Flat Bottoms

[Apollo]

I have a couple of questions about flat bottoms.First why do they look like they get squirrely when you get out of the throttle. Second what causes them to my sudden left or right turns like at the races.

[Morg]

Apollo,
Their are a few answers to your first question, this is one that is my opinion. Esentialy the propeller is not only creation forward energy, it also creates lateral force because of the rotation, this is caused because the propeler creates more force as it's blade travels on its rotation away from the hull, turbulence from the bottom of the boat reduces the bite the prop gets as it stroke goea by the hull. So if you have a counter-clockwise rotation propeller it will make the boat want to turn to the Right.
Now getting back to your question, When you "Mash the gas" you counter steer to counter the torque the prop. is creating. When you let off the torque being realeased causes the boat to get a little loose.
The above is one reason why the boat gets loose on shut down. Their are a couple others: Boat re-penetrating water & Prop. acting as a brake grabing water. But my fingers are tired. I'll let someone else give their opinion.
Morg.

[77charger]

another cause of sudden turns is if the motor locks up and there is no whirl away prop acts as a rudder since it is locked up!

[Apollo]

The reason I'm asking is I was thinking of trying to race in the RR-1 or 2 class this year but I may not have my boat ready by the time the races come close to my area. So I was thinking of racing my father inlaws flat but I dont think I know enough about v-drives or the flat bottom.

[Morg]

Apollo:
The reason I'm asking is I was thinking of trying to race in the RR-1 or 2 class this year but I may not have my boat ready by the time the races come close to my area. So I was thinking of racing my father inlaws flat but I dont think I know enough about v-drives or the flat bottom. Take it out & run it. With a little seat time, you will be ready for the racces in no time.
Morg

[pgf127rt]

Apollo, in my experience a flat gets out of shape on shutdown due to rapid deceleration and the absence of a whirlaway, I always feathered the boat so as to gently put it back on the water and used the plate to help get it settled.
If you go thru the end of the 1/4 and get out of the throttle very quickly, youare a candidate for a bath, let alone maybe tearing your ride up, and possibly your body as well.
Seat time is very valuable to learn the ins and outs of what the boat does in different situations, get all you can.

[BigBoyToys]

pgf127rt:
Apollo, in my experience a flat gets out of shape on shutdown due to rapid deceleration and the absence of a whirlaway, I always feathered the boat so as to gently put it back on the water and used the plate to help get it settled.
If you go thru the end of the 1/4 and get out of the throttle very quickly, youare a candidate for a bath, let alone maybe tearing your ride up, and possibly your body as well.
Seat time is very valuable to learn the ins and outs of what the boat does in different situations, get all you can. I agree 100% with ya JD. It's all about seat time since no 2 boats are identical...
[ March 06, 2003, 05:39 AM: Message edited by: BigBoyToys ]

[Hud]

If you drive a flat, you will buy a flat :D

[Apollo]

That's one thing I don't have to worry about Hud is buying one all tho I would like a HYDRO oneday.Nobody likes fooling with the v-drive cause most of the inlaws dont like the ride. Me it really dosnt matter as long as I can out run all of them.Out of all the boats we have the flat is the only one that can out run all of them.

[DaveA]

Apollo:
SNIP>>>Out of all the boats we have the flat is the only one that can out run all of them. Good.

[77charger]

Hud:
If you drive a flat, you will buy a flat :D I can agree on that i drove one this past summer my boss let me take it for the weekend to havasu in oct so the water was perfect learned it real fast then we took it to elsinore for some more seat time now this season we are racing it! :) :)

[Beautiful Noise]

77Charger,When is the 1st race & Where? :)
Steve

[77charger]

Beautiful Noise:
77Charger,When is the 1st race & Where? :)
Steve Steve the season starts 3-15 at ming my ride wont be ready til the end of the month boat and motor then we have to put them back in and test.My first race we are trying for the ihba opener in phoenix may 2-4 but maybe the njba the weekend before at ming to dial things in.