formula31

I may be dead wrong here and I know every boat acts different, but I was always under the impression that turning the props in creates stern lift and turning them out helps bow lift. At least my f311 behaved that way. I also dont think nose cones on a TRS are gonna be any help under 85 MPH and will probably hurt with positive trim. Still seems like that Panther should go faster with that kind of HP. Probably need to go to Bravo drives and check drive height to get any better now. I know Scarab3's take lots of HP to exceed 70. Have you weighed the boat?

Panther

There is a long article in Family Performance boating about prop rotation.

Inward rotation raises the bow (Port prop turning clockwise, Starbard turning Counter Clockwise).

The benefits are different for every boat. Some boats it can cause chine walking and instability.

jeffaker

Please contact Tyler Crockett @ 810-324-2720. He recently rigged a late model Scarab that set the B-Class kilo record at over 100 miles per hour! He definately knows the boat.

TomR

Panther,

Your boat looks great, one of my all time favorites!
I have a 88 28ft Scarab Excel with a single 520hp/ 502 running thru a newer Bravo. The boat runs 73+ Gps, not bad but always looking for more!
You mentioned that you had removed the hook from the hull and picked up three mph, did you do this work yourself??
I do have a little hook but have been hesitant to do anything with it.
How is the hook removed, fill the void or remove material from the tail???
Anyone else with experience in this area, please chime in!

X-Rated30

I agree with everyone that you should be going faster with that power. I have a Scarab S-Type with 454/425's and I am running just as fast as you (or I was till I broke the good props).

All I can suggest is changing out the drives. Also, have you ever weighed your boat??? I have heard that soaking up water in the hull can weight it down.

Good looking boat. Good luck.

Panther

Kaama,

Are you running Kaama Surface Drives? I remember looking at a panther that had Kaama's on it, but I didn't but it cause the parts for the drives were expensive. I also heard it is very hard to change the U-Joints, as the bellows is hard to work with? And also hard to find parts. I heard they are expensive also?

Tom,

Thanks, the boat was a long project. I did everything my self, except the upholstry. The hook wasn't very hard to take out, but it took a long time. It depends on how bad your hook is, if you need to fill it, or grind it.

Basically I would say if you take a straigt edge (3yrd straight edge) and lay it under the boat. If the distance is more than say 1/2" you gonna want to fill it in. Mine was borderline, but I wound up sanding it out. The transom of the boat is one of the thickest parts of the boat. A lot of overlapping of the matts. In my case I sanded down so far that I went thru the gel coat, and thru the outter matt. I got down to the pad that helps stop the print thru of the Roving. Once I got down to that I had to gouge it out and fill it back in so everthing was level. After is was straight, shoot it with Gel coat and I was done.

In your case, the boat is newer and may be made of Bi-Axial cloth and you may not run into the same problem I had. Have someone experienced look at the boat. Doing the work is not hard, although time consuming. You just don't want to cause yourself more problems. Filling it in rather than sanding it out is ther hardest way.

X-Rated30

Yes, I have the surface drives, but I also have 125 fewer hp per side. (Wish I had 550's!!!)

As far as the drives go, talk to Brandon at Details Marine in OH (419-798-2628) or else Team Archer Marine in CA. Both can give good info on these drives. Brandon restores lots of boats this age, and I can tell you he will recommend either the Kaamas or Bravos for that boat.

BTW -- I pulled a drive a year or two ago, and the U-joints were WAY easier than working on a Bravo.

Panther

Kaama,
I agree that a Bravo will be faster on this boat. But the cost and time involved to upgrade a 1986 boat to bravo's is just not worth it. I plan on moving up in size shortly to a 36-38ft boat. I will get a boat with the new stuff then. I also see that they make a TRS to Bravo extension box, but the cost of the Bravos just don't make it a worth while investment for 5mph.

I appreciate your input, and you are correct. But for me that just doen't make sense. I think if the boat was the size boat that I wanted I would make the change.

I really just need to know what I can do with my current set-up to make it run better. I know of a guy near me who has one identical to mine and he runs 80. Although, he could be lying. We never did get to race.

Bad to the bone

I have a 1977 cigarette with trs drives. Gutted the boat kept
the trs drives use 26 pitch bravo I. Handles great I also flipped the drives hated the way it handled so i switched back. Don't know about the top end but the bravo I are the way to go.

Panther

Hello All,

Well I pulled of the nose cones last week, and tested the boat this weekend. No difference at all!!! As I thought it didn't make any difference. Looks like I am going to give tyler crockett a call, and see how he made an 87 Panther do 103mph.