My Toys

[RocketMan]

Rig #1: Stoker 20' SST Tunnel with a Merc 2.5 260 EFI Short Shaft and race trim. Boat is a ski model with almost a full interior. Set up with 7 1/2" of total set back, hydraulic jack plate and 1.87:1 Sportmaster with a 22 Chopper II.

Rig #2: Regal/Velocity 22' V-bottom with Merc Perf 2.5 Carb. Short Shaft. 19 1/2" custom set back, 2:1 geared CLE and 22 Chopper II.

Rig #3: Part owner and driver of #12 Allison 2001 Drag with Merc Drag motor. Race in Modified Outboard DVBRC and Modified Production ECDBA.

[Barney]

Found a Stoker with a similar set-up, people are needing to bail out on it.

Wondering what type of numbers you are able to turn with yours?

Thanks

[Sleekster]

Rocketman,

I was looking hard at the 22 Velocity to replace the V-King. But I got the Sleekcraft instead. Sounds similar to your Stoker. Is your's a closed bow?

Any more info on them?

[RocketMan]

Barney,

My Stoker was purchased new in 1987 and has been run with many different engines and configurations. My hull is a standard ski layup with full stringers.

The current "official" power plant for my Stoker is a 2.5 260 EFI SS. Speeds, up untill now, were taken with a Medallion 125 speedo. I just purchased a GPS last year for testing the Drag boat and never tried it in the Stoker. I will this summer. Most of my top speeds were with driver only, the back seat out, and one or two of the back-to-back front seats installed. I occasionally will run the boat with one very light race bucket. The 2.5 260's have run anywhere from high 90's to 110 MPH or so, depending on gearcase, heads, fuel load, passenger load, prop and interior configuration. This season I'm going to try the boat with the Drag powerhead just for grins!

It is my experience that the 20' Stoker is a great boat, but like most "small" tunnels, they slow down with heavy loads. An extra passenger can scrub off 10 MPH.

Paul

[RocketMan]

Sleekster,

My 1987 Stoker is a definitly a closed bow. The 20 footer, at least in 1987, was only available in a closed deck. Stoker's larger boats may be available in open bow configurations, check with them.

See "http://www.stokerboats.com"

Paul

[Sleekster]

Thanks Paul for the reply. I'm trying to find others with a similar hull as mine to aid in set-up. You mentioned that another person will dramatically slow your boat down. Any ideas as to why?

I've got the equivalent of a couple of people all the time with the open bow, heavy seats, and a ton of toys--5 skis, tube, SS ski pole, anchors, kids (both girls who like to have a couple of curling irons w/ them at all time and 80 lbs. of make-up, use to be Barbies) etc. So I guess I can plan on going really slowly on my speed runs.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[RocketMan]

Sleekster,

I'm going out on a limb here and guessing you have the "Jr. Executive" model Sleekcraft with the tunnel bottom. It's sort of a small day cruiser style hull. I've seen closed deck versions of that hull, in fact came pretty close to buying one new in 1985. If that's what you've got (with an open bow), that boat is huge compared to a 20 foot Stoker like mine! Look at Stoker's web site and the pictures of the 20 SST and you'll see what I mean.

The deal with all tunnel boats is the delicate balance between weight, center of gravity, speed and the amount of air that they trap then compress to generate lift. Air trapped is a function of size and hull design. Compression is just what it says; how much is the air compressed under the boat. If a boat is too heavy for it's size, or doesn't have enough HP to allow it to reach high enough speed to produce good lift, you never get "on top" and run on the air. Aired out a tunnel can get very efficient and fast. If the boat can't get up on the air and run, it can be less efficient and consequently slower than comparable V-bottom.

If I understood your posts correctly (???), this is a "new" boat for you, and you have not run it much as yet. Run a baseline with a full load of people, "stuff" and fuel. Then test run with driver only, "minimum" fuel and everything out of the boat that can be removed, including most of the seats and interior. You'll see what I mean about weight. The Sleekcraft will run, you're just going to have to leave the "kitchen sink" behind when you want to go for top end blasts!

Oh yeah, don't be afraid of putting some set-back on that boat. I run 7.5 inches total on my "little" Stoker. Your Sleek could probably use more.

Good luck, have fun and be safe.

Paul

[Sleekster]

Paul,

You are right in more ways than you know. It is the same as a Jr. Exec w/ an open bow. It is a new boat to me. It is huge. I was thinking the same thing about setback. With the CMC I was going back 17.5" I figured it needed as many HP's as I could afford so I sent the block to the Bakers to have pumped up to 265-270 hp. W/ a set of offset heads, I'm told I'd get another 20+hp. That's $700 waiting to happen.

Do you know why tunnel extension help?

I have a set of light weight fiber bucket seats that I was thinking of having the upholstery shop match to the current set-up. They have the back seat now.

But to be honest, I need pistons to put the thing together and get a decent ride out of it. I think everyone on this board is waiting for me to get the D--- pistons too so I'll stop asking questions about the stupid thing.

Oh and I like the Regal 22 footer b/c of its higher deck/cabin area. I'm told they are heavier, but the Step 22's leave you sitting almost on the floor. Just an opinion.