Winger Ed.
Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2004
- Messages
- 649
Took the 16' Aluminum Hydroplane with it's 150 Black Max. to the lake today and got to drive it. Now I know what them dope addicts fell when that narcotic runs up and hits their brain.<br /><br /><br />After 11 months, 12 tanks of Argon, 15 pounds of Alum. welding rods, 7,000 rivets, 14 gallons of that 2 part foam stuff, lots of nuts & bolts, one heck of a backyard paint job, adapting a trailer, much contemplation, etc., etc.,,,, We took it to the lake for Sea Trials today.<br /><br /><br />My buddy had a temporary setback with his 85 mph STV that he was going to 'chase' and take pictures with. But he'll have it back together next week....<br /><br />We just sort of guessed at the setup. Picked a arbitrary elevation and trim when we hung the engine.<br /><br />The motor was so deep that it wouldn't rev up over 5,200 rpm with the big eared Mercury Tempest 25p prop.<br /><br />I didn't take time to raise the jack plate as the lake was getting rougher and rougher as the day progressed. I did raise the trim a notch and went from 59.7 mph on the GPS at 5200 rpm to 61.7mph at 4900. Tilting the engine up a notch got more boat up and out of the water, reducing the 'slippage' or inefficiency of the prop from 8% to 2%. <br /><br /><br />We still have lots of work to do on the set-up, and I've bummed a 29p surface driving Chopper prop to try out. Getting about half the prop up out of the water should cut the drag/resistance of the water WAY down.<br /><br />What I'm looking for is a prop & set up that will tach. out at 6500 rpm running in the 90mph range without it having to actualy 'fly' and the rear of the sponsons or the last few inches of the rear end losing contact with the water to do so.<br /><br />Anyway:<br /><br />I couldn't be happier with this boat. It takes off out of the hole a little slow with this ventilated prop, but once it gets up 'on plane' I guess you'd say, in a few seconds, it will stick you back in the seat and try to turn your sunglasses into contact lenses as it goes from 20 to 60 in a couple of hundred yards.<br /><br /><br />Its as stable as you could ask for. All through acceleration, the bow stays level and doesn't rise. In the turns it doesn't tip. At 60, the rear 4-6 inches of the sponsons are on the water, with no sensation that it wants to 'kite' or flip over.<br /><br /><br />It was great. The "POCO LOCO" project has been a huge success.
<---<br /><br />Once again Ed. POCO LOCO looks great!! .. glad to hear it's coming together as a whole now and running adjustments are infront of you!! <br /><br />Good Luck on the 'dial-in' and keep us posted to new improvements.<br /><br />BTW -- gotta love colored contacts!! 