How stable is this boat?

[SSTSleakcraft]

Just purchased a Youngblood TX18, 1984 tunnel. I have recently heard claims of these boats pitching the driver during rapid shutdown or engine failure even with a ratchet installed on jet. Any info will help.

[Cs19]

yep they will do that, just make sure your shit is dialed in before you go out and stand on it.I have friends who use them on the river and have no problems whatsoever, 90% percent of the people here will tell you your crazy for driving that thing on the lake or river, if you know what your doing, you will be fine,but always respect that boat,always.
got any pics?

[SSTSleakcraft]

Let me reprase myself, the serial # srarts with JBN, Jetboat Engineer?

[Duane HTP]

Yep! That's a dangerous boat. Be careful with it. They were called a Predator. They had no stabalizing lip on the bottom of the sides like the 19' ones.

[Jet City]

SSTSleakcraft:
Just purchased a Youngblood TX18, 1984 tunnel. I have recently heard claims of these boats pitching the driver during rapid shutdown or engine failure even with a ratchet installed on jet. Any info will help. Well, you'll know soon enough won't you! J/K, from what I've read, these boats are squirly with a loose set. There are a few guys that claim they are fine (safe) for lake use when set up as such. I've been eyeballin' TX-19's myself for a while. There's some interesting threads on this subjuct if you do a search, mabe even some helpfull set-up tips.

[Jim Hall]

Is that you Nathan? If it is you might want to try that awesome wing you fabricated, might help!

[Jake W]

Is it a (18 Cat) or a (18 gullwing?)I do not think the cats are that dangres.But I have no idea about the 18 gullwing I think they have strighter sides and are harder to turn.Duane called it a Preadtor that woud be the gullwing bottom right?The only 2 Preadors I have seen wer gullwings.If it is a 18 Youngblood Cat tunnel hull thoes thigs are bad ass looking and fairly fast.I think they say at least till 110 or so.
Jake :D

[pops1]

SSTSleakcraft:
Just purchased a Youngblood TX18, 1984 tunnel. I have recently heard claims of these boats pitching the driver during rapid shutdown or engine failure even with a ratchet installed on jet. Any info will help. The Pitch comes when the outside sponsons are too close in relationship to the Center Keel Line. It allows which ever Line to become the dominate.IE if the outside sponson line say comes down @ 2 Degrees Left or Right side(on a hop or land) then that can become the dominate Keel line and it can pull the 90 degree pitch turn bit on you . If you look at all the newer tunnels the center keel is much more dominate (in depth),thus the center keel remains dominate and the boat goes straight with the dominate keel line. This excludes stuffing the nose in the water another kind of problem. A rachet absorbs torque only (such as a engine's instant shut off)it will not cover you on head pressure shut down (hi speed intake load pressure,caused when you quick shut down the motor)This Job goes to a pop off valve, which will vacate the intake water thru the hand hole cover upon hitting a preset pressure #.
I do not know if the Youngblood has this problem, some one else on the board can maybe tell you.
Ive got the Oldblood problem and my ass today sits in a Lounge Chair yet I still get the wobles, my wife says I have a Rachet Mouth, and my Doctor says I don't have any Pressure so Heck IM not sure what to tell you.

[SSTSleakcraft]

This boat is not a gull wing. It resembles the TX20 tunnel, only proportionally smaller. It does not have the short sponsons like an Earl Smith Texas tunnel. Up front though, the keel is shorter than the sponsons, but this is not in the "ride surface". I guess it is though when you power down and the nose drops.....

[Mr Twister]

Yikes, RUN FOREST, RUN.

[Jake W]

You need to talk to DOG he knows people who race these boats.I did not know they were not stable the only bad thing I have heard is that they want to come un hooked at around 105.I had asked Duane befor if a 18 Youngblood tunnel would make a good 85 to 90 MPH lake boat and his responce was that the 18 foot Youngblood tunnel was the LAKE HOT ROD.I would call Duane and tell him exactly what you have.I am looking for one of these for my self.Post some pics of it.
Jake :D

[LewdAct]

Well what about the JBE 18' gullwing?

[Dog]

Originally posted by pops1
The Pitch comes when the outside sponsons are too close in relationship to the Center Keel Line. It allows which ever Line to become the dominate.IE if the outside sponson line say comes down @ 2 Degrees Left or Right side(on a hop or land) then that can become the dominate Keel line and it can pull the 90 degree pitch turn bit on you . If you look at all the newer tunnels the center keel is much more dominate (in depth),thus the center keel remains dominate and the boat goes straight with the dominate keel line. This excludes stuffing the nose in the water another kind of problem. A rachet absorbs torque only (such as a engine's instant shut off)it will not cover you on head pressure shut down (hi speed intake load pressure,caused when you quick shut down the motor)This Job goes to a pop off valve, which will vacate the intake water thru the hand hole cover upon hitting a preset pressure #.
I do not know if the Youngblood has this problem, some one else on the board can maybe tell you.
Ive got the Oldblood problem and my ass today sits in a Lounge Chair yet I still get the wobles, my wife says I have a Rachet Mouth, and my Doctor says I don't have any Pressure so Heck IM not sure what to tell you.
Read this very closely, makes a lot of sence. There are a lot of these boats around here. guys running from 80 MPH to 115 MPH the faster ones have had a lot of custom bottom work done to them. There also some 20' tunnels that are real close. A lot of the 18' and 20' seem to start porpoising around 104 and above with out some bottom work from my understanding. They can be fast and fun but i wouldn't try to run one over 100 to often in lake conditions unless i knew what i was doing.

[OkieDave]

I have run two 18 ft Youngblood Picklefork boats. Both were very quick thru mid range speed but not as fast on top end as several Cheyennes I have had. They did seem to stop straight every time but I never had a good enough setup to go much over a hundred. Started airing the intake around 100. I am just now experiencing a gull-wing style for the first time. It is very quick but not so great on top end as it porpioses badly when getting off the throttle. It only runs 90 or so. Maybe needs some hardware changes.

[Duane HTP]

When I replied earlier, by the name, I thought you were talking about the Predator boat with the almost tri-hull bottom. If it's a tunnel 18', it is a straight landing boat. Why don't you post a picture so we can see what you are talking about. That would help. Thanks , Duane HTP

[quickcondor18]

I have ran one of the 18' lightening's (youngblood) and it has been nothing but great. It started out as a lake boats but is now a full blown dragboat with limited lake duty. I have made it well past the 100mph celing that these boats are susposed to have and am now up to 136 with a blown alky setup. I have had this boat shut down at WOT do to mech. problems in the past and it has never done anything but go straight.

[LVjetboy]

A rachet absorbs torque only (such as a engine's instant shut off)it will not cover you on head pressure shut down (hi speed intake load pressure,caused when you quick shut down the motor)This Job goes to a pop off valve, which will vacate the intake water thru the hand hole cover upon hitting a preset pressure #.
Read this very closely, makes a lot of sence.
I did read and copy the sense on sponson spacing. Except the part about ratchet absorbing torque only. I'm thinking the ratchet's main benefit is intake pressure relief more than torque, as also is the pop-off valves main benefit. Both combine to limit hull pitch down and sponson steer. Just a guess.
jer

[Jake W]

Quickcondor18 nice boat is it a light lay up or a lake lay up.
Jake:D

[quickcondor18]

Thanks, It is a lake lay-up weighing around #749 with the pump only.

[Jake W]

Duane Where the hell did you get that Avatar I never knew you were a MIX MASTER ha ha ha:D
Jake