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I know that this question has been asked before but like a dumby it didn't stick. What should the distance from the back of the barrel to the end of the cav. plates. My Lavey Craft cruiser has a 12 degree strut that is bent and is located 26 inches from the end of the cav. plates. Since I have it apart I was thinking about changing it to a 7.5 degree and put the strut it the proper location. I was hoping to put some more horsepower to the boat in the near future and want to make sure the boat is setup right for it.
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Nobody flame me here, but generally speaking, the strut barrel is about the number of inches from the transom as the boat length in feet. However, a low degree strut will like to be a little farther forward. I would say go for 22-23 inches from the transom since you said your boat is a cruiser (21 or so feet). Don't measure from the cav plates, because they are different on every boat. Several other factors also affect this decision, such as horsepower, intended use, type of rudder, etc..... Also keep in mind that going from a 12deg strut (are you sure?) to a 7.5 is a HUGE change, and may require the relocation of the shaft log, and the v-drive, and possibly the engine. That's a bunch of work! Hope that helps.....
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On my 21 Howard we located it so the end of the barrel is 23.5" from the transom, so that would be about 33.5" from the end of the plates. This is 6.5" further forward than it was when it came from Howard in 1983. This seems to work very well with a blown engine, and I don't see why it wouldn't work with any power level.
Ducky's post wasn't up when I started mine. He is right you will have to move the V-drive and the shaft log and probably glass in the shaft hole. A lot of work, but in my case, well worth it.
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While I am not familiar with your boat, I can't understand why you would want to change the degree of the strut or it's location. If the manufacter put that strut at 26 inches and it's 12 degree then that is where I would leave it. The deep angle of the strut (12) was probably done to help get the boat nose out of the water, the 26" location to help the boat plane. This boat is a cruiser, not a drag boat so maybe you got strut locations and the use of shallower degree struts confused with drag boat applications.
Changing the degree or the location of the strut is going to result in you having to remount the V drive.
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The boat is a 1972 Lavey Craft cruiser that measures 22'. The end of the strut barrel is 17" from the transom. I degreed the strut and it measured 12 degrees. It is even marked 12 degrees. In talking with a few people they say 7.5 degrees is alittle much but around 9 degrees is what some of the other cruisers are running. Running a mild 454 it wants to nose over when you get with it. I hope to build a 540 for it down the road and want the boat to handle the extra power.
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There was an excellent article done with explaining the fulcrum and lever effect of V drive placement, strut angles and locations versus the effect on the boat. I'm still hunting for that article but I found this thread that might help you.
http://www.v-driveboat.com/showthread/t-322.html
If the nose is being driven in (assuming cav plates are up) then I can see your concern. It will be worse with more power. Moving the strut toward the nose increases the bow lift but can sink the tail if too far. My thought is a shallower angle of the strut would drive the bow down and not up.
Also remember that if the prop should be up real close to the strut barrell. If it's hangin way back there, you're not driving from 26".
I'll update this post when I find that article.
