Hydrostream setup

[MERC1000]

My Dad has a Ventura II with a Merc 200 with 6" of setback on a hydraulic jackplate. He runs a 4 blade cleaver on it now. I drove down to Florida for the 4th and took him the Mercury 30 pitch cleaver off the Laser to try. I personally think his boat needs a 28 chopper to run right on top end. The prop he has now seems like it is all bottom end (25 pitch). What do you guys think would be best for this hull?

[transomstand]

It will need at least a 30" chopper. I also think 6" setback is way too much, since it should approach 90 mph, and will not need any help lifting the bow.


Pete

[1BadAction]

i wouldnt use an un-worked chopper bigger than 26... any thing bigger that hasnt had some of the lift cut out of it is going to fly the bow too high. I agree with TS- 6" is way to much for that hull, especially a hyd. jack.

[Dukeofchippewa]

28 cleaver, no/very little setback. My Ventura II: 28 3 blade cleaver, 1.5" setback (hyd. lift), 7200rpm, 91mph. Trim it in for anything over 85.

[freddyspens]

ive been playing with a ventura2 everyday for the last month or so.. i have too much setback, 5 1/2, right now on it but im not gonna bolt the motor to the transom.. so until i get caught up or find a cheap-o jackplate with as little setback as possible i have made some adjustments for now... i have just moved stuff around a bit when im by myself(6gal can on passenger seat works well) so it flies nice and straight with just me in it-- without the can across from me,even if i sit more in the middle between the seats, it leans a hair and the bow seems like it wants to fly away over 65-70mph. i had bought a 26 cleaver and it wasnt as fast as a 22 worked chopper i had but it handled awesome with only me in the boat. i have to say i didnt tinker with the motor height at all with it so it was about 1/4in above the pad.. i tried a virgin 30 big ear merc chopper and its way too high pitch.. the motor bogs and after like a half mile it was still gaining but all in all unless i get it worked or get more hp that one is out of the question.. im running an really good running 2.0 175hp so ya know and the prop shaft is about even with the pad or maybe a 1/4 above( i dont remember and its at the dock).. i just got a crappy looking 28big ear and it looks like the front or back(i forget) edge has been chopped a bit so its straight for the majority of the blade.. it planed right out with 4people in it last night and although i dont have a gps at the moment it definately seems faster then it was with anything else ive tried just not as snotty of course..... i gotta say, i love this boat and not only does it handle awesome esp compared to other v-hulls i have driven but i get soo much attention everywhere i go... hope that helps and please let me know anything you learn or try so i can learn as much as possible ..- later-- sean

ok, sorry bout the book but i just wanted to include as much info as i could. i hope that helps with something (other then the fact that less setback is needed)

[MERC1000]

Yes I agree about not bolting the motor to the transom. You know I was including the 3 inches down there that are built into the hull/transom. Where are you measuring your setback, from the pad to where?(boat in the garage) I think he would need about 3 miles of straight to run the 30 cleaver. I was thinkin' a 26 or 28 chopper would work good. You think speeds of 85-90 are possible with this boat? The 200 sure does run and sound healthy. Unfortunatley the previous owner put a nice looking but useless 65 mph speedo in it, it pegs that out pretty quick. It sure does get a lot of looks and comments everywhere he takes it. I myself love the ride it has. Oh yeah, it also has 100 pounds of sandbag in the front, which seem to help!

[freddyspens]

all that typing and i still forgot to tell you - i was just stating my jackplate setback cause i really would like to find one with as little setback as possible.. i do know where to measure from no problem-- after all ive been reading Scream And Fly.com ;-) for quite a few yrs.. now i am suprised about the sandbags up front but i would think you have more weight in back then me... .. i really love my stream and before too long id like to think it will be flying in the low 90's or 90mph anyways.. over and out

[Riverman]

Bob's machine makes a convertible jackplate that can be rigged for 2 1/2" setback, under $200 I think. Rickracer can get 'em.:cool:

http://www.rickracers.com/product_info.php?cPath=50_120&products_id=35

[Dukeofchippewa]

Practice, Practice, Practice, the Ventura is designed to "Fly". Land & Sea blew 2 of them over at 88. This hull takes a lot of experience to handle. Don't get yourself hurt. A 30 cleaver took me a little over a 1/4 mile to reach 89. Again practice.

