounted higher than my skid planer on each side of the boat. They tend to deflect water into the backside of my skid planer, thus making a fountain of water under the motor until the tabs get out of the water. Looks like I need to fab some plates on the sides of skid planer to stop this.

Heck...it might be the tunnels in the hull deflecting water in there.

[cocacola]

Improved the "skid planer" with side plates added to reduce "fountain of water". This helps a lot. Need to take pics to post. Basically, mine attaches with 2 bolts to lowest engine mount holes. Plate is shaped like an "L". The part towards the from of boat is unsupported. Water pressure pushes up on plate which presses front part against transom notch it rests against and rear part is being pushed upwards at engine mount.

[Umassot50]

Finally got my custom skid planer fabricated.


all total...less than $110 (including hardware and shipping).
It's 7/16" steel.
One bend, 2 slots.

if you need a lead on custom fabrication....PM and I'll share my lead.




really? 7/16ths steel plate?

[Liberator*21]

really? 7/16ths steel plate?

:iagree:, why the 7/16" steel plate, that's allot of weight to drag around back there :confused::confused::confused::confused:.

3/16" or 1/4" 6061-T6 Aluminum would have been plenty and a ton lighter as well as none rusting :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[cocacola]

you are right...not sure why this guy offered it to me. probably extra he material he had and it is heavy.

[M. HARDEE]

234813 :eek::D i ran out something to do one day .

[XstreamVking]

Now, that right there is a slick skid planer. Makes me want to put one on my boat, and it doesn't even need one.....

[perfmarine1]

:iagree:Very nice Mitch !

[M. HARDEE]

Thank you sir !!

[cocacola]

unhappy with my skid planer, but maybe it's how we use it.
slow speeds (not holeshot) towing the kids around on the tube.
Just not enough plane area from hull at these speeds and my "skid planer" tends to dig a hole (waterfall) until on plane.
now if I hammer it, it does exactly what I want.
removing from the boat and selling for scrap.
maybe a different design coming that deeper towards the keel.

[XstreamVking]

Cola... Keep trying till you get what you want. I have made many a project only to scrap it and start again.....

[Tony Brucato]

234813 :eek::D i ran out something to do one day .

Looks like tunnel extensions too. Any effect on top end? Nice work!

[M. HARDEE]

better launch and and boat seems to be stabler but lighter feeling on top

[cocacola]

Outstanding!

thanks for the motivation.


Cola... Keep trying till you get what you want. I have made many a project only to scrap it and start again.....

[lance]

I just added this skid planner to my Checkmate Pulsare. I built it using a 1/2" solid plastic kitchen cutting board and 2”x 1/8” anodized aluminum angle from the hardware store. No holes were drilled in the jackplates to mount it. I hope to give it a try tomorrow.


235314235313235312235311

[Dave Strong]

I just added this skid planner to my Checkmate Pulsare. I built it using a 1/2" solid plastic kitchen cutting board and 2”x 1/8” anodized aluminum angle from the hardware store. No holes were drilled in the jackplates to mount it. I hope to give it a try tomorrow.


235314235313235312235311

Nice, like the manual + hyd jack thing.


Dave

[cocacola]

You are giving me new ideas...mine isn't working well because it's level with keel. Yours appears to have some downward angle...kinda like trimming the engine down. This would drive the bow down to plane sooner. Mine gives the back of boat a place to do a wheelie on until boat planes out and it's no longer doing anything.



I just added this skid planner to my Checkmate Pulsare. I built it using a 1/2" solid plastic kitchen cutting board and 2”x 1/8” anodized aluminum angle from the hardware store. No holes were drilled in the jackplates to mount it. I hope to give it a try tomorrow.


235314235313235312235311

[84 centurion]

howdy guys, my boat was shooting water up throught the jackplate so i found all of these posts and decided to try out the cutting board idea and alum angle. I have it all mocked up and going to try to see if it helps out at all.. I hope its not to low on the boat its about 1/2" above the tunnels on my picklefork. it looks like it will work comparing to some of the pictures on here.. will post pic as soon as its bolted on.. Levi

[84 centurion]

236361236360236359here is the finished product i have since moved the motor up and it seems to work well.. might try taking it off now to see if it works without it as well.. :thumbsup:

[Liberator*21]

Guy's, I've made several of these and each one was different because of the type of boat and what the purpose of the Skid Plate was to be. It's all trial and error, but keep working it you'll get exactly what your looking for.............

[Greg G]

TTT for more skid plate ideas. Do any of the vendors offer these ready to go?

[Greg G]

Why wouldn't some type of inflatable rubber bladder stuck into the bottom of the jack plate serve the same purpose?

[Liberator*21]

The "Skid Plate" servers a couple of functions, keeps water out of the J/Plate upon launch and coming off plane and helps to get the bow down quicker, but remember it varies between boats and where it's mounted. It's mounting point should always be fuctional upon launch and coming off plane but when on plane it should not be in any water flow.

[Euro Muscle]

Here's a EZ one that works great on my euro sat up, its 18x8 1/16 -6061-T Alum plate... I drilled & tap bottom of the jackplate to mount it for a clean look.




243360243361243362

[rover1225]

This is a great post! Liberator, you said to get it up out of the flow of water when on plane....but very hull is different. I have get chine walk when over 65, and am thinking if I fab a plate like this and essentially create a pad that is virtually level with the bottom of the hull under the JP, I may be able to use that my advantage as something a bit more stable for the hull to be riding on when I am approaching 80 (in my dreams). It's a Checkmate Starflite with 5.5" OMC HydroJack and 8" OMC static set back.

Has anyone mounted one essentially even or level with the bottom of the hull? Results?

[baja200merk]

Here's a EZ one that works great on my euro sat up, its 18x8 1/16 -6061-T Alum plate... I drilled & tap bottom of the jackplate to mount it for a clean look.

Theres more wax on the bottom of that plate then there is on my whole boat !!! :D