Pad-V experts, need an explanation.

[Georgia Boy]

Ok, I am getting everything set and planned out to rebuild my boat this winter and I am going to do some pad work on it. Most of the pad-V boats I look at, the pad stops about 6 inches or so from the back of the boat, and I was just curious as to why they are like that, and what difference would it make if the pad ran all the way to the back of the transom? Benefits? or Negatives of each would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance for the answers.

[vector mike]

The distance from the end of the pad to the transom is considered setback. It is used as leverage to help carry the bow. Just as a jackplate does.

[Raceman]

What VM said is true, but there's also a little more to it than that. Although at speed the boat does theoretically run mostly on the pad, having the rest of the bottom somewhat extended gives the advantages of a jackplate, but the rest of it acts as something of an extension (for lack of a better term) which protects some against flightiness and even blowover.

Your general question about benefits and negatives is hard to answer exactly without knowing more about specifics of the boat, but I'd say roughly that if your boat is flighty with the engine bolted directly to the transom (no additional setback) that extending the pad might help solve the problem. It would almost certainly make it harder to get the nose up and unwet bottom in comparison with the way it is now.

Some boats also respond well to hooks at the rear of the pad. They can vary from very small ones right at the rear most edge that are almost undetectable with the naked eye, to more drastic ones that are almost like a wedge as were some of the older HydroStreams. Hooks generally take a good bit of experimenting and unless you're super patient and motivated the pad is probably better straight if that's the way it came. Hooks can also make the boat seem squirrely and have generally bad manners, especially at mid speeds when they go through a transitional period. Unless the boat is real fast, straight and sharp is probably the best design.

[Georgia Boy]

Especially Raceman, I have learned alot from the things you have posted on this board, glad to know that there are some people in the world that are willing to help others out. anyway my boat is a Sleekcraft in fact I have never seen another one, but I know the hull is the same as the sidewinder's. the boat is 16'11" from tip to transom, and it has never acted flighty with a 140 horse bolted to the transom, I have done a good bit of work so far on it, and this winter will regelcoat it and do the interior, also adding a merc V-6 200. although the sidewinder people I have talked to have said that if you take this hull over 65mph is is going to be undrivable, because it basically has no pad, so I am going to add one. I talked to Ron Baker at Baker marine last year via email and he gave me some information on the deminsions of the pad, but that indention was one question I needed cleared. So in your opinion would it be best to bring the pad all the way back, and make up the difference with a jackplate if needed, or would it be better to put it there and maybe have to use less setback? and again thanks guys.

[Raceman]

I'm not real sure about the pad length with that boat, but I think I'd be inclined to bring it all the way back and add a jackplate if you find you need it. You may have seen me post it before, but my first real boat was an 18' SuperSidewinder and I'd kill to have it back. The pad is exactly what they need and I think it'll make a different boat out of yours. I'm curious as to what Ron suggested for pad dimensions. My thinking would be somewhere in the range of 8 or 9 inches with a depth of maybe 1 1/4 " at the outer edges. The deeper/wider the pad, the more the boat will have a tendency to climb completely on it at speed and it may become harder to drive, although not slippery like a rounded bottom V. My 22' Pachanga sterndrive which weighs in the 3K + range doesn't have a pad per se, but does have 2 strakes only about a foot apart at the bottom, which makes it act much like a V'd pad. It's very driveable, even at speeds in the upper 80's with it's present power.

[Georgia Boy]

He told me that in his opinion that a pad somewhere about 6ft or a little more in length, and basically the deminsions of a 2x8 around 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" tall and around 7 1/2" - 8" wide, He told me that a pad with a very slight "V" would ride a little better than a flat pad but is very hard to get straight and level, and a flat pad would work fine for the boat I am working on. Do you think that this boat, with a pad would be capable of hitting the upper 80's to lower ninties and be safe and drivable the boat is now solid as a rock since I replaced the transom and floor last winter. All i need now is the pad, cosmetics, and a strong motor. I know I could probably just buy a pad vee boat a be alot ahead but no one around here has a boat like it and not to mention An old friend of mine gave me this boat when i turned 16 and I have alot of history with it and hate to see it head to the scrap yard, and personally I think it is as nice a looking V-hull on the water when it is in tip top shape. even if it is 31 years old, lol Thanks for the help

[Georgia Boy]

Raceman could you post a pic of your old boat if you have one? Mine has a windsheild and the only other ones I have seen are sinderwinders, not sleekcrafts as mine but they had no windshield, you think sleekcraft just used the hull and molded their own deck?

[Raceman]

GB, I've never seen a SleekCraft like the one you're describing. The only ones around here were around 20' and similar to the old Mod VP race boats. They had two different bottoms on the ones like I saw. One was a true V, although a shallow one if I remember, and the other one had a pair of tunnels cut under it. I don't have any pics of my old Sidewinder, but my son found some recently and I'm supposed to be getting them.

As far as the pad on your boat, it sounds like we're in the same ballpark size wise, although I'd probably run it a little farther foward just to blend it in well. Of course at some point it turns from flat to V in the foward part.

I don't know how much power it'd take to make it run upper 80's, but if it's really a 16' boat you ought to get a lot of seat time before gettin' up there with it. Dual steering and solid mounts will be absolutely essential if you're gonna run it that hard and of course a kill switch, foot throttle, and a DAMN good life jacket.

Post some pictures of it when you can. We like to see before and afters.

[delawarerick]

If indeed your boat is like a sidewinder seat time and check the structure. I have a sidewinder and with a v-6 and no pad it is a handful. I built up a v-4 x-flow and that gets hairy. Besides the pad addition check for hook. These boats run very flat and bow lift takes some doing. Set back the right prop and reliable power is a nesecity. The sidewinder I have came with a 1500 merc and tempo stationary trim tabs on the angle of the v part of the hull. Good luck and would like to see a picture of your boat. Rick

[Georgia Boy]

That seems to be the normal that no one has ever seen a sleekcraft like this, I would not think it would be rare, I once saw a pic of a sidewinder that was identical to mine on scream and fly that someone had just bought, I think it was blue if I remember, but where the deck met the windshield frame was straight on mine, rather than curved, like the sidewinders, but I will post a few pics, At first I thought that someone may have put the sleekcraft emblems on it but I looked it up in the NADA web site for the value and it was listed as a sleekcraft so I know it has to be one. I have already installed a kill switch, and a hotfoot. I have a new dual cable steering set ready to install with my next motor and it has solid mounts. I have no trim tabs or anything attached and there is no hook I have had it turned upside down before when painting, was straight as an arrow but rounded except about a 6inch wide flat space a foot long starting at the transom and heading to the front.Delaware Rick would you have any pics of your boat? Right now I have the original 1400 merc on it, and it will run in the neighborhood of 52mph with a 21 pitch. and have had no problems with the handling it rides great, but I know if it gets much faster I will have trouble because it is a rounded bottom. I still have some questions regarding how to actually blend it in but I will draw some diagrams and post some pics of when i get to that part.