Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 33

Thread: ? for shockwaveharry and LVjetboy

  1. #1
    fryzll
    I just wanted to know how you guys like or liked (I know you sold yours harry) your Placecraft tunnels. Im gonna get rid of my boat next year and start another project. Its gonna be a tunnel hull but I dont want a Daytona coause cats arent my thing (no jokes please). I have a freind with a Placecraft Dragstar tunnel and another with a Southwind Drag tunnel (both are 110 mph boats on radar) but I dont want a drag tunnel, just a standard like you guys. Im looking for a speed of around 80mph w/ a B/B Ford (I know, but im a Ford guy). I just wanted to know if you guys are happy with the hull. The one thing with both Drag tunnels is they really porpois (sp) at lower speeds, I didnt know if the standard tunnel act the same or not. Any info from anyone would be appreciated.

  2. #2
    LVjetboy
    Yep, mine tends to porpose at low speeds (30-40)...somewhat able to dampen with the PD but not totally. Possibly a setup or hull design issue...not sure that could be "cured" without sacrificing top speed. Not much room inside, and the tunnels keep the seats a little higher than I'd like. Certainly not a family boat or the best for camping. Freeboard, what freeboard? When waves kick up it's time to head for the cove and shut her down. In a turn tends to do the tunnel slip-hook-shuffle, some of which can be controlled with trim, but not really comfortable to me. Definitely a straight line runner.
    So what do I think? Weeeelll. I absolutely love mine! Add hp and this hull moves. Trimed out and you get that floaty feeling. With a mild 454, I'm only turning a Berkeley B at 5k (on the engine) and that's good for 73 mph in lake trim...and about 75 mph with just driver/light load. This is just your basic 454 with low (9.5:1) compression and timing. Not bad for 340 hp on a jet? So I think your goal of 80 mph with a well-built Ford is certainly attainable. Shoot for 425 hp and you're in there. On the bottle (conservative jets) I get 82@5400 lake trim and 84 with just driver. The hp/mph curve shows very little drop-off at this speed, so the tunnel is just beginning to strut it's stuff. The hull is strong...can take just about any hp you can throw at it...as top fuelers have found. Finally, I've always liked a pointed bow on a tunnel, with an upsloped deck instead of a flat deck, but that's just my personal opinion.
    jer

  3. #3
    MikeC
    fryzll,
    I'm not so sure a Tunnel would work for you. Like Jer said, they have there funky habits, but most notibly, they like HP! I would not recommend one just to putt around the like in. A v-bottom would be more fun! Especially if your going to pop in a BBF. Don't waist your time with a tunnel boat/Ford combo. Your going to want to turn a minimum 5200 rmp's, and believe me once you feel that air under the boat, you'll no doubt want more and more! I am very happy with mine.
    http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewP...p=53343595&f=0
    Good Luck
    MikeC

  4. #4
    fryzll
    Hey guys, thanks for the input. My current boat is a 77 Challenger 18.5 w/ a 460 and Jacuzzi and the best speed is 67 on the GPS empty. I havnt driven my buddys PlaceCraft but I have been a co-pilot alot and that boat rides way better than mine in light chop. The wierd turning deal must be inherrant to the standard tunnel because his Drag tunnel turns great, no wierd skip hook deal. The tunnels on his are bigger than the standard ones because (im guessing here) its a old top fuel boat and they get more air with a 2500 h/p motor. He baught the hull less motor and rigging and switched to left hand steering. He is running a BBC around 512 inches w/ Dart Pro 1 heads,13.5:1, 2 1050's on a tunnel ram and alot of other goodies. He is making around 830 h/p on the motor and hes running a 250 h/p shot of nitros. He was radared at 109.9. The boat is nice but I dont need that kind of speed (I can ride in his if I want) for what I want to do. My main concern is the ride and the style of hull and I really like it. Hey MikeC, thanks for the input but Fords arent that bad http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif . Some friend of ours have a CP open bow running a 572 inch Ford that puts that boat at 106mph, not to shaby for a open bow. What kind of hull is yours Mike? The center rise on the bow doesnt have the same lines as my buddys Placecraft. Thanks again for the input guys, you both have really nice looking boats.
    Chris
    Chris

  5. #5
    wrightnow
    fryzll,
    How about a CP 18' or 19'. They have more room than a placecraft, love HP and is not just a straight runnner.
    No get me wrong I think placecraft is a great boats also just not alot of room.

