TOPIC: Prop Confusion

Dr_Frankenmerc wrote:

Thom, have you considered Sea Cast for your transom? Hear it cures rock solid. Hate to see you take the "wild" off the "thangg".

I almost used SeaCast and didn't. I agree that the Wild Monster Merc belongs on Wild Thanggg, and it sure is a great adrenaline rush when that bow starts to fly and the tach is knockin' on heaven's door.
I have taken a close look at things this week and think that the transom is actually solid and I just need to use some larger washers to stop the shuffling, but for now I'm retiring the set-up.

The strakes I added to the bottom of the hull are always out of the water when I need them to be working, so most likely before Wild Thanggg returns the strakes will be moved closer to the pad and the transom's loco-motion will be under control.
I'm hoping to get those strakes to develope water pressure between them and the pad that will stabilize the hull when it is trying to balance on about 2 square feet of surface.
Any thoughts??

Now,...If GLASSPAR NUT was to come back to the forum and start ribbin' the Dark Side like he used to do so well,...WildThanggg will only be,...EIGHT NUTS AWAY!!!
Muu-Wah-Haa-haa
Muu-Wah-Haa-haa
Muu-Wah-Haa-haa

If you are sure the transom is sound, I personally would use a plate of 1/4" aluminum inside and outside to distribute the brute force of the Frankenmerc to the largest surface possible, within space limits. More is better, but any will be better than you have now. Keep the present strakes, add half sized strakes (about 1" deep) just off the pad. Or, try adding 1/4" lips to the edges of the pad, making a mini "tunnel". They would add directional stability, like two mini keels. Anyone else have ideas or comments about these suggestions?

Kerry,

The Wild Thanggg (as I understand it... ) has some lateral instability (chine walking) that Thom was working on with his strakes, and trim tabs. The strakes in their current location are up out of the water at speed, so they dont do anything to contain the water (increasing pressure) to stabilize the lateral motion. I think his trim tabs had solved the problem for the most part, as long as the FrankenBEAST remains tight against the transom. I am not sure that the 1/4" edges on the pad would help in this case... but i am not an expert in this area.

Many of the fast V-bottoms (Allison, Hydrostream, etc.) are designed to run on the pad only, with strakes out of the water. Strakes are to help plane and provide lift until the pad takes over at top end. Balancing on the pad is key to ride quality. I'm sure Doc has solid mounts, dual cable steering, etc. One thing I'm not sure of, though.. Hey Doc, are you running a torque tab? Prop torque could be an issue. Merc Racing V-6's have them built into their factory Sportmaster and Torquemaster gearcases for a reason.

Something like this. www.thmarine.com/product.cfm?PRID=40