WTF is there so much hook in bottom for?
 

Hey Baja guys any idea why theres so much hook built into the bottom of my 302? I put a 4' level on bottom and from edge of transom about 8" forward theres about 1/4 inch of air under the level. I understand a little built in, but damn thats gotta be slowing me down as well as part of the reason my boat likes to porpoise with alot of trim.

Can you guys shed a little light on it if I can take it out and it not effect the handling of the boat.

Thanks

Thats how baja pissed me off the first time. I guess fill it in or trade up. Do you have a poor fitting trailer or lift? water intrusion? good luck bro. over.

No I've got it sitting on a Eagle trailer has bunks everywhere. It did sit on a lift the 1st 2yrs of it's life, but it's uniformed on the hook. Basically from the V up to the last strake.

Dave,

The HOOK from what I understand set up for the beginner to be easy on plane and to actually reduce the porpoise and keep you on plane at lower speeds.

I had my hull blue printed and we took out the hook and removed the A/C fitting from the bottom. Here are the results I saw with the hook out.

1) On Plane time was pretty much the same with no noticable difference.

2) The speed was pretty much the same with maybe a 1 MPH gain. We did other improvements at the same time so it was hard to tell what the bottom added.

3) I developed a porpoise on flat water that I never had before at lower speeds say 50 to 55 MPH cruise.

The man to talk to about it is Kevin Brown at Lakeway Boat Repair just north of Bucyrus, Ohio.

Doc

Mark thanks for the info...Mine porpoises at lower speeds as well when I trim up. If I run the tabs down and trim down it won't do it. I'm thinking this is part of the problem...It also is hard to get on plane without using the tabs. Reason for my other thread about the extension boxes. Boat likes to shoot the moon when I'm running.

Dave I am confused?

If what I understand about the hook is correct it should have solved the issues you have instead of maybe contributing to them. Are you sure that you are not just over trimming?

When my boat starts to porpoise I just drop the drives a notch and the bow settles down. Again I only see it at lower speeds and when on smooth water.

I would definately call Kevin at Lakeway and discuss this with him.

Yea it does the opposite of what its suppose to do. Don't think it's over trimming because everything other than full in causes it to do it. Reason I'm trying the extension boxes with shorties to get props into cleaner water. I plan to give him a call, but this great economy has caused me to put a couple projects on hold right now.

Irish,

Do you notice the porpoise when you have more people in the boat? My 302 is fine with 4 people and is fine with more if some are in the cabin, but when I have 6 people in the cockpit, I have to work to keep the porpoise out.

I'm going to the KY Lake Poker Run this weekend, so while I have my boat on the trailer, I'm going to check for hook.

Doesn't matter if it's 2 or 8 it does it all the time...I just thought it was the boat til I saw that much hook in the bottom...I can tell you it's coming out this fall..

IT, Prop work will help the porpoising A LOT!
There likely (I'm not a prop pro) isn't enough cup in the props to hold the bow up, so it holds then loses it, holds then loses it, ad infinitum.
I would call one of the pro prop folks we all talkl about here and see what they have to say.
I've had prop work done on a single eng Baja and it made a world of difference.

Bblades which is the only one I will let touch my props has done his magic and it did help, but it still is a crazy ride in rough water or light chop...Only way to stop it is to drop the drives and tabs. I've been told by several that the hook causes part of this as it's keeping air under the boat. I'm gonna try sharpening the strakes, transom edge and take hook out put boxes on with shorties see where I'm at. Of course this is all this winter so another bouncy boating season...:evilb:

Dave,

I agree that something else is up! The molded-in hooks are (only) in the area just ahead of the trim tabs on your hull, and grinding them off will not solve the issues that you discribe. Kevin, and I will both go over your hull in detail this fall, if that is still the plan?

XT

Well I'm not sure it's required grinding as much as filling...The hook is all the way down to the V from last strake towards the middle and about 8-10"s towards the front...That is still the plan as I know Brett at Bblades knows his stuff. He's worked my props several times to get this to stop and while it's made it better it's still doing it. I'm putting on extension boxes for sure and shorties this fall and still plan to bring the boat to you for some work, so lets talk closer to fall...

Dave,

I have even seen a performance/handling difference between a windshield, and a windscreen on a 302. A windshield will hold the bow down better than a windscreen, but a windscreen is normally a little faster!