  6. #6
    squirt
    Hey Jer, I think you might be low balling your Hp a little. I've been playing alot with the bbc 454 on my new DTD and just about all the combos. Yours is an LS6 I think you have said so you have rec. ports. You also have a tunnel ram with 1430 cfm and headers. At 9.5-1 comp. and not knowing your cam most profiles I come up with put you around 500 hp @ 5000 rpm. seems like alot until you consider factory hp rating on an LS6. Plus if you add on the silly gas and you know what they say (forgetaboutit). I'm trying to get to 500 hp on my motor upgrades so I've been looking. see ya Don

  7. #7
    squirt
    Hey Jer, I think you might be low balling your Hp a little. I've been playing alot with the bbc 454 on my new DTD and just about all the combos. Yours is an LS6 I think you have said so you have rec. ports. You also have a tunnel ram with 1430 cfm and headers. At 9.5-1 comp. and not knowing your cam most profiles I come up with put you around 500 hp @ 5000 rpm. seems like alot until you consider factory hp rating on an LS6. Plus if you add on the silly gas and you know what they say (forgetaboutit). I'm trying to get to 500 hp on my motor upgrades so I've been looking. see ya Don

  8. #8
    fryzll
    Hey wrightnow, I have thought about the CP but I just cant get get used to the gull wing look. I would like to take a ride in one in some rough water to see what it is like. I go low in the river (Fishers and Martinez) so I dont have to worry about big waves and such. I can build a pump gas 460 w/ about 600 h/p BUT, I dont want to. I just want a nice 75 to 80 mph cruiser that rides good in light chop. I have ridden in a 18 ft CP and it does the same thing as the PlaceCraft at lower speeds but it did not have a PlaceDiverter. I would like to take a ride in yours wrightnow if I can. Im not saying I dont like the hull, I just need some time in one to see if I like it. Thanks for the input.
    Chris

  9. #9
    wrightnow
    fryzll,
    My boat also porpose at low speeds which I believe is a by product of setting a boat to run loose on the big-end. But I install a PD, removed the droop and that has completely solved the problem. I like the 19' for of an all around boat (more room), the 19' are faster than an 18', but the 18' are quicker. I run BBC 30over mild cam, alum heads, tunnel ram 750dp and I'm in the mod to high 90's. Not to bad for a family boat that still user for wake boarding. I personal dont thing there is another low profile boat that can come close to the ride and handling of a CP. As for rides no problem, always my pleasure, just let me know when.
    And once again I love my CP, but I think the placecraft has a style of it own and can't be beat for a low profile river boats.

  10. #10
    LVjetboy
    Back again...had to do that silly work thing.
    fryzll,
    My guess is your friend's drag hull, my PC and Mike's have the same bottom. My PC is a '91, which I ordered new from Ron Hamilton. At the time I believe he told me the hull bottoms were identical for lake or drag, just the deck cap different for single seat with capsule (extra high center profile similar to Mike's). I also remember asking Ron for a heavy lay-up and he said, "We only have one lay-up schedule" So PC lake boats are basically drag boats. Just not the same engine cojones http://free.***boat.net/ubb/smile.gif You can verify this by measuring you friend's tunnels...mine are 17 3/8" wide and 4 3/8" tall (measured on the outer sponson) In 92 I believe, they quit making the extended transom for pump mount, so Mike's transom (a '96 PC?) is straight across (Mike correct me if I'm wrong...your web site's still down) Other than this, I think the hull bottom is same.
    About the slip-hook shuffle thing, that may just be my bad setup...not differences in hull design.
    Copy the gull wing look. Although the gull wing looks way cool too, I prefer PC. But! My gut feeling is the CP is more efficient, because of the smooth transition for air entrapement, at least until you get to extreme speeds. This is just a feeling since I haven't experienced a CP and there's very little data out there. But I know there are some very fast CP's out there. And interior room may be a consideration.
    Squirt,
    My hp may be low ball, but that's what the Berkeley "B" cut charts give me. Although I haven't measured my impeller, it is marked on the invoice as a "B" so most likely is.
    Now, the pump was blueprinted at build, so not sure if this matches stock clearances of Berkeley chart data or not. True, I do have twin 715's, but on the engine I'm only running primaries, so that's equivalent to one 715. Also I have a very conservative advance of 28, which is costing me hp I think. Unfortunately I don't know my cam...something I'm sure I'll find out come time for rebuild. But then I have very efficient air filters and headers...so the net result? Not really sure?? Probably less than 400 hp though. I would like to think more, but probably not.
    The other thing to consider is that DTD may not be accurate in their curve model. But that's a whole 'nother thread http://free.***boat.net/ubb/smile.gif
    jer
    [This message has been edited by LVjetboy (edited October 07, 2001).]

Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Shockwaveharry
    By topless in forum Sandbar
    Replies: 36
    Last Post: 04-29-2007, 10:01 PM
  2. Where is LVjetboy?
    By Her454 in forum Sandbar
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 03-23-2006, 12:41 PM
  3. lvjetboy
    By tahitijet in forum Jet Boats
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 07-03-2005, 08:16 AM
  4. look what lvjetboy did now
    By 565edge in forum Jet Boats
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 09-04-2003, 02:08 PM
  5. LVjetboy
    By Her454 in forum Jet Boats
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 08-13-2003, 09:23 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •