roadtripse

Sounds positve.

As for driving over wakes, you should be able to quarter any reasonable size wake, by tapping the drive down a bit and moderating your speed slightly. Don't chop the throttle, or the boat will typically dive and tip to the right, at the absolute worst time. I have hit moderate size wakes doing exactly this at 80+ with no issues, at all.

120 hours is not a new boat. Back before I went to a cradle and offshore mounts, I used to check and tighten the stock engine mounts three or four times per season, and definitely before a rally, every time. Stuff just works loose, and anything that can move, can create foul handling opportunities. Any performance boat takes some prep and work, but the Classics with a little time behind the wheel, can really surprise you. And others.

Pat McPherson

Good advise from roadtripse. I double check the slop in my steering at the gimbal nearly every time I go out. I pull it side to side and feel for play; you'll know if the pins or tiller are loose/worn. I've got about 300hours now and the stock steering is still tight. I've thought hard about upgrading to external steering pistons but may sell the boat so...

A prop that matches your boat and driving style is like good tires on your sports car! In my opinion it is the most impactful change you can make for the $. I liked the Turbo 1 on my boat and it's a great 3blade for the $. As I said many times, the Merc Rev 4 is the best out of the box prop I've found for these old school V bottom hulls.

As for Tabs and Trim. I use the drive trim to change the attitude of the boat 95% of the time. I only use the tabs to level an unbalanced load or out in the ocean to keep the nose down in larger waves. At times I've used the tabs at neutral / level with the bottom, on my boat K-planes, to extend the length of the boat in rough chop. Speed runs they are up all the way...

snave8

I'll check the play....How much is acceptable?
It would seem as though side to side play would cause the boat to chine walk. With the new prop, it no longer does this. The problem is more of being launched into the air, and landing in a trough or parrallel, with the trim and tabs up.
After planning out at relatively slow speed (20-30 MPH range) there is no way to keeping the boat from porpoising without the use of the trim tabs....No matter where I put the trim. above that speed, I can start raising the tabs.
Can you run at lower speeds (and not porpoise) without using tabs??

Pat McPherson

There are 4 pins, 2 vertical and 2 horizontal, and a tiller arm that can wear. The tiller arm is clamped onto the top vertical pin on the inside and I've had that loosen up on other boats. If you can feel any play in these pins, I'd say it's too much. I do have play in my cable helm at the steering wheel, but not much you can do about that without changing to a hydraulic helm.

With my Mirage 3 blade my boat will porpoise and or chine walk at varying speeds; I've always been able to drive though it without coming off plan by increasing speed and or changing the trim. With my Rev 4 four blade the boat rarely ever porpoises or chin walks.

snave8

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Mark

SB

iTrader: (1)

wrong thread