Found this:
”On modern Deep V hulls, this is done for better balance, front to rear, but mainly to get the two engines closer together than you could if they were literally side by side. This closer placement allows the outdrives to be closer together as well, and closer means they can mount the drives deeper in the V of the transom. This helps get more of the hull out of the water when on plane.”

and this thread:

https://seriousoffshore.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=15663

All above prob not absolutes, but good info/ideas/etc

Thanks again.

Much appreciated.

And a 104 mph Panther???
Holy hell Batman!

So they did their kilo run and race conditions with that same C of G?

35% of 25’ hull is 8’9”.

Sooooooooooooo………., if a build a small cradle to fit the keel of my boat, in that general area, buy a stronger floor jack and just start lifting it until it starts lifting evenly, as in not bow first etc, I think I’d find what I’m after.

More great reading!

Thx!

same set up, kilo and race. Last time i talked to sprague (9 years ago) it was 108 with the upgraded engines.
i would search the threads about his set up, an awful lot of work was done to achieve that 30/35%, alot of bottom work to get it's running angle and alot of lake x time.
someone was joking about it as the million dollar scarab with the work, could've been him.
good reading for sure

You could probably slide a cradle back and forth and jack it off the trailer to find that cg, but that cradle should go out to the chines if possible
bottle jack

Talked to Kenny from Velocity and they recommend staggered if your running 110 or more in the 39. It keeps you from getting airborne. I removed some weight from my engine compartment and moved my toolbox and supplies from the cabin to the engine compartment and I run more trim than I used to in big water, so removing the weight moved the CG forward. In rough water you want the CG a lot more forward to keep the boat level. I run a lot in 3'+ in everything from a 16' Senza to my Velocity 280 and they both liked a full tank of gas otherwise you are pounding your brains out. The Senza had the fuel tank up front, may not have been the fastest but I could run in anything.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c18994a083.jpg

This reminds me of the wide F-14 fuselage that provided a full 25% of the total lift.

Found some good Int.

Anything traveling in 2 different fluids (air/water) is going to be more complicated. Increased speed and choppy water ads to the complexity.

While knowing the working to the static CG helps, the dynamic CG is where it all comes together, and it always moves with speed.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...86d5ac95ed.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...3355782b92.jpg

https://www.aeromarineresearch.com/d...stability.html

Interesting that you posted this as I am a friend of the author and was just thinking of reading up on it one of his books that I have.

THANKS!

And yeah, when the hull is light enough and has enough bow lift, it is a moving target.

The boat in that picture is an Allison (had one) and the guys w/the fast ones move sand bags (small, 2-5 lbs) around to balance the boat at speed!

Some of the prettiest vee bottoms at speed!

At an event I used to host, we had GPS runs.

Throw a handheld GPS in the boat and give drivers 15 mins to post a number.

Was held on the Ohio River and one yr in less than optimal conditions, for 500 lb hulls w/300 + HP.

Fastest boat was a Fla buddy in his STV tunnel boat at 128!
(Had been 144 in perfect conditions!)

He told me to give the award to the 2nd place boat which was an Allison at 126!

Was a magical moment as everyone else had run and were standing on the river banks waiting for this boats pass.

As he was rounding the bend in the river (@ WFO!) a barge was passing in front of us so we all knew he’d have to abort his run.

The barges knew our event was taking place and passed at an idle to reduce wake but it was still there.

So this guys bad ass Merc is echoing off the trees at 10,500, he catches the barge, then his wake and did not lift!!
Could have heard a pin drop on the shore line.

He passed us and that barge at 126, idles into shore and hands me that GPS.

I read the # to the gang and they thought they had just seen God walk on water!

That boat was balanced!

Then the drivers crew arrived w/a wheel barrel for his balls!