Planing ? - 38 Baja Special
12-16-2011, 07:11 AM
#11
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Not trying to be a stick in the mud here, but if this is your first go-fast, and you start out with a 38, well that's a bit of a handfull. Seeing what little info you give and you don't even know how to get her on plane, it does sound like you've bitten off a tad too much. This boat has nothing in common with your Carver, so you're more or less starting from scratch. Thankfully there are ways of dealing with this, we all had to learn it some way at one point. Most start out in small stuff though, go up step by step and learn that way.
As far getting on plane, I'm with Irishtornado, I try to keep the RPM's below 3K until I get on plane and set my trim and tabs.
12-16-2011, 08:38 AM
#12
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I had a 38 and the Bravo props will cavitate a bit when taking off. I switched to Revolution 4 props and removed cavitation. No need to put tabs down. Just keep below 3000 rpm and it will get on plane rather quickly.
12-16-2011, 08:58 AM
#13
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Walter I have a 38 fountain sport cruiser like yours big and heavy. The rest of the guys got it right start out slow, on mine I can hear a difference in the exhaust noise starts to growl. Then I increase throttle. If I try and hammer throttles from the start props will cavatate (spin) then I have to start all over. This can also happen if the water conditions are rough making it harder to get on plain.
12-16-2011, 09:52 AM
#14
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Where did you buy your boat from? We bought a 42' Wellcraft Eagle (1986 offshore style, not the newer cruiser style) from FL and brought it up to MI. The boat was propped all wrong for fresh water and it was a bear to get on plane. We messed around with about 5 sets of wheels and settled on a set of three blade mirage props 2 pitch sizes down.
Getting on plane still wasn't easy, drives in, tabs down, put it at around 2200-2500 and eased it up to about 3200 and let the boat catch up with the props. Occasionally it would "blow out" and more or less free spin the props and we'd have to start all over. There was no "WOT" planing on that boat, it just wouldn't happen.
After it was on plane it drove great. You could accelerate the boat as fast as you wanted and it handled awesome, it was just getting it on plane that was a b!tch.
Getting on plane still wasn't easy, drives in, tabs down, put it at around 2200-2500 and eased it up to about 3200 and let the boat catch up with the props. Occasionally it would "blow out" and more or less free spin the props and we'd have to start all over. There was no "WOT" planing on that boat, it just wouldn't happen.
After it was on plane it drove great. You could accelerate the boat as fast as you wanted and it handled awesome, it was just getting it on plane that was a b!tch.
12-16-2011, 09:57 AM
#15
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I had a 38 Special and they are a easy and fun boat to drive once you get use to it.... I found it was very easy to maneuver around the docks and I could dock just about anywhere!
As for planning off.. I always took it slow. Drives tucked in, tabs were usually neutral or a tic down. I'd give it about 1/2 or 3/4 throttle and let it bring its self up on plane. Once there trim it out a little and then you can bring the throttle up more if you want. I ran my tabs most of the time at netural and just used them to help with the balance of the boat.. If you bury the tabs then the boat is going to bow steer when you hit every wave.
Mine had 1.36 Bravo's with 19p 3 blade Mirage props. I found this was a unusual set up but it worked well. I never broke a drive in the 6 years I owned it. It had carbed 502 mags and ran 58mph (One time I saw just over 60mph on my gps), not crazy fast but a great Lake of the Ozarks boat!
Have Fun!!
As for planning off.. I always took it slow. Drives tucked in, tabs were usually neutral or a tic down. I'd give it about 1/2 or 3/4 throttle and let it bring its self up on plane. Once there trim it out a little and then you can bring the throttle up more if you want. I ran my tabs most of the time at netural and just used them to help with the balance of the boat.. If you bury the tabs then the boat is going to bow steer when you hit every wave.
Mine had 1.36 Bravo's with 19p 3 blade Mirage props. I found this was a unusual set up but it worked well. I never broke a drive in the 6 years I owned it. It had carbed 502 mags and ran 58mph (One time I saw just over 60mph on my gps), not crazy fast but a great Lake of the Ozarks boat!
Have Fun!!
12-16-2011, 01:22 PM
#17
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I bring mine up gently too.
Drives completely in, tabs at about almost half down, and start with half to a little more throttle. As she begins to roll over I increase power just a tad and thumb my drives out just a little bit. If I try to much throttle the props slip easily. Once up and moving on plane I take the tabs up completely, get my drives up a little bit more, get to my cruising speed of choice and then pull my drives out until I feel the sweet spot of a little more speed at the rpm. I'm then going a bit faster and if I don't feel level I tab to level up. Once there we're cruising and it's just more throttle and a typically bit more out on the drives to get to top speed. I suck way to much fuel to stay at that speed for very long though.
Congrats on your boat!!!
We enjoy heavy boats compared to many on the board.
DON'T come up hard on the throttles the boat is to heavy.
It's hard on your drives and you'll spin props, wjb21town is correct let your boat speed catch up to the prop speed.
You've got an awesome user friendly big party ride.
Post some pic's for us.
See ya,
Kelly
Drives completely in, tabs at about almost half down, and start with half to a little more throttle. As she begins to roll over I increase power just a tad and thumb my drives out just a little bit. If I try to much throttle the props slip easily. Once up and moving on plane I take the tabs up completely, get my drives up a little bit more, get to my cruising speed of choice and then pull my drives out until I feel the sweet spot of a little more speed at the rpm. I'm then going a bit faster and if I don't feel level I tab to level up. Once there we're cruising and it's just more throttle and a typically bit more out on the drives to get to top speed. I suck way to much fuel to stay at that speed for very long though.
Congrats on your boat!!!
We enjoy heavy boats compared to many on the board.
DON'T come up hard on the throttles the boat is to heavy.
It's hard on your drives and you'll spin props, wjb21town is correct let your boat speed catch up to the prop speed.
You've got an awesome user friendly big party ride.
Post some pic's for us.
See ya,
Kelly
12-16-2011, 04:34 PM
#18
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Everyone is spot on about about easing on plane. The tabs help quite a bit.
Hammering the throttles out of the hole is like pulling a pin on a hand grenade and waiting for the greande to explode. Using this practice, its only a matter of time before something explodes.
My previous 42, always used tabs to come on plane. Made things easier. The 45 doesnt require any, she comes right up, and I ease her up. Very little bow rise too.
Experiment with tab position when comming on plane, you will find what works best. Rougher water, all the way down usually works best. Props make a tremendous difference too.
Hammering the throttles out of the hole is like pulling a pin on a hand grenade and waiting for the greande to explode. Using this practice, its only a matter of time before something explodes.
My previous 42, always used tabs to come on plane. Made things easier. The 45 doesnt require any, she comes right up, and I ease her up. Very little bow rise too.
Experiment with tab position when comming on plane, you will find what works best. Rougher water, all the way down usually works best. Props make a tremendous difference too.
