Offshoreonly.com - Start to Finish: Building Our 50' Skater

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 24OL4NOW (Post 4418607)

One of the best threads on any forum to date. Thanks again for the quick "skater tow" couple years back! (42 Fountain Aqua Fin cove) Wish you guys best of luck!! Thanks again!

Thanks, and Your welcome, we are putting a big tow eye in the back of the new boat. We will be able to tow you back home on plane next time.

Nothing to add but just wanted to say that is bad azz and good luck to you. You have seriously put some thought into this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigyellowcat (Post 4418627)

Thanks, and Your welcome, we are putting a big tow eye in the back of the new boat. We will be able to tow you back home on plane next time.

You forgot to mention, bring some wet weather gear, you'll need it getting towed through that rooster-tail!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigyellowcat (Post 4417759)

The valve body for my transmission. The transmission will be electric shift. I have designed and built a transmission that does not work like any transmission that has ever been built. Kind of risky, but I'm 99% sure its going to work. It will be able to run full time in forward and full time in reverse so that if we break props and have two that are left that spin the same direction we will just run a little slower but still be able to run. The added benefit is that we can run the props turning in or turning out just by flipping a switch. If were full of gas and the water is rough the first half we may run turning in if its more efficient that way. Then half way stop and switch the props to spinning out and run faster in the smooth water while were light on fuel. I made it so we can pull a cover off and replace a part to lock it in gear where it just becomes direct drive if the clutches burn up, pump or valve body fail.

Another thing with being electric shift, electronic throttle and autopilot, is I have the ability to run the boat by remote control. That will make unloading at the ramp easier by myself. I will just back down, unhook the bow eye and get back in the truck and start the boats engines, back it off the trailer into the middle of the lake, go park the truck and trailer then walk down to the dock and have the boat drive it self up to get me.

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That will be cool to see!! A giant remote control Skater. Good luck with everything!!!

BigSilverCat, what props do you plan on using? I see you previously had Herings, this might be a good application for titanium props...didn't Hering have them once upon a time? I have friends that oval race sleds that use titanium springs that retain their properties race after race, standard springs are shot after just one race.

I want to believe Hering debuted the Ti props 3-4 years ago Loto shootout weekend. I was interested in testing a set until I heard the price. If I'm not mistaken they ended up being on the brittle side & haven't heard much about them since.
With the prop issues Tyson & Chris experienced in the Vee I'm thinking light weight isn't the solution when seeking durability.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NASCAT (Post 4418801)

Very true, plus I heard they also flexed a lot. Pretty cool and I remember holding them, felt like a frisby lol. And ya expensive as hell.

I may be mistaken then, maybe it was flex & and not them being brittle. For whatever reason they never seemed to gain much traction.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NASCAT (Post 4418823)

I may be mistaken then, maybe it was flex & and not them being brittle. For whatever reason they never seemed to gain much traction.

The reason no one ever saw them again was because we broke them. They sent them to me to try, they made it 3 minuites getting engine warmed up then floored it for about 5 seconds and I broke them. They did not make anymore of them. The only cool thing about them was when you through a blade it was not as out of balance from the light weight.

I doubt they flexed, we did not run long enough to check prop slip.

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Originally Posted by BigSilverCat (Post 4417909)

The boat should be done in around a month, so we might make it to lake Havasu. Then tickfaw, the lake race at lake of the Ozarks, the MACC military show in Baltimore, then jacksonville poker run, lake lanier, skater fest in Detroit, Loto shootout, key west races.

I plan to be stationed in the middle of the Detroit River, for Skaterfest, to snap some video (as I have every year). I hope to get some good video of this beast in action..... Make sure to do a close fly bye past the Solid White Concept CC with green and Blue trim....