Making your boat stronger?
 

I went in a 2750 Laveycraft race boat last year in some pretty rough stuff in the ocean (4-6 footers). The guy was running the hell out of the boat but what amazed me was how incredibly solid the boat felt. It felt like it couldn't be broken; we would launch off of a swell at 70-75mph and the landing would hurt us a little but it felt like the boat wasn't even phased (sp?).

I recently bought a 2000 29 Fountain and have taken it in the ocean and feel like my Fountain is no where near as sold as this lavey was. Is there anything I can do to make my boat feel more solid, like it could handle the abuse? Make it more like the lavey was?

NOTE: I hate beating on my equipment and am not trying to make a boat that I can go and see how far I can jump it or how hard I can beat on it. If I get in 3 or 4 footers, I pretty much plow through it at 40-45 to try to save my equipment and get back into the harbor. The other thing I was thinking is do I need to not be a "p*s*y" and run it at like 65+ to really get on top of the water in the 4 footers seen in the pacific?

The Lavey is longer and heavier. You can make your boat heavier which will help displace more water but longer is going to be tough. You could strip it bare and add reinforcement at the stringers and bulkheads but that would be a major project that would yield nebulous benefits. Remember, if you subtract the beal and the swim platform you're going to have to compare your boat's performance to something in the 25-26 foot range to be fair. As far as going faster- sometimes the water doesn't cooperate. If you get some odd spacing between swells and stick the nose into the face of the next one, you're going to hurt yourself and break your boat. Skill and experience has alot to do with it too.

If it was a true race boat it was probabley built with extras supports and stringer. Since you just got the boat it also will take you awhile to get the trim and ride right. Its true your 29 fountain is problay about the same wet hull lenght as the Lavery.

You need to get it up to atleast 55-60 to get on top of the waves and it should be a better ride. My 24 python did great in the rough............but not till 60mph. Like Sunkin said............it takes experience before you get comfortable doing that.