Is double the speed a good estimate?

[bczoom]

I used to be into boating a lot (years ago) and worked for a dealership for several years.

For people that didn't know boat speeds, and thought 50 mph was slow (as they're sitting there looking at the boat in the showroom), I always told them that whatever speed you drove a boat, double what's on the speedometer and that's the equivalent to driving a car on land.

Was I about right (since I still use it today).

 

[Doc]

I never heard it put that way, but driving a boat at 40 mph is much easier than driving a car 80 (not counting the tickets). Mine at WOT (wide open throttle) will hit 60. The only time I drove 120 is kinda a blur (young and extra stupid) ..

Over on http://www.speedwake.com/, my favorite boating site, many of those guys can go over 80. Some of the CAT's go close to 120. I think at those speeds it whould be very comparible. You just want to keep er straight ..no sudden moves in both situations.

 

[bczoom]

I never heard it put that way, but driving a boat at 40 mph is much easier than driving a car 80

Hmmm, I've considered those a wash. Driving 40 on water or 80 on the highway is (in my mind pretty close). Trying to take those speeds through rough conditions, or lots of turns, I think the same results may occur.

 

[johnday]

I'm rather new to the boats that'll go over 30 knots, so this is a new kids observation. My boat will run about 55mph according to my GPS. When the wind is hitting you, you really notice it. But if you're sitting, it doesn't seem that fast unless you hook into a wave a little. After spending time on the BIG boats, I've noticed that unless you have a reference point, a stationary object nearby, it's hard to gauge in your mind how fast your going. So, I guess I don't know!!

On a slightly different note. I was thinking of running straight pipes. When at speed with the wind hitting you, I don't notice the engine noise. When sitting out of the wind, I found the engine is loud enough.

Think I'll be taking it out for the last time this year today.

 

[bczoom]

On a slightly different note. I was thinking of running straight pipes. When at speed with the wind hitting you, I don't notice the engine noise. When sitting out of the wind, I found the engine is loud enough.

What kind of exhaust do you have now? Straight pipes are normally VERY loud.

 

[johnday]

What kind of exhaust do you have now? Straight pipes are normally VERY loud.

Right now I've got the stock exhausts. Don't think I'd get off on wearing earplugs when I'm trying to relax, so I'm going to leave it alone. It's loud enough at speed for me. Where I live, there are a lot of the offshore types, man, those things are impressive, and I bet the payments are too!! The guy across the street has a Cigarette. Not sure, but that bad boy is every bit of 42', he told me one time how much HP he had, and it seemed like in one engine, it was more than everything I have added up. And he's got two of them! Never been in one of those, but I'd only have to be asked once! Rumor has it, that his is the 5th fastest boat on this end of Lake Erie.

 

[bczoom]

John,

Did you get the trim figured out to gain a few more mph?

 

[johnday]

John,

Did you get the trim figured out to gain a few more mph?

Brian; Yes, I did. What needed to be done was get out on a day when the water was almost flat. I started out with the outdrive all the way in like you said. It planed a lot quicker. Then I just kept playing with the tilt, bringing the bow up, until the engine sounded like the screw was cavitating, then brought it back in. I've finally gotten to know it well enough that I'm able to pretty much walk it into where the outdrive should be.
The key was the calmer water where I could crank it up all the way with Jan in the boat!

 

[bczoom]

What needed to be done was get out on a day when the water was almost flat.

Yep. On a deep-V, you normally don't want to trim it up in rougher water. You need the bow down to plow through the waves to give a smoother ride.

 

[johnday]

Yepper!! It's sort of a trade off in rougher water. You loose some speed with the bow down, but you're not slamming the boat either. I don't like to do that, it jars what teethes I've got left lose!!LOL

 

[bczoom]

Yepper!! It's sort of a trade off in rougher water. You loose some speed with the bow down, but you're not slamming the boat either. I don't like to do that, it jars what teethes I've got left lose!!

In rough water, I used to stand up and use the legs as shock absorbers. Don't know how long I could do that anymore as my leg are a bit older.

 

[JimR]

My 22 footer tops out at 50mph at WOT. I was out on Long Island Sound a week ago and 50mph seemed like I was standing still. I have driven my buddies 223 Formula, 454 powered 330 horse at 65 mph WOT. Now that was fun.

 

[johnday]

Nice looking boat Jim. What do you have for gopower?

 

[JimR]

Nice looking boat Jim. What do you have for gopower?

I have the same motor that you have in your boat, Chevy 350 260 horse.

 

[johnday]

I have the same motor that you have in your boat, Chevy 350 260 horse.

It's nice to make waves with. We took ours out for the last time yesterday. Time to winterize it before it gets too late. I usually run sailboats and kayaks. But it's fun wasting those hydrocarbons too. Is that saltwater you're running in?

 

[JimR]

Long Island, N.Y. is salt water for sure. We run the boat in both salt and fresh water. I won't be winterizing till I get a run at the Blues and Stripers again in Long Island Sound. We run the boat in fresh the next day after salt water. I back the trailer (galvanized) in and out of the water quite a few times to wash it off. The boat gets to run around for about an hour to flush the motor and manifolds of any salt. This winter I hope to convert the motor over to a closed cooling system with antifreeze. This saves the block from salt water damage. A heat exchanger is much cheaper to replace than an engine block and cylinder heads.