[MERC1000]

Freddy: I am asking you where to measure setback from,I really don't know, I own a jetboat! I am curious myself. The jackplate is hydraulic but I know they make plates much thicker than his. He says he also has to get some of the slack out of the steering cables, and is thinking a little about a hydraulic steering setup.
I appreciate you guys giving input on this. Oh yeah, experience in driving he has; when I was born in '71 we went to the lake every weekend in a flat bottom with an inline six that had already been low 70's! Scary stuff indeed.
Scott

[transomstand]

Set back is the distance the engine is from the transom. Measure from the back of the transom to the front of the clamp bracket, that's all there is to it. I'm not sure, but you may be confusing this dimension with prop shaft height, which is where the centerline of the prop shaft is in relation to the pad.

Pete

[freddyspens]

hey merc, i know this hull has some set back built into it although i have never measured it. the pad stopping a few inches before the transom gives it some built in setback already even with a motor bolted on the transom... what i was saying, is that my jackplate probably like yours since its hydrualic(havent seen yours so i cant say for sure) is too deep- or sets the motor back from the transom more then what is ideal.. more setback=more bow lift -and on this hull like everyone here will say, it has more then enough bow lift already, esp with us running v6's on em when they were initally deisgned for the inlines of that time.. i believe my jackplate gives 5 1/2 inches of setback, which is measured the way transomstand said... one more thing, i have heard to use cleavers,choppers etc... i liked the way it handled with a cleaver but it was slower with a 26cleaver then a 22chopper!!! also with the merc cleaver it wouldnt plane out with a full load.. i have a 28chopper now and i am liking it,planed out the other night w/4people and by myself runs fast,havent had the gps to it but i will soon!! i have been pretty sik the last few days and ive been out of it so im sorry if i didnt get what u were looking for at 1st..-- sean

[MERC1000]

He tried the cleaver but said it was hard (like you said) to get on plane and took too long to reach top end. Actually he said he didn't even run it out, but the engine wasn't boggin' out with it. I think he needs to try a 26 or 28 chopper (or both) with gps and see what he finds. Sean do you have pics of your boat? That boat of Transomstands looks great. I love the way Venturas look with nice paint and interior. Dad's is very metallic, very green, and very bright with a white interior. I like how his is set up with 2 bucket seats in the front and a bench seat in the rear that covers the battery and tank. It gives the interior a lot of room. Scott

[1BadAction]

to swing a cleaver you need mucho balls, they dont work right without alot of power.

[Dukeofchippewa]

If you can't to get top end in 1/4 mile or so with a 26 or 28 cleaver you better send it to DAH or ????. When a Ventura is set up right a cleaver is the way to go. An over the hub cleaver should get you on plane in a couple of boat lenghts.
Thanks for the compliment 1Bad.;)

[freddyspens]

i cant resize the pics to put on here-- i wish i could but the program i used to do it a few times expired and i dont think i can anymore.. i can email ya a few.. i have some cool before and after pics-- the before pics are it sitting with the original windshield and original inline 115hp merc!! now w/jackplate and 175 w/o windshield it looks soo much better.. it looks mean now. it still needs a good buffing out but even so everyone that sees it thinks its beautiful.. i think i am going to sell it cause i have a few other projects i need to get to as well as another boat i found that i would like to tear up the lake with for a little bit...well see..ive been running this 28chopper and it runs pretty good but i think a 26 would be faster with my motor...ok, let me know how it goes and give me your email if ya wanna see some pics...- sean

[MERC1000]

concrete51@hotmail.com. 1/4 mile: about 100ft. less than Black Creek's longest straight lol. We'll just hold off on sendin it to DAH.