Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

These are from the day I mounted the engine.

Nothing is rigged yet in the photo's.

Starboard side....Love the trailer...

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

looks great!
gotta ditch the cig sticker.

Good view of the wind deflectors.

If anybody needs a pair, I just bought a brand new set of the cigarette fold down kind. They are powder coated white. I was going to use them, but now I am not.

I got a great discount, so just give me what I paid and you can have them.

Cig sticker is no longer. These pictures are 2 months old.

:D :D :D

My little Banana Boat went from this....to this.... :eek:

Port side

This Pic is about 4 years old.

It was taken in December.

Off the coast of New Hampshire...... :drink:

This motor is a monster. Coming from a Mercury to this I had some difficulty.

Problem 1

The grey beast has a tremendous amount of compression due to the upgraded modifications, which meant that I had to go buy the largest starting battery I could find just to get it to light.

Problem 2

The right amount of fuel is critical in order to start the engine when it is cold. Apparently the definition of "right amount" is connect a fuel line the size of a fire hose and "let-r-rip".

Problem 3

Never ran a race prop before. Once MrV8outboard gave me some basic instruction, I was good to go and much better at getting on plane.

Problem 4

My old mercury was a 25 inch shaft and the V8 is a 20" shaft.....Can you say rooster tail?

Summary:

If your going to make your boat go much faster than it used too, have many people who know exactly what they are doing help you along the way.

Thank you very much Jeb, Charlie Jr, and Charlie Sr and oh ya my brother for helping me do what we always do....stupid things to go faster and higher...

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

Looks awesome Chris! I am so jelouse! :(

Have you GPS'd it yet?

And how does it sound?

Uh oh...what is my buddy doing with that circular saw???

:eek: :eek: :eek:

I went a little crazy back in June when I was waiting for a powerpack for the engine.

Turned out the engine was fine, but thanks to the extra time I had on my hands since I wasn't boating, I finished a project that I had wanted to do for many years.

"EXTEND MY COCKPIT!"

Came out great.

So glad I borrowed my friends sawsall.

Hi Adam,

GPS chartplotter works, but since I redid the transom and motor well, I removed the depth sounder, speed-o-meter sending unit. Hopefully I will re-attach it soon and give you some numbers.

It appears to cruize at my former wide open speed though which was 55mph on a good day. I have only opened it up a few times.

With the single merc I was usually bending the throttle lever forward trying to make it go faster in the waves, now I find myself backing off since I am not used to the much higher speeds in the rough.

As for sound, I was very surprised. At idle it is much quieter than the Mercury. Almost sounds like a 4 stroke.

Wide open it has a unique deep whinny sound. Not sure of the HP, but I am told that the builder expected to get 350hp with all the upgrades and mods...

Hope to get it Dyno'ed some day...

The enigine has oil injection, but I had it blocked off. I thought pre-mixing fuel would suck, but once you figure out the math, it is easy. The piece of mind it gives you is wonderful.

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

Chris:

LOOKS GREAT!! Can't wait to get my new banana boat built and challenge you to a race. Of course I'll have to cheat and maybe drop a 525 in...!!!

The cockpit extension looks great too. That is pretty much what I am doing with the new deck mold now. The rear seat will actually hang over in the front by about 3-4 inches. Pictures coming soon...

PS - can you post some pics of your transom knees? I'm a bit confused on what it looks like under the well?? Here's mine as you have seen before...

I will take some underneath pics on Thursday.

As far as the knees, my white Banana does not have any. Just two stringers going to the transom. The transom was replaced the year I bought it so it is strong, but I think if I was going to run twins or keep the V8 on it I would definately add some knees... :rolleyes:

My other Banana has all kinds of extra support. I think I could drop a car on the deck and it would bounce off... :D

As for the back seat, mine hangs over about 2 inches. I did all kinds of measurements and math, but wasn't sure until I started cutting, how it would turn out.

It came out very nice. I put the seat back at an angle instead of vertical like the stock Banana set up.

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

good idea about angling the seat back - more comfortable. I am working on incorporating the rear seat back with the hatch - will be all 1 piece...

I agree with that idea. That way when you raise the rear hatch the back rest goes with it. Much better access to storage or the engine if boat is an I/O.

I would love to make my other Banana an I/O and incorporate the backrest with the hatch.

Also I would like to push the back rest as close to the engine as possible to give a little more room in the cockpit.

What do you think about that, (assuming I don't use a TRS drive set up).

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

Chris, Do you have trim tabs on your boat? I don't see any in the pics?

No tabs.

Never really needed them with the single 200 merc. Although a left one would have helped when I hit waves at a certain angle... :cool:

With the speed the boat goes now, it should have tabs, but I am taking off the OMC V8 next year and putting it on my race boat.

I have a 200 merc with a blown powerhead that I am going to restore and bolt to Monkey Bizness for next season.

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

And people think I'm crazy! All that work just to change it agian next season? Wow

Yes I am insane, thank you very much...

