Velos 36 - Balancing Act

[mikiek]

I need to disassemble mine and rough up the mating surface of the clamping point to provide a little more friction when the hardware is snugged down.

By clamping point, are you referring to the area where the screw goes thru? Or I guess the inside of the strut where the screw passes thru?

[mikiek]

Got out long enough to run down a set of batteries today. This was at my usual spot and it was a little disappointing. I was back to skipping over the water again. Now the one thing I didn't do was check the strut angle before I started. I just assumed they were still +1mm. The water was not quite as smooth as the other day but it should not have had too much effect. Just getting too much lift. The whole boat is coming off the water too easily - prop included. Once it's in the air, all bets are off as to what it's going to do.

I did clock a 57mph, a little short of my best but probably the best for that location. Nothing is easy huh?

[vinnyp]

Mike,
I am starting to learn that these boats are capable of running on the ragged edge of stability. Just like the full size boats I set up, you need to adjust for conditions and engine power. I attempt to set the struts up at home, after I get the weather conditions at the bay I run at. Pain in the butt to adjust them at the bay. I wish there was a way to adjust the struts via a servo, while the boat is running. Just like drive trim and trim tabs on a full size boat.

[Erroneous]

A miniature wormdrive trim would be pretty slick, heavy tho.

[mikiek]

Good point Vinny. My original vision of driving this boat was to just drop it in the water and motor around for a while. Then I began to see that due to the heat issues it was going to more like a few laps then wait a while. Now it looks more like tweak, try, tweak, try, hoping for that one good couple of laps.

Not that there is anything wrong with that but I don't think I'll be trading in my RC sailboats any time soon.

[vinnyp]

I love sailboats. Especially when I run past them at 85 mph and rock them with 572 cubic inches of Chevy power. Best part is that they don't hear me coming, until I pass them and knock their wine glass over.

[Prodrvr]

I love sailboats. Especially when I run past them at 85 mph and rock them with 572 cubic inches of Chevy power. Best part is that they don't hear me coming, until I pass them and knock their wine glass over.

LOLOLOL!!! I would always get a kick out of passing them in the cruiser. But c'mon man, you're running a muffler? That's one of the baddest things of having a performance boat is having them hear you coming about three minutes before they see you!!

[vinnyp]

Yeah, I have " Mufflers". They have to be there to keep the Coast Guard happy. They don't really do too much though. The engine noise is still very loud. Yeah, they hear you coming, but may not know where you are until you pass them.
Here is a short video from a few years ago. My friend in the passenger seat was a first timer. he was pooping his pants the whole time. He got real nervous when we went over that small wake and dropped his phone.

https://youtu.be/RDfHp7aRoTc

PS... sorry for hijacking your thread Mike.

[Prodrvr]

That looks like the south shore of Long Island. I lived in NY from birth to nine years ago when I moved to FL. Born into a boating family. Dad got me my first boat at 14. Your friend who's pooping his pants going over that little boat wake would have dropped dead if he was in my boat going out of the Moriches Inlet on the outgoing tide. Fastest way to turn your boat into a plane!! lol. Broke two boats at that inlet, until the better one came along.

[vinnyp]

Yes, you are right. That is the South Shore of Long Island. That video was taken heading west, in the state channel between Tobay and Zachs Bay. I have been through Moriches a time or two. Neither time was a good time. I prefer Jones Inlet myself. The problem with turning your boat into a plane isn't the getting into the air part, its the LANDING!!!

[Prodrvr]

Yeah landings are interesting in really big seas...just beats you up. So you're running the west end. Been out there once in my friend's 27 Carrera for 4th of July by Jones Beach. Nothing like a bunch of go-fasts tearing it up getting there! The scary part is heading back after everyone's been drinking half the night lol.

[mikiek]

Just so you know not everyone is doing champagne & brie while they're sailing. In this one, you could mess up your pants and a second later it's washed clean. There's a few take offs and landings as well. And foils weren't even the rave yet. Enjoy!

[mikiek]

Did some talking today with some folks that know these boats inside & out. I believe an air dam is the next move for me. Seems like those have helped a lot of boats hug the surface better. The theory behind it makes good sense. The boat is running nice and level, it just wants to get airborne. Hopefully, dissipating some of that lift will keep her in the water.

I believe I mentioned this earlier but I confirmed it again today, a slight positive angle on the struts has really helped keep the boat running straight & level. It seems counterintuitive but it is working for me. Thanks to fluid for that suggestion!

[vinnyp]

Mike,
Are you referring to an air dam under the deck in the tunnel to disrupt the air flow a bit?

[mikiek]

Right Vinny - I'll try something quick & dirty first. Apparently it can be almost anything. One suggestion was taping a drinking straw underneath. It doesn't get much easier than that. If I like it I'll make something more permanent that looks better. The guys I was with yesterday - with cats of all sizes - were claiming positive improvements even from a small one.

On a side note, one of the guys seems to have every prop known to man. Next time we run I'm going to try out a few that I have had in mind. I'll let you know what worked.