cbdragon

I went for the first ride with Don in the 39. It had no Deck. All open with plywood bulk heads. It was one of those NE Miami days.......milky ocean water. Morris controls on a podium box with 2 towel bars as grad handles standing on the gas tanks. He put the life jackets 2 bulkheads forward. We got stopped by the Marine Police coming in Haulover. You can guess the rest. Craig

Andrew Corn

Steve, I'm still trying to figure out your "weight high" CG thing and the "rocking/rolling pendulum action" you're talking about.

The boat has no higher CG then a typical vee. The engines were still in the same place, the tanks were still in the same place and the floor height was the same.

The boat rocked less than any vee bottom simply because the floatation was 4 feet farther apart (basic pontoon theory). It ran like a vee because it was a vee (37.6 Cigarette Race Boat) and it ran a little slower because it was heavier. No mystery here. Simple physics.

Did you need to run it with the tunnel clean, yes, because just like all cats, at certain speeds in certain seas the tunnel will slap.

Most 38 Cigarettes with 440's ran basically the same speed as them because it is a 38 Cigarette! That would be mid to upper 60's.

The 39 Cat ran 72 with 400 Merlins and Arnesons. The difference being that it could cruise at a higher speed. I propped it at 68 tops because it gave me better all around boating usage.

Just like any boat, after your first couple of hundred hours of operating in open ocean with one you will figure out the finer points of it and be able to run comfortably.

AC

Andrew Corn

Yep, those were the days, what was more scary was that 27 that he built where we ran the actual wooden plug! But he was a legend and you went even if you questioned if it was smart or not. When he said get in we're going testing, you did.

AC

PS> I don't think he was any crazier then you, me and Segreni and some of those adventures.

Comanche3Six

Andrew
There is one for sale in the classifieds. I believe it has 800 hp BBC engines and Mercruiser #3 speed master drives. How do you think it would perform? Not looking to pin you down....just your best guess.
Thanks
Ed

Andrew Corn

#3s were a weak link in pleasure boat market to start with because of the expense to maintain, 800hp is about max on them. For all around ocean boat for the Bahamas and long distance would not be my choice for this boat.

It will run a few miles per hour less than an old Top Gun, like I said before because of weight. The running surface/floating surface is a 37.6 Cigarette ie. Ajac Hawk (plugged 39 Cigarette Mold). It is considerably heavier because of the additional deckage, floor, and tunnel along with the supporting structures.

For me, after running one for years with Arnesons and Diesels I wouldn't go any other way with this model boat.

It's not a modern speed deamon (60-70) but for an all around party platform to take your friends (all of them at the same time) there is not many boats that compare even today.

My advice if you want one is to either purchase without and repower or part it out and repower.

AC

PS> I wouldn't use the ZF trans again, I would have Wiesmann build me a shiftable trans for better options getting on plane and around the dock.

Steve 1

Andrew Right; now you take those Vee Bottom 25 to 40 degree "Sponsons" add the extra Pico style laminate/tons to make the Twin hull/deck notice I avoid the word Cat.
Now try to support this at "slow speeds" remember my post But I will answer it simply cannot develop the lift until maybe 40-50 to provide solid support and the Cg was a mile high on the one we had seems we do not care about tapering the mass on these twin hulls Like a deck built halfway modern Halfway.

Your pontoon theory is good except for one fact and that is these are NOT pontoons they are pieces of a vee hull with Point of maximum buoyancy/flotation static and lift coming on plane is four feet apart Better if you reversed them BUT consider this If they had say 12 s-24 b degrees deadrise maybe ??

Main problem is Weight second problem weight in the wrong places third is the complete lack of support Both static(I would love to see the curves of form on one of those) and dynimic fourth it runs with a wet tunnel or whatever you call that water scoop thing fifth you need a seat belt when you back off the throttles..

Like I said we had to make one of these things run..Quickest solution was to throw weight overboard and bolt outboards to it..even then 64 was about it with 1000 hp.

Comanche3Six

Andrew...Thanks for the advice

Andrew Corn

Steve,

Sorry you had such a bad experience.

My 400 to 500 hours per year or more of running one in open ocean are a lot different than your experience.

AC

Steve 1

No not at all; just not something I would use as any base standard or Holy Grail ,There is nothing really Right about it ,and no amount of sea miles can correct small things like the running surface tapering in to the transom.

Andrew Corn

Steve,

Purely your opinion vs my experience, the boat runs great and is a fantastic all around boat rigged/configured the way we did it. All the owners were/are happy with the performance as were their guests.

Therefore if the owners/customers and their guests are happy then it is right!

AC