A lot of work, but I wanted to make sure the OMC would work before I attached it to this,

What am I the only guy on the Banana boat forum anymore?

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

no, I'm here, just didn't figure anyone wanted to see rotten bananas

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

We are all holding our breath until you get that boat finished and roaring down the waterway.

I understand, that there is to be some competition for that boat in the future.....and you are counting on some old consultant in high speed to help with the program.

Good luck, the boat looks great...... and hurry up so we can all go for a ride.

Story Time
 

Hi Adam and Banana God,

It has been one of those years. Spent too much time working on the boat and not enought time using it.

Feeling kind of down. Feeling like summer is over.

Went down to the marina. Hitched the boat up and threw her in the salt water drink.

Turned the key and the monster outboard fired right up.

Putt putted down the river and made way for open water with nothing but concern since it has been all tinkering and puttering and no wave smashing jumping...

Much to my surprize, lots of big boats making large wakes...F#ck it I said and buried the throttle. After my sunglasses ripped off my face I felt the familiar bouncing of the bow as I cut the top of swells off with my little deep vee.

With in a few moments I realized that this was not the same boat I had before. I wanted to see how I could handle sustained high speed in the rough so I pushed it and the boat friggin loved it. A bit scary with out trim tabs, but stable none the less.

Then I hit a huge wake and laucned higher than I can ever remember soaring. I pulled the trottle back just as I heard the prop leave the planets surface. Think I had 3 seconds of free fall before splash down.

I think I like the performance increase with the new engine.

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

Chris,

We're here.....lurking in the distance. Glad to hear the ol' deep vee is helping with your sanity. It sure is helping me!

Having a great summer w/ bananas! so far. Had a couple of crazies with me on Saturday. Made some decent marathon runs up and down Narragansett Bay. Airborne many, many times! These boats are absolutlely incredible!

We've been pulling 70+gps and 72-73 on the speedo. I've got
a pair of counter rotation choppers comming, and soon a couple of cle's. I think 75 on the gps is around the corner.

Hey, back to work. I'll talk to you later.

(check yer home email)

Dave

Glad to see everybody is still alive.

Took Monkey Biz out today.

I pushed it a bit and it easily went past 60mph on GPS, but I am afraid to keep it there because I found out I am running the wrong gas.

I have very high compression heads and I need to be running 100LL aviation fuel.

With 93 Octane it raps a bit due to detonation....

Friggin muscle motors.... :mad: :D :drink:

I don't think I will get past 70 with the prop I am running. Once I re-fuel I will see what it will do.

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

thats a big bummer about the need for AV gas. Nice pic though. My stepfather used to keep his boat just under the arched bridge, in the background, in Elliot.

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

I don't like the cleaver style of props (on the Donzi, at all), (did you say cleaver or chopper?)
It came w a 19 and 21 cleaver.
I borrowed a a buddy's 22P Mirage and loved the bow lift and stern lift. Fastest the boat ever went.

Where did those front seats come from?
Very nice!

Evan

I had the front seats made in Miami and flew them home in my airplane. They were made by Fabian. He is the same guy that makes the interiors for Pantera.

At the time, all I could afford were the two bolsters. So I bought a sewing machine from a friend who made sails and she taught me how to sew and make all kinds of things.

End result is I completed the rest of the boats interior myself.

This is an interesting new feature. With the scissor style bracket jack trimmed all the way down, it shoots a rooster tail out to either side at certain speeds.

This Pic is at about 55mph...

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

nice Cigarette decals....

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

I was thinking the same thing!

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

Could I ask if the Bolsters were more then a grand for the pair? and do you know if he would ship?
I could pay a grand for a pair but not that much each.
assuming my offer goes through on #14
Thanks

Dregz,

Don't think you will find a pair for $1000 unless the quality is real low.

The pair I have will run you at least $2000 and that was back then. That price will not include the seat base either. I used my original Banana bases, but I cut them down 4".

There are other companies that make them for a bit less with bases, but they usually use wood and the design is just a box as opposed to a more angular shape. The pair I had made have no wood in them at all and he built them to my exact specs.

He told me to keep it quiet, because I think he wasn't suppose to make them for anybody else per his agreement with Pantera, but it has been 4 years now so I think we can break the silence... :p

Charlie, Jr and Adam,

All the work I did on my back seat and all you two have to say is nice decal?????? You guys suck!

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

OK!! OK!!

Nice looking upholstery in that back seat...of the BANANA

Thank you

:D :D :D

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

oh that's a banana that you have been working on!!!!!!!!

I was confused with that other decal....but now that it is clear, I want to say that you have done a fabulous job....the boat looks great....now as you know you will be dealing with boats that are much better known out there.....so you have to be humble.... and not arrogant..... when you outrun them in the big water.

Super job, can't wait to see it in person.

Re: Banana Pic's with the V8!
 

Nice job on the decal removal! And the new cockpit area looks nice. I can't wait to have the extra room in mine. Then agian I can't wait to have a solid structure in mine either. I am definitly going to be asking you guys for alot of pointers when I start doing the glass work.