[QUOTE]Originally posted by ONESICKGLADIATOR
[B]Just put a bigger motor in the boat if you want more speed.

Would love too, the wife has other plans for that $$$

waxing the bottom is a waste of time because it will not stay on for more the 10 feet [/B][/QUOTE]

Especially in the upper Chesapeake Bay with it's notorious shallow water

I waxed my bottom and it hurt like hell, pulled all the hair right out!! Oops, wrong bottom story... (hehe)

I have heard / been told NO WAX on the bottom as well, it's all physics and although a waxed surface on the deck repels water, underwater it will create "suction". I always wondered if you could make a boats bottom resemble the surface of a golf ball, would that work? The dimples make the ball fly further and all by reducing aerodynamic drag, and the bottom of one of my knee boards has dimples on it to reduce hydrodynamic drag and promote softer landings and better releases, sooooo... Dimple the bottom of a boat and what would happen!? Just a screwy thought and all, but I always wondered?

Wet sand the bottom. Think of waxing as the "anti-step".

That's it ...I'm hanging my boat in the air and denting the crap out of the bottom. I'll post results

I tried some some of these ideas on my speed ski and noticed some interesting results. Since this was a water ski that you are standing on, you can really feel small bottom changes at anything over 70mph. It get's extremely noticable at 85+.

Glossy bottom was very sticky. Mucho drag.
Sanded with 600 was noticably less friction.
Painted with graphite and sanded with 600 was downright slick.

Again, over 70mph to notice any real difference. Also, this was fresh water. In salt water, there was almost no difference at all between the different surfaces. I think salt water is just more slick already.

My 2 cents.

Jody165 - What did you paint the bottom of your boat with??

powerguy, I painted the bottom of my speed ski, not my boat.

The paint I used is:
"Lubri-bond"
Air dry solid film lubricant A

I think rexmar.com carries it.

Just leave it in the water for months till blisters appear, then chisel 'em clean and there ya go. Let me know how it works

Great Idea....I'll park up on the philly waterfront for a month, that oughta do it!!