Black Hawk Drives
 

Anyone know if a Black Hawk Drive is stronger or weaker than an Alpha 1 Gen 2 ? Is it faster... Slower ... Planes better or worse... Why did they quit making them...

Chris

apples to oranges. completely different style of drive and what you put them on is another huge variable,

The Blackhawk is a surfacing/semi surfacing counter rotating duo-prop drive. It shares quite a few internals with Bravo based drives and therefore is essentially as strong, or weak, if you prefer, as a Bravo. The biggest weak point was the case themselves and that is where there were quite a few failures. The main reason they stopped making them, was application based, as there were very few boats that were accommodating to the design/application. When they worked, they worked quite well, when they didnt, they didnt. Where they tended to work well was on boats size appropriate, with substantial natural rocker. Ultimately there was not enough of a market.

I have no idea what kind of boat you are thinking of swapping an Alpha to a Blackhawk, but it is probably pretty unlikely that it would yield positive results, unless you have one of the forementioned type hulls.

Ditto

Cant think of one boat that worked well with a Blackhawk ,that was offered with a alpha .if there was ,someone here probably knows

The P-29 worked well with the Blackhawks.

Indeed they did, but the P-29 hull was intended to be application specific for the Blackhawk. Put them on standard 29 and its a different ballgame. The boat to look at for Alpha/Bravo and Blackhawk differences might be the Donzi "Blackhawk" and standard versions as I dont recall any substantial changes in the hull from one app to the other?

My 21ft superboat came with a blackhawk outdrive from the factory. It now has a bravo 1 on it. The bravo sits way to deep. Eventually going to put a shorty on it.

Are Blackhawks a straight swap from a Bravo1? Ive heard the little beaks do very well with them.

Same helmet, if thats what you mean?

Transom needs redone. There's plenty of threads on it if you do a search. The blackhawk propshaft is 8" above the standard bravo propshaft. So unless your drive is somewhere around 6" below the bottom with a bravo and bolting on a BH would put you two inches above. Probably somewhere around where it needs to be. Otherwise some work needs done to change mounting height

Ya, I was wonder about the helmet. Whoa, didn't realize the BH was so much shorter. Was thinking it was more like a -4 or -6.

I would just run the imco scx-4 if it were me. 1 7/16 prop shaft #6 props I believe. All the strength of the imco scx over a weak blackhawk

Not for me. a 500-700hp engine in 4200# boat isn't worth the cost!

That's what I've been told manufacturers was not going to change there hull design to adapt to the BH. Even though the boats would run more efficient and faster. The cost was to much so with very few hulls that it worked well on it never took off. I always like it when a new BH thread is started there not talked about a lot and it's a chance to learn something new.:drink:

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Huge Drag difference between a Blackhawk and a Bravo One. Great for the Hull design of the P29, boat needs natural bow lift, and with a box and small CIG it is an insane combination. Certain Donzi's eat them up with unbelievable performance. Parts are available but the case's are hard to find as well props, very time consuming drive to rebuild because upper and lower are inter twined and each time you have to break down you have to tear entire drive apart. I have three being rebuilt right now.... Some guys out there running them on small CATS with great performance as well.
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the formula 242ls we ran for merc when testing the hawk LOVED the hawk as far as speed and handling. it ran extremely well and had no hull mods whatsoever. consistent over 70mph boat with a stock efi502 mag.

Looks to like they take to Notched transoms well.

Chris

Haven't heard much mention of the wellcraft -hawk combo ,I believe that was the manufacturer that introduced the Blackhawk in some apba races ,like a 25' deep v .I think I might still have one of the oil coolers from the orig boat

let me rephrase my earlier statement there were no BOTTOM mods. the transom had an adapter plate on it and im sure the x dimension was changed but how much I don't know.

So how about a set of Blackhawk props on a bravo 3 with a raised X dimension. I've been throwing this idea around a bit but I believe finding props in the 30 to 32 inch pitch range would be difficult.

from what I understand I don't think its doable and the 3 isn't really a "performance" or "go fast" drive as you will. also if you get to hi the B3 or at least none that I have seen, don't have a water pickup low enough on the drive. theyre all above the torpedo like a B1. I don't think I have ever seen one with a lower water pick up. I have seen some on test stuff we ran run pretty good but most I personally ever saw out of one was 65. that was in a cobalt with a B3 and a blacktrac 2 speed tranny in it. you talk about a hole shot having SOB. that thing would stand up and jump on plane fast than the Big block Sanger ski boat we were testing at the same time.

Merc wants the hp helmut ring some special trim ram limitors ,at the time ,swap to.mechanical indicators ,and the warning sticker .
Have to have a bravo already in place if you want to do a quick flip flop rampside swap back to back test. It will fit in the back seat of a pick up standing up .

The boat I wanted to test this on is a full fledged SVL raceboat. Already running Bravo XR at 1/2 in h below the bottom. The lower would obviously have to be noseconed. Merc make a dual b3 since 2006. I am sure up to certain mph it would far out do the B1 in both acceleration and handling. I was thinking this setup in a rough water race would outperform the b1. The props for the blackhawk fit right onto the b3. The ocke batboats have been using the duo prop volvo setup for years in race apps but with lower drive heights. The b3 props will not work on a surface piercing app but the blackhawk props were designed for this. A few years ago I did see a surface drive that came out of europe that ran duo props. The results were awesome. So who has a few sets of blackhawk props laying around.

Merc made a dual water pickup version of the b3 since 06.

aaahhhhh ok cool see I wasn't sure if they had or not. been out of the marine stuff for a while and just this last year started getting back into it. thanks for the clarification

Where are you located Bandit?

Chris

Fort Lauderdale

Ijust heard that Phil down at Lip Ship may have a few sets of BH props.

Recent article at the bottom. Good read...

Why has no aftermarket grabbed and run with this? Couple different lengths for differing hull designs, chit they'd strike it rich in props alone.

Cool little article. They are neat drives.

Hoss propellers will still make BH props but They are $$$

Really! What kind of coin any idea? Thanks for the lead...

I just emailed Tim at Hoss Props. I'll share my findings when he contacts me back.

Can't remember It was a couple years ago when I had a BH Drive. 4k'ish I think. He said he was going to keep the molds around and do small production runs as needed. Also Max Machine may have some leads on props they make alot of BH upgrade parts.
Heres a little BH porn http://www.performanceboats.com/outd...use-video.html