How will my boat handle loto?
 

I have been to loto several times but everytime we went it was during the shootout or some large event. I was also in a 25ft baja outlaw everytime. Honestly we got beat to death and had to run like 25 mph in his. I have a 1989 sonic 31ss with twin 454's. How will it handle the lake? Will I be able to open up and get on top of the waves or just have to crash through them? I can run a little over 60 with my setup and full of riders and coolers. We are staying at tantara and got the good covered slips waaay in the back like we have all previous times. Does anyone have any comments on how to run this style and size boat there. I have had it on ky lake and it did fine but the waves were probably 1-2fters and the boat held pretty straight and solid. Thanks for input guys.

Before buying my Apache I test drove a 31ss at loto on a Sunday morning around 11:30 (non holiday,non event weekend). My wife was actually pregnant at the time and we were running it hard and seeing right at 70mph with 502's. You had to throttle it a bit but I only remember one hard landing that my wife gave me "the look" when I miss cued a launch.

You aren't going to be able to run WOT all the time but my experience is that the sonic actually rides better in the bumps on top of the water. I was running a little trim and using slight tab input to keep bow attitude to fly level (this is actually the same way I run my 36').

The sonic is a good riding boat and I actually looked hard at 35' and 38's when we were in the market. We have a small kid and we decided that the 31' wasn't going to be quite big enough for us.

-Josh

I'm not sure I understand 100% how to throttle a boat??? Around here I can pretty much get on top of the waves and just cruise from one to the next without every touching the throttle. Worst we get here is big 2 footers and that is a rare day. At ky lake I would have to throttle down occassionally but it wasn't a constant throttle in and out. Can someone explain the throttling to me a little? Maybe it's something I kind of sub consciously do

to keep from blowing a drive, you need to learn how to get out of the throttle hen you feel the boat is ready to launch off a wave and time it that you are back on the throttle when the props reenter the water, put your tabs down and run 45-50mph at loto in the rough stuff

Appreciate the info guys...

We took our 29 outlaw there several times. Lots of fun! No problem. Just pay attention to whats comming

The boat will handle LOTO fine... you'll like it...

You will have no problems

When your prop's break the water surface the lack of resistance from the water will cause your rpms to spike towards your revlimiter and then when you re-enter that prop spinning like a bat out of hell is like hitting concrete due to the surface tension of the water.

So, you will learn to get in "your rhythm" and thottle in and out of the waves (so prop speed slows clear back at re-entry). In the ocean or large lakes it is much easier to do because the waves are wind generated and harmonic. Loto is more of a washing machine so you will learn what sorts of waves are going to cause your boat to launch and consequently require heads up throttling.

My boat is very heavy and has 4 blades on bravos so I have to be a bit more careful than someone with a light boat and three blades.

As someone else mentioned you can also dump your tabs and run @ 40mph and not have much worry about other than maybe taking some spray over the fairing.

Hopefully that makes sense..

-Josh

I have 23 pitch 4 blade bravo ones...yeh at loto it seems like we fell more side to side than bouncing up and down... Hoping the beam and size of mine will dilute that some. Why do you have to be more careful with the four blades compared to 3? Thinner blades?

Less bite.

The boat will handle it fine, but you will catch some air. You need to learn how to pull the throttles back quick right as you feel yourself launching. Then get back on the throttles as the boat comes back down. Its all in the timing and knowing your boat. Only run as fast as you completely comforatable with. The boat wakes are generally 2-5's and come from all directions. Don't worry about about hitting the smaller ones perfect, but hitting the 4-5's as straight on as you can helps a lot.

Just remember its not the launching that hurts, its the landings:D

Most of the time, I can run 55-65mph in about any water at LOTO.

Exactly. Less blades = more slip at re-entry which inturn doesn't stress the drive. I considered going to five blades to pick up cruise efficiency and opted not to because those five blades aren't very forgiving if you aren't paying attention and miss cue a launch.

Just take your time until you get used to it and you will be fine. Our old resin bucket is pretty slow and most the time we cruise in the 45-55mph range and have a blast. There is always going to be someone faster.. Especially at LOTO

Just like that...:drink:

Agree, I had mine there last year and had a blast with it! Ky lake gets pretty ruff at times, so if you ever make it down we can air them out! :drink:

And this is why I don't sleep at night.:evilb: And very true.

Remind us again of your record time to big dicks... Wasn't it like 14 or 16 minutes? You and your croanies are the ones I'm talking about LOL.. Most of us aren't even in the same league.

Your ride from fish n company that one night with us was probably the slowest ride of your life.

Im in the poker run for sure if you all can get the water down below interstate level by then lol. I can't wait for that one.

Dyno Sheet :readinghelp::crazy::throw:
Go to sleep Mr.
dat rite there is a gooood motor !!!

I'm going to scan it and post up a modest pump gas motor.:lolhit:

No the slowest rides are when one of these big power rigs kill a motor.:drink: Now that's a SLOW ride home.:lolhit:

And you guys had a good sound track on. We went to KC to see AC/DC a month ago.

Must have pictures of the KK gas station too.:drink:

It will be back to normal next week! :drink:

you'll be fine , especially if you go up to the big niagua

weapon, I heard you build one heck of a big power pump gas motor

It will depend on where you stay and what you want to too. If you try to run the main channel 5mm - 26mm it could be a little rough on a Saturday afternoon. I would think you would get along fine.

And without Meth injection.:lolhit:

You cant say Meth around here :lolhit::eek:






Subliminal ( Go to the shed ) the shed is calling come and get me!

Ditto on what Eddie said. A little time learning to deal with the crazy crossed up waves coming from every angle on the weekends will help. If you want to play at speed on the weekend you have to take it fairly seriously and keep on top of things in the that area, but the rest of the time you should be happily cruising along enjoying the views. I don't have many Sonic brothers on the water down there so hopefully I can catch up with 'ya for a brew or two.

Well the weekend went pretty wel on LOTO. IT was still a very rough ride. Popped one of those long cylinder fuses out of the holder, popped off and broke and interior light cover... I never actually saw my rpms raise so I dont guess I was ever really catching any air. I can only run about 55 loaded down so we really couldnt get on top of the waves and run. I kept the drives all the way down and used a little tab to keep the nose from porpoising like crazy.

If you were running the Ozarks on Saturday, and that's the only thing that came loose, I'd call that a successful weekend!
I never push it much myself, so I rarely break anything... :rolleyes: