Arneson Rocker Plates????? Do they work well???
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01-11-2009, 10:36 PM
#23
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502,
Modifying the bottom (likely lengthening the inter strakes assuming yours don't run the full length of the boat) is not difficult and shouldn't have a total cost of any more that a new set tabs or rocker plates. My boat had the exact same issue as you are having with porpoising as we increased speed. The bow would lift and then fall off because the inter stakes were not long enough (at speed) to give the needed surface/support to hold the bow...hence porpoising. In other words, we were just running mostly on a the flat surface of the boat. We don't have a pad, but I seems to me that you might need more strake contact with the water to balance/hold the boat on the pad.
The fix (our diagnosis and rough-in work was done at Lake X) was to cut some oak strips the same dimensions as the strake and then screw them in place with a gelcoat paste a get a smooth surface (all work done on the trailer). We then tested and adjusted the length of the strake extension until the boat was stable. This process changed the entire handling of the boat. We started at 83 MPH and we finally stopped testing at 107 MPH (owner was running out of balls
). The boat handles better today at 90 MPH+ than it did at 70-75 MPH.
The only real cost was with a FG shop to make the new strake additions when you are finished testing. The actual materials to test with were less than $200. On my boat, the final inter strake was extended 5 ft!!! and ended about 12" behind the CG.
If you decide to not pursue, just fill the screw holes with a gel coat paste (HD or West Marine) and sand smooth...no blood.
Reggie is famous for spend a lot of R&D time on the bottom to improve speed and handling. With the speeds you are running with a 23' boat, a bolt-on fix isn't likely going to give a safe fix...assuming any 23' boat is safe at 100 MPH+
Modifying the bottom (likely lengthening the inter strakes assuming yours don't run the full length of the boat) is not difficult and shouldn't have a total cost of any more that a new set tabs or rocker plates. My boat had the exact same issue as you are having with porpoising as we increased speed. The bow would lift and then fall off because the inter stakes were not long enough (at speed) to give the needed surface/support to hold the bow...hence porpoising. In other words, we were just running mostly on a the flat surface of the boat. We don't have a pad, but I seems to me that you might need more strake contact with the water to balance/hold the boat on the pad.
The fix (our diagnosis and rough-in work was done at Lake X) was to cut some oak strips the same dimensions as the strake and then screw them in place with a gelcoat paste a get a smooth surface (all work done on the trailer). We then tested and adjusted the length of the strake extension until the boat was stable. This process changed the entire handling of the boat. We started at 83 MPH and we finally stopped testing at 107 MPH (owner was running out of balls
). The boat handles better today at 90 MPH+ than it did at 70-75 MPH.The only real cost was with a FG shop to make the new strake additions when you are finished testing. The actual materials to test with were less than $200. On my boat, the final inter strake was extended 5 ft!!! and ended about 12" behind the CG.
If you decide to not pursue, just fill the screw holes with a gel coat paste (HD or West Marine) and sand smooth...no blood.
Reggie is famous for spend a lot of R&D time on the bottom to improve speed and handling. With the speeds you are running with a 23' boat, a bolt-on fix isn't likely going to give a safe fix...assuming any 23' boat is safe at 100 MPH+
01-12-2009, 12:22 AM
#24
Charter Member # 55
Charter Member
Chris...My main objective with this project is to have a smooth acceleration and to cruise at the highest rate of speed at 3500 -4000. This 6 blade Hydromotive is really great at that. It has very low slip numbers across the board. I think that I do not want to go any lower than 5 blades. I am going to try and find a maximus and then start spacing down and see what happens. I think there is a lot of difference between a 4 and 5 blade on cruise speed and smoothness.
Thanks!
Thanks!
I think thats a good place to start testing. Maybe try a hydro PX5 as well. They are similar to a maximus. I would check with BBlades or Throttle Up for some loaner props.
01-12-2009, 02:02 AM
#25
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I am getting a 32p Maximus from BBlades. I have talked to Brett several times and I have never really asked how his loaner program works. Has anyone here done the loaner program from BBlades? I have talked to Brett and he is a really nice guy and everyone says that he really knows his stuff and is the best around and I think that he helped design the Maximus. I am going to get a stock 32P from him and start spacing down until I get to where I need to be. I have several spacers lined up. I think I will have everything worked out very soon!
01-12-2009, 11:48 AM
#27
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Love to hear more discussions on inner strake length. Sounds like there is some confusion as to what the length does. Does it help or hurt bow lift to run them full length? I always thought strakes added lift. I would have assumed running them all the way to the transom would add stern lift and hence push the bow down?????
01-12-2009, 05:26 PM
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Love to hear more discussions on inner strake length. Sounds like there is some confusion as to what the length does. Does it help or hurt bow lift to run them full length? I always thought strakes added lift. I would have assumed running them all the way to the transom would add stern lift and hence push the bow down?????
I emailed Brett and he is sending me (I hope) a 32P Maximus. When I get it running like I want it he ois going to cut it down to 15 1/4" and make some other mods when he lab finishes the prop.
01-12-2009, 08:52 PM
#30
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You should be able to see in this picture that the inter strake is just into the water. This allows the boat (old school straight vee) to set with a few degrees of bow lift and the inter strake holds/balances boat. Note that the outer strake is for the most part not in the water, mostly in the spray. In this picture the boat is running very steady at 100 MPH+. If the inter strake ran the lenght of the boat, it would be constantly pushing the bow down. Conversely, when it was too short, the bow would come up and then fall off as there was no support to hold the bow...porpoiseing.
