Will My Boat work?

[WimJall]

How will I know if I can pull a skier? A tuber? Or anything?
Stupid question?
Here's the deal, I have a 1958 16' MFG fiberglass boat. Has a 1967 40hp big twin. With my wife, two kids and I it topped out around 26mph (GPS)
And this is my family and I's first boat and the kids want to ski.

Do I make the investment on all the gear to tow a skier to see it won't work? Or do you guys tell me it won't work. That's the question. thanks

 

[jbcurt00]

How old are the kids?

2 pre-teens on 2 skies, yep, 25mph and a 40hp will probably do plenty well enough......

2 older teens, wanting to be pulled up on a single slalom, maybe, maybe not.... are they thin or heavy?

 

[WimJall]

How old are the kids?

2 pre-teens on 2 skies, yep, 25mph and a 40hp will probably do plenty well enough......

2 older teens, wanting to be pulled up on a single slalom, maybe, maybe not.... are they thin or heavy?

My kids are 15 & 12
Son 140# 6'
Daughter 90# 5'6"
Both skinny
Me 160#

 

[skibrain]

I’m a fan of using whatever you’ve got, so I’d try it.
Depending on how heavy that hull is, It will be borderline for hole shot if the boat only goes 26 mph. 20 mph is all you need for waterskiing speed on 2 skis.

Even though none of you are big people, you might need to leave two people on the dock for water sports. That was always the drill when I grew up skiing with 40 hp. But ours was a 13’ boat weighing 500# and it would top out34-35 mph.

I'd look for some cheap garage sale waterskis (adult sized) give it a try, and if it works decide if you want to upgrade.

 

[jimmbo]

When I was 14, I learned to waterski behind a 14 ft Skagit with a 1963 40 hp Johnson. 3 weeks later I was slaloming and a did several deep water starts on the Single Ski. I would guess I was about 145 lbs. Our Skagit had a very wide Transom, which help pull up skiers. Next year we got a bigger boat with what was a 'Big'(90 hp) engine in those days

Larger Skies, and skies that don't taper down will help when using lower HP

 

[WimJall]

I’m a fan of using whatever you’ve got, so I’d try it.
Depending on how heavy that hull is, It will be borderline for hole shot if the boat only goes 26 mph. 20 mph is all you need for waterskiing speed on 2 skis.

Even though none of you are big people, you might need to leave two people on the dock for water sports. That was always the drill when I grew up skiing with 40 hp. But ours was a 13’ boat weighing 500# and it would top out34-35 mph.

I'd look for some cheap garage sale waterskis (adult sized) give it a try, and if it works decide if you want to upgrade.

I'm unsure I can leave two people at the dock, considering by law I need a spotter. But thanks for your response, I am going to find some skis and hardware and give it a shot.

 

[skibrain]

Driver and spotter, but not 4-5 in the boat while doing water sports. Spotter sitting in front, not back of boat to help it plane out better.

 

[jimmbo]

 

[skibrain]

jimmbo how is a photo of Glastron GT150 with OMC 85hp and a too-tall 48” pylon (likely with motor not trimmed all the way down) relevant to the conversation?

 

[WimJall]

Well I have some skis and rope, now just waiting for the weather to cooperate on any given weekend..


Here's the culprit just for me to show it off

 

[WimJall]

jimmbo how is a photo of Glastron GT150 with OMC 85hp and a too-tall 48” pylon (likely with motor not trimmed all the way down) relevant to the conversation?

Are you saying I need to keep the motor dropped down to the lowest pin?
And I think his photo was just showing the spotter in the front.. But I have no idea at all. Just a new guy here trying to learn.

 

[jimmbo]

jimmbo how is a photo of Glastron GT150 with OMC 85hp and a too-tall 48” pylon (likely with motor not trimmed all the way down) relevant to the conversation?

It wasn't a GT 150, or an 85, It was a Vanguard Banshee, a Canadian Flip of the Glastron, the engine was a 115.

As for the Relevancy. it shows how high the bow can get when the spotter is in a poor location. especially with lots of power.

The skier popped out quick and the boat was on plane very fast. I was using a Motor drive on the camera and those shots were about 1/20 sec apart.

 

[jimmbo]

Are you saying I need to keep the motor dropped down to the lowest pin?

You don't have power trim, so the tilt pin setting has to be a compromise. Putting it in the lowest will likely drop the bow too much, and the resulting plowing will reduce your speed and could compromise the steering of the boat at speed. 2nd hole out is usually the best position, unless your boat has a very angled transom What pitch of Propeller are you running on your motor.? I would suggest a 11" or even a 10", when pulling a skier. We used a 12" on 14ft, and it could pull me out on one ski.

 

[sickwilly]

Really neat old boat. Looking forward to a pic of a kid skiing behind it.

 

[WimJall]

You don't have power trim, so the tilt pin setting has to be a compromise. Putting it in the lowest will likely drop the bow too much, and the resulting plowing will reduce your speed and could compromise the steering of the boat at speed. 2nd hole out is usually the best position, unless your boat has a very angled transom What pitch of Propeller are you running on your motor.? I would suggest a 11" or even a 10", when pulling a skier. We used a 12" on 14ft, and it could pull me out on one ski.

I'm unsure of the pitch of my prop.. A 9 comes to mind. I'll be sure to check what's stamped this weekend.

 

[jimmbo]

If it is a 9" It will have blades as big as Dumbo's ears. At least that's how I remember the one I saw in 1974

Here is the Prop chart for the engine, from the 1981 OMC accessory catalog. I always found it to be a little Optimistic on the what size of a boat each pitch could handle. We found a 12" to be the best on our 14 footer, which is why I figured an 11" for your 16. Some part #s may have changed over the years

 

[WimJall]

If it is a 9" It will have blades as big as Dumbo's ears. At least that's how I remember the one I saw in 1974

Here is the Prop chart for the engine, from the 1981 OMC accessory catalog. I always found it to be a little Optimistic on the what size of a boat each pitch could handle. We found a 12" to be the best on our 14 footer, which is why I figured an 11" for your 16. Some part #s may have changed over the years

Lmao! Well, I can tell you it is not that big!

 

[flyingscott]

Your boat will absolutely work for those kids. Pulling somebody up on 2 skis is not hard for your motor. Just for giggles when we.were teenagers we skied behind a 14' richline with a 25 hp scott.

 

[Beagleville]

When I was 11 we skiied behind a 10 hp Evinrude. I tried it later as an adult and no dice.