Sidewinder project.

[Torben E]

Hello
This is a fun low budget project. Sidewinder 14ss boat
The boat has got a pad added to the bottom.
Splashwell delete and transom reinforced.
Manuel lift. I was thinking of adding a mercury 2.5 v6 frankenmotor app. 230 hp.
What do you think will happen
Will it sink at once ?
How fast will it go ?
Will it be driveable ?
I do have some 100 mph + driving expience
Has anybody ever had a 14ss up to speed ?

Please come with comments and good advice

Torben

[LakeFever]

Wow this thread is going to be Hygge fun!!!!

14', 230hp? Yee haw I say giver hell man. If it floats, I'd drive it. Not saying I'd give full throttle first time out but I'd surely try and get there with some seat time. I had a friend with a 16' Sidewinder who ran a 140 looper OMC and it ran about 60 and started to get hairy much past that. No pad though and iirc the 14' SW is the preferred hull for some reason or another Im sure someone here knows.

[Torben E]

I hope the pad will make it better than original.
Yes Hyggeligt it will be i am sure

[89LASER]

Good luck with the project, looks like it should be fun. Watch your balancing where you put your tank and battery.

[Torben E]

I will. The boat is not restored on the upside yet so i can drill holes and move all i want.

[Torben E]

I am wondering if anybody ever had a sidewinder up to speeds like 80-100 mph. of course modified.
It would be alot more easy to buy a hydrostream or allison i know, but they are wery rare here in europe, so i must work with what is avalible. Thanks

[LakeFever]

Only that one boat I mentioned is all I know of. If I were doing this project I'd probably save off spending much time and money on the topside of the hull until I got a combo working that I was pleased with. I'd make sure the hull and transom were sound and add the motor and start testing. You'll probably know in the first trip out if this is a worthwhile effort or not. 15' Vipers do well with big power but it does take big skill to pilot them. Being such a unique combination being a SW with a pad added you are going to be figuring out a lot on your own. As for set back I think id take a close look at Viper combos and see what they run and motor height and start there and see.

[Torben E]

Thats just what i planned, winter is starting here so i got 6 months of wondering if it will work
The transom has been done recently by previus owner. In carbon by the looks of it, splashwell delete and big stingers from top to bottom. Seems solid but we will see
I will start with manual jack 4 inch setback and nose in pad heigth. The skill i hope i ok. I got a 15 foot deep v without pad, after 3 years of learning i can hold that at 75-80 mph until i get tired in my arms. I hope the pad boat is better

[LakeFever]

If your wheeling a deep V to 80mph? I think your good to go here. Balancing the hull with the added weight is a big factor in handling. One member here put a small weight bar mounted vertically in the left rear of his hull to stack weights on so when on the pad it runs level.

[Torben E]

Thats correct. It can only be done when the weight i right on. There has to be a passager of the right size. Even a 20 l gascan in the back that jumps in the wrong side can make it behave badly

[89LASER]

The Vipers also have a notch at the bottom of the transom. I had a 16 Sidewinder with and 8" notched transom that ran well.

[Torben E]

The viper is what i would like to have.
I also ended my pad short of the transom to have the balance point a bit forward. The viper looks like it has more wings to carry on the wind than the sw.

[89LASER]

The notch on mine was 8"in from the transom and up to the first strake from the bottom.

[89LASER]

[Dave S]

From what I know..... those boats have no core bottoms and are prone to flex at speed.... which may cause a speed hook. The bottom changes it's shape. To not have that happen a core or stringers will help. Those boats also have a small factory hook..... which is not good IMO....What brand boat do you have? doing 80???