Best surface

[dawgdude]

Trailers complete now and I've graduated to the bottom of the Kona's hull. I'm in the process of removing what little hook was left after I finished replacing the stringers.
Question???:confused: From the small amount of experience I've had, (alot gathered from this site and others, you guys can really get into some in-depth conversations), with the bottoms of Jet Ski's, Bathtubs, Spatula's, Etc. It seems that you really don't want a perfectly smooth bottom or running surface. I've heard it said that a smooth bottom creates tubulence, (air bubbles). Here's the question. After shooting color should I shoot my clear then ruff it up or is there some other coating that I can apply to the bottom that will acheive the same effect.
At this time I'm not going to be running alot of HP. Mabey 450 to 500, so I need to make sure that I maximize all the other areas, such as the bottom, that I can for speed.
Thanks, Dawg!

[Squirtcha?]

This would probably be your best bet (very bottom of the image). Lubribond's (SPEEDCOAT) . It's not pretty (only dark gray) but it can actually add some speed. You don't need to do the entire bottom, just the back 4-6 feet or so (on plane area depending on how much hull you have in the water at speed). All jetboaters that see it know what it is, so it's kinda trick. You'll see if on almost every boat that's had bottom work done to it (setback pumps, reset intakes, blueprinted bottoms etc.)
http://www.rexmar.com/images/page136.jpg
Here's a picture of the bottom of Brendellajet's boat. He just had the bottom done by Jeff Bennett who is probably the premier boat bottom guy in the business. If he's using it, you can bet it works.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/212100_0598-med.JPG

[dawgdude]

Actually Brendellajets thread is what got me to thinking about the running surface. I wasn't sure what he had on his when I looked at the pictures. I guess you just spray it on and walk away. I saw a number in there to Bennett also. Might give him a call. Not to many guys round my area that I've found to discuss this kind of work with.
Thanks for the advise Squirtcha.

[460rogers]

have you talked to Mike's pump and speed in houston yet?
They have been very helpful to me.218-820-1559
WE BE COOL !!

[Squirtcha?]

No problem dawg.
Forgot to mention though, it needs to be reapplied or touched up every so often. It does tend to scratch/wear off after a while.

[HOSS]

Not all hulls benifit from a rough surface to airate the water resulting in less surface to water contact.;)

[youngster]

how long does the "speed coat" actualy last?

[Squirtcha?]

Never heard that Hoss. Not saying it aint true..............just that I never heard it. Do you know of a case where it slowed someone down?
I'm not sure how long it lasts. I suppose it kinda depends on how many times you rub it across abrasive stuff like sand, rocks and the like. I know I've got some scratches in mine and it was just done last year when I had the pump setback. Nothing serious but could still use a touching up.

[dawgdude]

460, I have tried several times to get with Mike but as of this time no luck. I keep missing him. There are several guys down here that have used him over the years with their race boats. I'm hoping that he can help me out with this pump, that is if I ever get to it.
Squirtcha, I'm not to worried about to much about having to redo it every so often, especially if it'll give a little on the top.
Like I said Hoss, I'm not all that experienced with this stuff,,yet,, but I did play around with my gp1200 ski and gained 3 mph by working the smooth surface off of it. Seems to me that this is basically the same principle. I've talked with a guy here at work that is a phyisics guy and has explained it to me. I'll have to write his explanation in here someting.
Anyway thanks for all the help.

[HOSS]

No need to write an explanation from a physics major here. But if you want to I think thats cool.
I know a guy with a checkmate that lost speed. he said it was slower out of the hole and didn`t feelthe top speed gained at all.
It only helps a boat which spends its entire life in the water. To break it down even more this means a hull in the water. In other words. if your boat at speed is mostly out of the water(like a pbass boat on a pad) then it will not help. Further if you run in any chop(even very light) the added weight along with the resistance caused by the rough surface causes even more friction when that portion of the hull comes in contact with the water for its brief moment. Does a flat rock skip further than a rough rock?
Now to extract what the physics major probably told you.
The rough area on the bottom of the hull causes the water to airate. meaning air with water running along the underside of your hull. Knowing that water has a very strong molecular bond you could easily see how air int he water would be less restrictive. I meen who doesn`t know that air flows across a surface easier than water. That meens it is less restrictive. This is due entirely because of the molecular bond of each surface.
Now if you are running on an extremely smooth liquid surface whereas the hull of your boat is always in contact with the wet surface then it makes since to try and have a less restrictive surface. Hence airating the water for a less restrictive surface. But if your hull`s life is spent mostly in a non smooth surface then that meens your hull is not always in contact with the wet surface and is already mixing with a less restrictive surface. This is when the smooth rock and rough rock skipping comes into play.
An offshore rig does not in any way benefit from a rough hull surface. This is why in no chop they are slow. Surface (hull) to water retention. And why would you speed coat the bottom of an offshore rig? Its life is spent in chop. The speed coat would then become the rough rock. It would be restrictive.
I did mine because I have a heavy(20` Southwind) ass jet. My hulls entire life is spent in the water. I used rock guard (the kind in a can that you spray the rocker panels of your car before paint) on my hull and shot many mills over it.
Again, sometimes its best to have a flat rock.

