FuelinAround

I have been to loto several times but everytime we went it was during the shootout or some large event. I was also in a 25ft baja outlaw everytime. Honestly we got beat to death and had to run like 25 mph in his. I have a 1989 sonic 31ss with twin 454's. How will it handle the lake? Will I be able to open up and get on top of the waves or just have to crash through them? I can run a little over 60 with my setup and full of riders and coolers. We are staying at tantara and got the good covered slips waaay in the back like we have all previous times. Does anyone have any comments on how to run this style and size boat there. I have had it on ky lake and it did fine but the waves were probably 1-2fters and the boat held pretty straight and solid. Thanks for input guys.

baywatch

Before buying my Apache I test drove a 31ss at loto on a Sunday morning around 11:30 (non holiday,non event weekend). My wife was actually pregnant at the time and we were running it hard and seeing right at 70mph with 502's. You had to throttle it a bit but I only remember one hard landing that my wife gave me "the look" when I miss cued a launch.

You aren't going to be able to run WOT all the time but my experience is that the sonic actually rides better in the bumps on top of the water. I was running a little trim and using slight tab input to keep bow attitude to fly level (this is actually the same way I run my 36').

The sonic is a good riding boat and I actually looked hard at 35' and 38's when we were in the market. We have a small kid and we decided that the 31' wasn't going to be quite big enough for us.

-Josh

FuelinAround

I'm not sure I understand 100% how to throttle a boat??? Around here I can pretty much get on top of the waves and just cruise from one to the next without every touching the throttle. Worst we get here is big 2 footers and that is a rare day. At ky lake I would have to throttle down occassionally but it wasn't a constant throttle in and out. Can someone explain the throttling to me a little? Maybe it's something I kind of sub consciously do

villecountryclub

to keep from blowing a drive, you need to learn how to get out of the throttle hen you feel the boat is ready to launch off a wave and time it that you are back on the throttle when the props reenter the water, put your tabs down and run 45-50mph at loto in the rough stuff

FuelinAround

Appreciate the info guys...

Quinlan

iTrader: (1)

We took our 29 outlaw there several times. Lots of fun! No problem. Just pay attention to whats comming

teamsynergy

The boat will handle LOTO fine... you'll like it...

AO31

You will have no problems

baywatch

When your prop's break the water surface the lack of resistance from the water will cause your rpms to spike towards your revlimiter and then when you re-enter that prop spinning like a bat out of hell is like hitting concrete due to the surface tension of the water.

So, you will learn to get in "your rhythm" and thottle in and out of the waves (so prop speed slows clear back at re-entry). In the ocean or large lakes it is much easier to do because the waves are wind generated and harmonic. Loto is more of a washing machine so you will learn what sorts of waves are going to cause your boat to launch and consequently require heads up throttling.

My boat is very heavy and has 4 blades on bravos so I have to be a bit more careful than someone with a light boat and three blades.

As someone else mentioned you can also dump your tabs and run @ 40mph and not have much worry about other than maybe taking some spray over the fairing.

Hopefully that makes sense..

-Josh

FuelinAround

I have 23 pitch 4 blade bravo ones...yeh at loto it seems like we fell more side to side than bouncing up and down... Hoping the beam and size of mine will dilute that some. Why do you have to be more careful with the four blades compared to 3? Thinner blades?