Hi everybody.
I put her in the water Saturday. Here's what I learned:
She may be a bit tail heavy. First "run" was a little wierd. Changed the trim on the motor to lowest and got happy real fast.
With me alone in the boat and a 5 gallon jug of water in the bow, and a motor that I wont run over half throttle (break in) -
sitting on the rear plank seat - gradual throttle roll - she tilts up, climbing out of the hole and the bow drops down to a very nice level.
Plane speed is at 24-25 which takes half throttle.
The wind picked up a few times Saturday and I got a chance to see what rough water felt like. She did fine at cutting through the white caps.
Nothing huge but it brought back memories from my teens in my Grandfathers skiff on Lake Ponchatrain in Louisiana,
Rough water was the norm.
The biggest aggrivation was a vibration coming from what looks like a loose bond between the aluminum gunnell and the alum side of the boat.
I'm figuring to pump a little 5200 up there to quiet things down.
Everyone has said it would fly on the water and I suppose that the old saying rings true,
"if 50 people tell you you're drunk, its time to sit down" - taking guesses on top end !
I am curious what she will do with the rest of the power band hat has yet to be introduced.
You can bet it will be on a lake of glass.
Although I felt the same way about the Chief at first when at WOT up around 50 MPH, well beyond the hulls design but when stronger than new it's not a worry.