XT:eureka:

Had same issue with windshield when it was on the boat. I removed it last summer and installed the windscreen. I've had the boat now for going on 4 yrs always had the issue when it was Mags and now HO's. I'm stumped other than to me excessive hook in bottom or the deep X dimension on it which should be cured I hope with boxes and shorties

IT,

For what it's worth, I checked my 302 for hook while I had it on the trailer for the KY Lake PR. Starboard side had almost no hook and the port side had about an eighth of an inch.

Thanks that tells me the hook needs to go this fall when I have the bottom blueprinted and extension boxes put on.

Dave, dont do both the same time. Do the boxes and run it, they may fix the issue.

Or, just drop 525's in!

Well the boxes will definately go on first, but I'm not sure it'll cure it...

HA I'd love too, but this damn great economy we got going has taken my fun money away for right now on the engine end. I was actually in your neighborhood last week and tried to call you, but you didn't get back to me before I hit the loop.

If you have hook all the way from the bottom of the v to the outer strake you got a different problem. It shouldn't be there. Only the outermost part of the v right inside of the flat part.
I found that when my 29 was in stock form I had to run the tabs a bit negative & the drives neutral to keep it leveled out.

Well took it out again and it still likes to FLY...Won't ride level...I've got the boxes now so after riding in INDY's boat this past weekend and driving it with the boxes,shorties and 380's this is the way I'm going along with taking the hook out of the bottom and sharpening all the strakes and transom...Damn boat just needs some fine tuning..

How was Indy's boat?

Rode like a Cadillac and handled awesome...

Steve's 25OL hung right with us at 70mph on GPS all the way across the lake from Jack's back to the marina...He has alot of seat time running that boat, but was impressive to see a 25OL hanging with 33's and 29's in rough stuff...

What did Steve do as far as upgrades? I think you said he was close to 700HP, ext box and shorties? Was it as rough as when you and I were out?

He's running a "STOCK" 496HO with 400+hrs on it with CMI's and a Stellings box..Otherwise it's no different than yours...

No wasn't as rough as when we where out, but when your trying to stay with boats that run into the high 70's in wash it's impressive to watch him roll by you when your running high 60's. It was 1-2 ftrs..

So wneh do the boxes go on? Did you find a set of shorties too?

No shorties I can afford...I'll look for those this winter..I'm not putting the boxes on until after Cumberland which for me will be my last outting for the season..

No quick runs to Higgins Lake this season?

I might make it up there. Depends on what else I got going on this summer...Work sorta takes priority over boating. I'm going to do the RAFT OFF in Muscamoot Bay and Cumberland for sure. Anything else is a bonus.

Dr Pete mentioned the raft off on the 8th....depending on work I should be there.

You really need to join the site bro...We're doing planning for it over there.

I hate to jump in at the end of this thread but this exact problem is the reason I found this great forum. I have a 96 TC 22 with 7.2L and Bravo I with a Mirage Plus 23P prop and I have an annoying porpoise between about 43-52 mph. I have tried all kinds of trim settings and weight changes and nothing seems to cure the problem. I am not sure about hook but do not have trim tabs. I would really like to get this fixed. I'm curious about how the prop tuning works to solve this problem, and what about adding trim tabs. Thanks for the help.

Get a double cup on the prop. Also if you get the boat going faster it will lift out of the water and the wedges will be out of the water. Mine free's up after about 62.

Now this is some hook when you can see it!!!! This boat handles terrible and is hitting a wall for speed. It's a 03 29OL with HO's

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...o/DSC02032.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...o/DSC02035.jpg

Those were built in a the factory to help "non boaters" get on plane. Your prop has to work twice as hard to keep the bow up at speed. Thats why Baja's need so much cup in the prop. Where are they in relation to the back of the boat? Are they the outer strakes or inners? A picture of the back of the whole transum would be good. If they are on the outers like mine they have less effect as speed increaces. Mine are out of the water at WOT.

running 3 blades or 4 blades,,,,, 4's should do the trick

customer has a 302 he hates with 3 blade mirages on it,,,,, lent him my 4 blade labbed bravo 1's,,,,, he came back wanting to lend me his girlfriend in thanks !!!!!!!

That is the back of the boat the hook is 8-9" in from the transom. You can see the trim tabs. On a twin this area is still in the water when WOT. He is running 4blade 28's just like I am I don't have the handling issue, but it sure doesn't like to carry the bow. I'm having all my hook removed this winter and bottom blueprinted to sharpen the strakes and transom.

Those are huge, I would think removing them would have to help. Make sure they are done correctly. Last year I guy had them removed along with the inner strakes and he had a hell of a mess.

Mine is scheduled to go to Ohio in the fall once I pull drives and engines.

Going to Kevin? if so... good choice!

He did work for me, very happy!