Loader Depth

[kachina_labala]

How Deep?
I have a 95 kachina Labala 22.5 454bbc with a mpd 1.5 dominator pump with a cavatation reducer. Im getting about 50mph at 4200 rpm. Ive found alot of things that the previous owner didnt do up to snuff. Im questioning the loader. It is biting the water about 1" below the hull. Is this too much bite?
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/4896DSC00453-med.JPG
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/4896DSC00450-med.JPG

[rivercrazy]

Yup. It shouldn't be much below the keel line at all. With a boat that size you shouldn't need that much to get a good load on the pump. I bet is causing quite a bit of drag, making the boat run wetter, and overcharging the pump a bit.

[HammerDown]

Oh yea, their low. But heres the deal...trim them back a little at a time. The problem is when you trim tooooo much and pass the sweet spot it's to late. I left about 1/8'th inch below. I could have went flush but it helps keep the pump loaded in the chop. I also put a 45 degree angle on my stingers.:cool:

[kachina_labala]

Anybody have a stock intake grate for a dominator?
How do you know when you reach the sweet spot unless you pass it?
;)
Just teasing
thanks for the info
Matthew

[Nucking futs]

Yea i have a stock finger grate.On my 20 i had about the same bitting edge as you and made it a 1/2" below to start with.It will load better in the rough stuff but cut a little at a time.

[American Turbine Man]

I tell Jetboaters "they don't need a loader unless their boat runs 65 mph or more".
ATM

[Jake W]

That is a ramp grate not a loader way diffrent.
Jake:D

[Nucking futs]

I tell Jetboaters "they don't need a loader unless their boat runs 65 mph or more".
So what if your finger grate vibrates at 60-65?What would you put in it?

[FOURQ]

ok so whats the diffrance between a ramp grate or a loader?

[American Turbine Man]

So what if your finger grate vibrates at 60-65?What would you put in it?
Yes, Our stock grates have four small loading ramps that removes the harmonics from the bars.
ATM

[kachina_labala]

Im with 4Q whats the difference and what would I need? Its a heavy boat . Isint the cavatation reducer going to help it stay loaded? I realize that a little bite into the water will help in chopp but the reducer and the wieght of the boat should mean that I need less bite? right? :confused:
Matthew

[HammerDown]

Matt, there are also different loaders that direct the water to certain areas of the Impeller. Upper, middle, lower. This really becomes a science. And unless you have several to chose from it's kinda hard to fine what works best. Or are using a DAS system its hard to know exactly whats going on pressure wise in the Pump. (talking Race stuff here).
Chances are your loader is in fact fine for your boat. As you say it's a heavy hull.
On thing yoou could do is call one of the several Pump Guys and ask them what they recomend for a all around good loader...and chances are you have it..
True you could trim back your stingers some and that may help with the drag and keep your pump loaded just fine.
How do ya know when you passed the sweet spot? Well it's more or less in how the hull responds, it's feel, becomes loose and also if the pump starts to unload at upper mph.

[OkieDave]

Unless you are running faster, you don't need a loader. On my 23 foot V-bottom jet boat, I gained 6 mph by removing the shoe, the loader, the droop and the ride plate. It now runs 60 with a AA impellor at about 4800 rpm. When I bought it it ran 54 mph at 5000 rpm with an A impellor, a 5/8" back cut shoe, an amgle iron ramp type loader, a ride plate and a droop snoot. It was loading more than it could use and the extra drag was keeping it wetter than it needed and the ride plate and droop weren't letting it rock back on its tail at all. Still has the diverter but I improved that too by shit-canning the stupid hydraulic control and installing a manual so I could learn what position the boat goes fastest in. There is still a little hook in the bottom but for a big V-bottom jet, its respectable.

