Just when I had myself talked out of it.....LOL.......What exactly is blueprinting the bottom? Taking the hook out and sharpening the strakes? Since you have done one I'm sure you have a handle on this.

Oh, and on the size of the boats, the guy with the 18' outboard put two 100 pound dumbells in the front. He turned back after the first stop.............

Why not? You just said yourself that you had a 236 running 85 mph in 2-4 footers!

Little boat + big water can be a lot of fun!

Art, is there a way I can get ahold of you? I would like to discuss the bottom with you a little more. I bought a Garmin gps today and got 67.9 at just under 5000 with the 23 REV 4. It was not a good air day, should pick up with less heat and humidity. Days like this we are off at least two tenths with the cars.

If your boat runs like a top and handles good, why mess with it?

That point is well taken, believe me I have not ordered the filler for the bottom yet. I went over the top with my Chevelle and got to the point where it was not enjoyable any more. It took all I had not to order heads when I built this motor. 521 with ported peanut port heads and 87 octane is making the most out of every cfm I can squeeze through them. I just thought that there might be some easy, relatively cheap gains to be had with the bottom. I bought this boat from the Insurance company after it had been partially sunk at the dock. Making the most without going overkill has been the plan the whole time, But being a speed junkie, you know theres always that little extra you might be able to find..........

Monkey, Had a 232 rinker with 454 power filled the hook area with eurosolft. Gave the boat 1.5MPH had a sports car feel with a slight porpoise.

Monkey..
when you blueprint the bottom.. you take a point 10' or so from the transom on the keel.. now draw two lines, from that point to each corner of the transom. This make a triangle. Hope that makes sense.
Anyway that area is the most likely to be the wetted surface and affect speed, handling, etc. You want it flat, sharp, and symetrical from side to side.
Some boats have hook built in.. to aid in planning and handling. I took out hook on my 25' Checkmate in the first two feet or so.. I didnt seem much of a change. Of course this was before GPS, so who knows??
Any way I proceeded to work my way forward and flattend about 6 feet of the center, there was sort of a pad on that hull.. Well all was good for a while. I would run 60 or so in 3 ft waves and all of a sudden a 4' would come along and pow.. the bow would point to the moon.. One time I came went up and tucked the steering wheel into my gut.. Hit the throttle hard to soften the landing, but I landed on the transom.. broke off a swim step.. Well from there it was trip and stuff.. well almost.
It kept doing it, everynow and then.. Violent reaction to one rogue wave.. I talked to a guy at the factory. He told me I took out too much hook.. Add some back in but do it out further.. I did and it worked great.. Except when I was on the river, I could feel the boat fighting the wedges I had added to the bottom.. out on the second strake, or between them rather.
Well ened up building tabs, moved them in and down close to the bottom.. When I was on Lake Mich.. tabs down 3/8".. fly ten feet in the air, but would fly flat.. On the river,, tabs up, go like H.... ..

So becareful.. It sounds like Cropfarmer has done it with one similar, without problems.. A flat bottom will go faster, but depends on what kind of boat, water, and boating you do..

Keep listening.. there is a ton of experience on this board. And have fun!! I hope you didnt sell the Chevelle.. I still have my 65 442 in the garage waiting till the boat thing settles.. it may be another 10 or so years. but it will wait..

Dick

Art, [email protected]

I know what you are saying. There are a couple of sayings that go along with this. If it ain't broke, your not trying. And the other case would be to keep fixing it till it's broke. Your boat sounds like it should be fun to take out and not really have to worry about.