http://www.pilotfriend.com/training/...es/takeoff.htm
although they have a step the action necessary to take off is to gain speed by getting the floats on the forward section of the pontoon. A powerboat goes faster when it lifts and rides on the aft section of the hull. Two different scenarios.

T2x Great read. Thanks for taking the time to post.

I agree that my boat feels better with the props spinning out even though everyone tells me to spin them in to gain 1-2 mph.

What is your current list of V-Bottom boats you would buy if you were buying New? I would assume your previous lists still stands for the used market but some of those are getting harder to find.

What are your thoughts on Staggered engines?

Thanks!

Haven't seen T2x post for a while now...too bad, I enjoy his insights.

Answers in reverse order IMHO.

Vee bottoms like their propellers and power plants as close to the center line as possible so staggering is preferable to side by side when practical... (it obviously doesn't work when space and length are an issue). If you can counter rotate the engines themselves that is even better because it completely cancels the torque roll on the hull.

If I were buying a vee hull today, I'd probably go with a Velocity..... I really don't like stepped bottoms...still. Another choice would be to have Peter Hledin lay up something out of one of the many 41 Apache clone molds ( a straight one of course) laying around. Frankly, however, I'd much prefer one of his cats.

Buy a Skater..... ;)

T2x

Thanks for the info. I do like the Velocitys. My friend has a 41 with 625 Ilmors that I have driven. Only problem is Velocity Rigs with the props spinning inward! :lolhit: I personally do not love the looks of them enough though. Hopefully they refresh them soon.

Yes both Kristy and I really want a Skater. If only we could afford one that is large enough to handle the rough waters of Lake Michigan that we boat in daily. Enjoying our Baja http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/b...utlaw-fun.html untill we save up the cash.

When you want him to post you might click on his "feedback score" in the window under his screenname and than send a negative feedback for not posting often enought, and you might do that a couple of times plus some others might do that. To keep him posting you must tease him a littlebit you know!

Great Idea......now please forget it.

If I may ask... why a Velocity?

T2x

Thanks for all your insight

Seems like you approve of a pad bottom. Do you like the design that checkmate, black thunder, and statement marine use?

Thoughts on a notched transom also?

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ursion/092.jpg
http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...n/P9270200.jpg
http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...69908603_n.jpg

I think a pad bottom is preferable to a standard vee (all of our 21 footers had pads). We found that full flat pads were faster, but slighly vee'd pads rode better and were a bit more forgiving. On the other hand the vee'd pads required a bit more steering correction (wheel "sawing")at extremely high speeds. To me the Allison pad bottom (see below) is still the fastest monohull design extant...and has no steps forward. The closest hull design to that in the Offshore arena today is the Velocity and Steve Stepp raced Allisons prior to starting that company.

The biggest change between the earlier Challenger and our later Shadow 21' vees was the addition of a notched transom. We found that this improved both speed and handling with no loss in rough water ride or capability...a "win-win" modification for us. As I stated much earlier in this thread some years ago when we experimented with forward steps on those hulls (some ventilated, some not) we found no top speed increase ( I agree there is an argument to be made that steps create reduced drag at mid range speeds), but a much more "slippery" handling boat in turns. I believe that stepped hulls are more prone to spinouts because of this and if I ever owned one (and I really like the Cougar RIB designs and layouts) I would most certainly put some form of anti skid fins on the aft hull surface, strakes, or trim tabs. I know all the mumbo jumbo about trimming differently for steps versus non steps blah, blah, blah when turning, but the average shmo shouldn't have to go through a process checklist if something unexpected (diver, crab trap, etc)pops up immediately in front of him at high speed.

Hope this helps.......


T2x