[ChetCapoli]

Originally posted by FOURQ
ok so whats the diffrance between a ramp grate or a loader?
A ramp grate is the bottom of the line grate with two fingers cut of and two pieces of angle iron welded to it as in the pic. A actual "loader" has the stingers bent(not basic angle iron) they are longer and alot more fabrication goes into them for starters.
Time to find some drama...
CHET

[comin' unscrewed]

Originally posted by ChetCapoli
A ramp grate is the bottom of the line grate with two fingers cut of and two pieces of angle iron welded to it as in the pic. A actual "loader" has the stingers bent(not basic angle iron) they are longer and alot more fabrication goes into them for starters.
CHET
Some examples:
http://home.pacbell.net/jmcclure/LoaderVariety1.jpg

[DOHARA]

Not to bad mouth your ride but who made that loader? Looks like it was made out of angle iron in the garage. Jack makes some bitchen loaders. Here is a way to measure and compare what you have. I know chet will call me a cheerleader for supporting MPD but, he's good at what he does. Anyways good luck kachina on the loader.
Dano
http://home.pacbell.net/jmcclure/Loaders.html

[BrendellaJet]

Originally posted by American Turbine Man
I tell Jetboaters "they don't need a loader unless their boat runs 65 mph or more".
ATM
Ill disagree with you. My boat cavitated my pump like crazy without a loader. Just adding a cheap angle iron one made a huge difference.

[LVjetboy]

Kachina, why not just take it off and compare speed? See if it makes a big difference and go from there? Unless you're Canadian with a cement filled block :) you'd probably still want some sort of grate the keep big junk out of your pump, but taking the grate off may give you a clue to if your ramps are slowing your or not.
jer

[jetboater5]

Kachina I also have the Labala and have experimented with many different loaders and grates. I found that the ramp grate worked best on the boat. I will look tonight how much of the ramp is exposed. The boat's are heavy so there is not much of a problem keeping the pump loaded. I have been fine tuning for the last month, I have ended up reaching 72mph on the gps with 40 gals of fuel and 3 people on the boat last weekend at canyon lake. That is pretty darn fast for a jet boat of this size. I am running an A impller on a heavily modified dominator with a droop and divertor; pushing the rig is a built 502 with aluminum heads. I had basically the same setup as you when I started and was running 54mph on the gps. So there is plenty of room for improvement on your setup. I will post tonight when I check it for you

[kachina_labala]

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts.
Jetboater5 Im looking forward to your reply. Its nice to have someone with the same hull that is going faster than I am. It tells me there is room to grow. I would love to see70+out of this boat. Where did you see the most improvement in speed and what do you suggest I start with?
Matthew

[jetboater5]

Mathew
Pm me with some of your details on your motor and pump combo. Believe it or not I think the biggest difference thru all my upgrades was going to the aluminum heads and saving the weight. My boat took on a whole new attitude by taking the weight out of the engine compartment. It seem to free up the boat in the water. granted that is not the whole reason it runs much faster but it certainly in my opion was a huge factor. My wife even noticed a huge difference, she rides in the back seat usually, as my 12yr old thinks he need to be the co-pilot. She say's she can feel the boat floating on the water much more than before, I would have to agree with her as the boat just seems to glide smooth as before it was always working hard .

[kachina_labala]

In part, the smooth through the water feeling is why I was looking at my loader (intake grate). The boat does feel pretty well planted no loose squirly feeling here. I think there is some room to loosten it up and gain some speed. Regretfully I dont have the cam specs or many of the other specs on the motor . I feel its pretty stock. The boat has twin 4bbls. I had to add lightning headers last year because the previous owner had basset injected headers in the closed compartment. As I go through the boat I have come to the conclusion the previous owner was a numbnut! The pump was done this year by MPD and has a 1.5 level blueprint job with a cavatation reducer.
Matthew

[signmaster]

I just bought the same loader grate from eddie marine for my 18' sw for 85.00 should I try it or return it I dont know were to begin

[jetboater5]

Kachina
I looked at my intake and from what I see on my boat comnpared to the pictures you posted I'am running about 1/2 inch less on the ramp. But all said and done who's to say your intake and mine were set in the boats the same way from the factory. I hope this will help a little. thanks Tim