Anyone ever cut the hook out of a 28?
 

I reccently gutted and re rigged my 28, I kept the TRS drives and increased hp (around 400ish) per side SBC. In the process I took roughly 500 lbs. of iron out of the bilge and went to a pair of Mirage+ 25s. The running attitude of the boat has changed dramatically and not for the better. No matter how much I trim the thing I cant get the bow out of the water, it wants to run flat on the keel. The boat feels tight and just plain wrong. Back when it had 100% iron parts and 300 tired hp. I had no problem getting the boat to loosen up and carry the bow with junk cleaver props. There is a little bit of hook in the lifting strakes in the last 12" of the hull. I really dont see any need for the hook as the boat pops on plane with the new power and lighter weight.

Has anyone ever straightened the bottom on one of theese hulls? Pros? Cons?

Any other suggestions on props, the 25's are a little too much, I think I need to drop down to a 23 and find something that will carry the bow more.

I have a set of 23 pitch quicksilver torrent series props on my 38 cigarette flat deck. The props are for a boat with a 300 hp outboard motor. I changed my 25 pitch marige props that made my boat stick to the water like glue, and went to these torrents that make my boat feel like a 26 footer at W.O.T. Ithey lifted my boat out of the water about 3-5 inches I bet. call me Ill tell you more. Justin 586-524-3450

Tony try some Hydromotive Q-4's, they work well with TRS, Dave

That's really disheartening after all the work you've put in it. These 28s are so sensitive to weight in my experience that even 30 gallons of fuel in the front tank changes the way my girl handles. 500 lbs out of the bilge seem like a lot, but I'm sure you will figure it out. Good luck. - nick

You would be hard pressed to have hook in your hull. I have never seen one with hook but a little rocker is the norm. If there is hook it would not be to hard to get it out as the strakes are solid.

What you've done by taking all the weight out is moved the CG forward. Keeping the TRS drives is making it worse because they are so deep.

Try taking 25 or 50 pound sand bags and adding them to the outside of the engine compartment strings and see how it runs. When it starts running right you know what you need to remove from the front.

I would try this before you go tsting props. The CG needs to be right before you and tune it in.

Ive had a 6' straight edge all over the bottom, the only place I can find anything wrong is the last 6 to 12 inches of the strakes, 1/8"-3/16" hook. I'l try the sandbags and see what happens. I still think I'm a little big on the props, I can barely see 4600 WOT with the 25 Mirages.

This is gonna be a real dumb question but if adding weight to the stern helps, there is no weight to remove from the bow, its the basic bare wood cabin with no front tank. Is there any way to modify the bottom with some rocker, or will the sandbags be a permanent solution?

if it does turn out to be the weight, much smaller bags of lead shot. I saw a rinker one time with 5 bags on one side to level it.

As much work as you have done, if you got rid of the trs and did a bravo upgrade that would move the motors back as well, but that is disheartening to say the least.

If you cant get weight out of your bow, why dont you try Bravo 1 four blades? With all the weight out of the stern, maybe the 3 blade props cant carry the bow. If the bravo's work, add a little cup to the 4 blades too and it will get that bow out of the water even more. this will also help with your getting on plane issue.

Tony, barely 4600 seems WAY, WAY low. You know how the engines were built and the cam specs. Surely those small blocks can twist up more than that. I bet you're leaving 40-50 horse or more each on the table spinning them that slow. The hook is NOT helping in any way but I don't think that is the main problem either. Props dude, Props. Play with rotation as well. Spinning in (I think you said they were already) will help pull the stern down and the bow up.

The Vs that I have run did not like the design of the 25M+. There is something different in the casting of the 25 vs the 23 and the 27. It just does not seem to carry the bow as well and was more difficult to plane with. They just don't seem to bite as well for whatever reason. I am talking stock props here for the 23 and 25. The 27 was labbed.

I would HATE to have to add weight after all that work and expense to remove some of it.

If you liked the feel of the cleaver you should really consider that style prop again (hydromotive) or other that provides stern lift. Just because the current prop of the day is Mirage + doesn't mean you'll like it on your application.

The props had had are 100% opposite of the M+ and the boat seems to ride 100% opposite... And, props are one of the BIGGEST boat changers in my experience. Much more so than weight or anything else.

Drives are currently spinning out. Sitting around wondering about all this over the winter is going to bug the **** outa me.

Sun will be shinning this weekend! I'm sure I could round up some props for you to try. Call me.

my 28 has 7.4 mpi engines 310 hp and trs drives the back of my boat is certainly heavy. the water line is right at the molded turn in the hull. I run 27 mirage plus props and have a hard time keeping the bow down if my 30 gallon fwd tank is not full. so it seems as though you should be able to spin more than a 25 with 400 hp.

TRS drives?

Get rid of the TRS drives!! move the SBC's back and have B1's it'll be better in the long run can now also go to a big block with the added room.

Tony I went throught he same thing when I did mine. had an 81' but got it with nothing in it, other than holes.. I did the 600EFI's from AS&M which are/were 496's with Imco SC's.

Troy

My 28 SS with Merc 425's and TRS runs great, mine will spin to read line easily.

Most of these SS's have small blocks which is probably the same weight in back as yours.

Your drives and engines are fine, work on the props, maybe add fuel in the front tank.