Staggering Question
 

I was told that a full stagger was 18in. and a short was 9in. But I have also heard that a full is 26in. and a half is 13. So could somebody set the record straight. Also when you stagger the motors and bring the drives closer together, do you want to lower or raise the X-dimension? Just Curious James:confused:

I thought this was a DUI question at first. Sorry, but I know nothing about the X-Dimension question you have.

Good luck!

An 18 inch stagger is a full stagger. The prop shafts are only 18 inches apart and you can run 17.5 inch diameter props. In the bilge, one engine is forward of the other and they're moved very close together along the certerline of the boat.. A short stagger is 22 inches on center and the engines are just a little further apart. The forward engine comes back about 10 inches over the full stagger. My experience is the port engine is forward,starboard regular position. The X dimensions are run lower. In the early days, the thinking was that the drive exited the water last and entered first allowing the throttleman to keep the power in longer, accelerating the boat. I can tell you that a heavy v-bottom needs very aggressive throttling to work well and make up lengths in heavy seas and racing. It pays off.

Ok, the dimensions I think you are talking about is the drive centerlines. The following assumes a SSM type drive.

In the old days, the biggest props you could get were 16 1/2 inches in diameter (don't shoot me if I am off a little bit). For a full stagger the drives were mounted 18" on centers. At 18", in order to get the trans or crash box of the forward engine to clear the rear engine it has to be pretty far forward. There was plenty of clearance for the blade tips.

A short stagger means the front engine is pushed back a bit, and as a result the engines have to be mounted furthur apart, usually winding up 24 - 26.

Today we rig a full stagger at 20" to allow for the use of 18" props.

As you move the drives closer together the x dimension (assuming you do not lower the drives) will increase as there is more of the V in front of the drive.

jonesj
A short stagger is when your hotel room is close to Sloppy Joes in Key West. A full stagger is when you have to go down to the Galleon to check the boat BEFORE you go to the hotel room :D :D. All kidding aside the two previous post are correct. Both gentlemen are very familiar with both set-ups. I don't know all the science behind a side-by-side vs. stagger set-up only the full stagger is a LOT more fun drive :D

Hey Marc
Do you know how much longer your trans is than my crash-boxes. I'm contemplateing a change, but not sure :confused: . Thanks,
RLT

Hi Robert, about 1 1/2"

Hi Marc
When I get the rear engine back in the boat I'll measure the rear driveshaft to find its length. I think I heard that 9'' is the shortest that it could be. If I did put trannys in can I use one side of the bellhousing cooler for the trans and get Kieth's big cooler on the oil side?
Thanks
RLT

That should work fine.

I have no answers for you, but a friend of mine has ssm6's and staggered 1000's, so I've attached a pic of it for a visual reference for anyone reading this that was unframiliar with this type of set-up.

And let me add that the pictured boat, to use the Latin term, "kickus muchas assus". Rob, is it still for sale? I think I got a lottery ticket around here somewhere... :)