[HOSS]

Forgot, I know a guy who runs a graphite speed coat. It lasts 2 years approx. That meens he uses it about 30 times if that then it needs to be redone. **** that.
Again it depends on the hull. What hulis in question?
Look at the condition of the water you run in. Is it always glass? If so, you would more than likely benefit. Just because someone uses it in the liquid quarter mile doesn`t meen its good for an average boat. I meen Jesus, I don`t wear a parachute on my boat. Nor do I use a big ass wing. HHHHMMMMMMMMM, maybe thats why my jet is so damn slow. A wing. Maybe I should use one of these multiple wings that you see on Jap cars and the Mustang gang. Like five or six in a row. That oughta do it.
HOLY MOLY! I just got a brilliant idea! I might just speed coat my entire car! Look out rice. My jeep ain`t gonna be nuttin` nice.
:cool:

[dawgdude]

Hoss, hears the way I look at it. We could discuss this over and over, and it is a good discussion for sure BUT!! Look at it from my standpoint. A quart of this stuff, (lubribond), is only 30 someodd dollars. The boats apart and upside down, the bottom has to be done anyway. so why not do it. Most of us agree that it doesn't hurt. And if you compare this relativly cheap stuff to the cost of some of the other hotrod parts that we guys buy for our boats, it's not that big of a deal. It's all about that great elusive quest for MO SPEED right!
Now if I had a perfect boat that didn't need fixin,,well thats a different story, but for my case It's got to be done anyway so again why not?
Now as far as this surface stuff goes it shouldn't make that much difference if its choppy or not. Yea there are way to many varibles that come into play as far as conditions go that would probably make a difference as to how well it would work.
Anyway we'll save some of this for another discussion. LOL My minds to small to grasp all this at once anyhow. I just wanna get my boat in the water!!!!!!!!
And if this speedcoat stuff does work, I along with every person that gets in my boat is gonna get covered with it every trip out. Oh yea and we're all gonna carry a flat rocks.

[TRG]

after reding all of the replys about the speed coat... that would make pure sence, seing's how the hull is upside down and it would take a hell of alot longer to gell the area that you just blocked down...shit bring out the quart pot!!! 10 min. done "PRESTO"!!! odalay pues!EL TOD

[460rogers]

hey dawgdude have you seen this mike's pump and speed (www.mikespumpandspeed.com) neat video and pics may be helpful too.
WE BE COLD !

[dawgdude]

Matter of fact 460 I was by there today. As usual I missed Mike. We are gonna try again tomorrow. He's gonna give me some direction on which way to go with this pump. I'm hoping that when he sees how confused I am he'll feel sorry for me and make me a deal on him rebuilding it. LOL. While there I also saw alot of needed items for my boat laying around his shop. $$$$$$$$$$$$$ Here we go again.

[460rogers]

I know the feeling just bought a TX-19 and will be checking his junk yard for little goodies.Heard they were moving to magnolia thats probably why he's been busy lately.

[dawgdude]

460 - It'll be great when he does since I live out there. Save alot of time driving to see him. Of course it'll cost me in the long run. Since he"ll be closer it will be easier to spend MO MONEY!!!
Where you usually take your boat. I spend most of my time round the San Jac river / Clear Lake. Every now and then we'll stop by Conroe,,,to many crazy's on the lake less it's during the week. It's a shame to since Conroe's only 20 minutes form my house. I just don't see that many Jets round here anymore.

[460rogers]

We usually go to sommerville.plenty of camping sites on the water and we go for the weekend.The jet boaters are growing in number and have been easy to get along with.Last year there were at least 15 jets at the lake on several occasions.WE had 10 jets lined up once for a high speed run across the lake! that was sweeeettttt.Went to conroe once 2 years ago but you could have walked from boat to boat too crowded for me.I can just imagine it with jetskis on the rise now.
WE BE COOL !