Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: Eliminator Tunnel Hull Development

  1. #1
    JoeB
    I just spoke with a gentleman last night about the stress cracking problem on my 234 Edge Eliminator. This fellow has experience repairing these kind of problems. As a matter of fact, he repaired a similiar problem on a 26ft Eliminator Daytona back in the 1990's. Although he's no longer in the boat business, he operated a performance boat shop for some time. He's built and repaired numerous types of hulls from lightweight race hulls, to heavy weight lake pounders. He made a good observation that I though was worth sharing. I'm not saying this for a fact, but this
    For a little background, here's the link to the problems I've encountered on my boat. http://www.***boat.net/forums/showthread.php?t=125866 (http://)
    Eliminator was primarily into jets as most companies were back in the 1970's and 80s. The rear hull setup on a tunnel jet boat is different from a sterndrive as to the depth of the center sponson (sp?). He told me he successfully repaired an Eliminator Daytona (earlier model, don't know exactly what year) with the same problem by stepping the rear sponson of the hull as a lot of V-bottoms are done in the present. This would allow for the outer sponsons to absorb some of the stress after the boat is up on plane. According to him, the problem with this type of hull design is it would ride on this center sponson after lifting out of the water, and that's where it would take alot of the beating, and alot of excessive loads.
    Does anyone have any pictures of the rearend of a later model Eliminator Daytona? A picture showing the depth of the center sponson as compared to the outer sponsons would be nice. Since Eliminator does not make the 234 Edge any longer, this is what I'll need to compare to.
    Any comments is appreciated.
    Thanks,
    Joe

  2. #2

  3. #3
    JoeB
    Jbb,
    That's a good shot of the back. I really appreciate you posting, and it looks like you've got plent of HP to move it along. I'm betting the your jet has a lower center sponson than does a stern-drive model. I might be wrong though.
    Does anyone have a picture of a stern-drive Daytona, mainly the rear? Here's the back of the 234 Edge.
    http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...2Rear_View.JPG
    Jbb,...the center sponson on your daytona doesn't look quite as low as the one on my boat. Maybe Eliminator should've made these Edge hulls jets.

  4. #4

  5. #5
    h2oski2fast
    I just spoke with a gentleman last night about the stress cracking problem on my 234 Edge Eliminator. This fellow has experience repairing these kind of problems. As a matter of fact, he repaired a similiar problem on a 26ft Eliminator Daytona back in the 1990's. Although he's no longer in the boat business, he operated a performance boat shop for some time. He's built and repaired numerous types of hulls from lightweight race hulls, to heavy weight lake pounders. He made a good observation that I though was worth sharing. I'm not saying this for a fact, but this
    For a little background, here's the link to the problems I've encountered on my boat. http://www.***boat.net/forums/showthread.php?t=125866 (http://)
    Eliminator was primarily into jets as most companies were back in the 1970's and 80s. The rear hull setup on a tunnel jet boat is different from a sterndrive as to the depth of the center sponson (sp?). He told me he successfully repaired an Eliminator Daytona (earlier model, don't know exactly what year) with the same problem by stepping the rear sponson of the hull as a lot of V-bottoms are done in the present. This would allow for the outer sponsons to absorb some of the stress after the boat is up on plane. According to him, the problem with this type of hull design is it would ride on this center sponson after lifting out of the water, and that's where it would take alot of the beating, and alot of excessive loads.
    Does anyone have any pictures of the rearend of a later model Eliminator Daytona? A picture showing the depth of the center sponson as compared to the outer sponsons would be nice. Since Eliminator does not make the 234 Edge any longer, this is what I'll need to compare to.
    Any comments is appreciated.
    Thanks,
    Joe
    A Delta Pad was not added to stop stress cracks, it was designed to help speed.

  6. #6
    JoeB
    h2oski2fast,...does a delta pad = stepped bottom surface. Sorry, please excuse my ignorance on hull vocabulary.
    It looks like the rear center sponson of this stern drive on this daytona is shallower than the daytona jet (it doesn't stick down as far). I can see the benefits of getting more mph with a step (delta pad?) as well as the extra help of the outer sponsons to allieviate some of the load.
    You know I was thinking about this last night, and a V-hull would have a deeper center section too, but it wouldn't taper up as sharply as the tunnels on a tunnel hull. There would be some surface there to help with load,...plus the "v" geometry would add strength as compared to a big flat spot,...as on the Eliminator Edge hull or any tunnel hull for that matter.
    Anymore pics of stern drive Eliminators out there? Need a rear view. If anyone has measurments of the depth of the outer sponsons to the center sponsons would be very helpful. I'm going to redesign the rear of my Edge hull.

  7. #7

  8. #8
    JoeB
    Boat 030,...that's just what I needed. It looks to me like a hull change is in order on my Eliminator!! This may also remedy the "flopping" from side to side that I've read about before on these Tunnel Edge type hulls. I've never ridden in one, just heard about it.
    Just a thought,...after I get the motor finished,...should I install back in the hull just to see how it peforms/rides/handles, or do you think that would not be safe in it's current condition?
    I would be curious to know how the changes I make to hull affect the handling & performance. I just don't want to sink it if a catostrophic event were to occur. Previous owner said it had always been like this,...but he was a car salesman too.
    Thanks again for the pics guys. Any shots of the bottoms to see how the hull is stepped?
    Joe

  9. #9
    WETTE VETTE
    Boat 030,...that's just what I needed. It looks to me like a hull change is in order on my Eliminator!! This may also remedy the "flopping" from side to side that I've read about before on these Tunnel Edge type hulls. I've never ridden in one, just heard about it.
    Just a thought,...after I get the motor finished,...should I install back in the hull just to see how it peforms/rides/handles, or do you think that would not be safe in it's current condition?
    I would be curious to know how the changes I make to hull affect the handling & performance. I just don't want to sink it if a catostrophic event were to occur. Previous owner said it had always been like this,...but he was a car salesman too.
    Thanks again for the pics guys. Any shots of the bottoms to see how the hull is stepped?
    Joe
    I would really think about changing the hull design of the boat. My buddys ran over 100 MPH and was a very solid ride. It is true that the center pod get hammered pretty hard by waves, but that is true for any small center pod cat or tunnel type hull. On my 23' WPM the center pod is about 3" above the sponsons. Believe me the center pod still gets hammered running over chop! To solve the problem you need to reinforce the center pod with some small stringers and have a professional do it. Changing the hull design by raising the center pod above the sponsons is very risky in my .02. The compression ratio of tunnel hulls vs. a true cat are much lower and the center pod is a required running surface. You may raise the center pod and find that the boat just rides that much lower in the water because there isn't enough air pack to lift the hull. Then you will be going slower and handling will suffer. Be careful!! And there is now way I would run that boat before getting it fixed correctly!
    Craig

  10. #10
    JoeB
    Craig, you're very right. Stepping the center will very likely lower the center of the boat into the water. In turn this would cause some drag and lower the top speed capability since the outer sponsons will now carry some of the load.
    Would a small step (1-3 inch x 3ft) in the rear cause that much of a difference in the comp ratio? Maybe it would, this is going to be a fun experiment,...I hope. Regardless, I don't think this boat will ever see the century mark.
    Thanks for the advice. Keep the ideas coming guys.
    Joe

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. 1982 19' Eliminator Daytona Tunnel Hull
    By Harley5229 in forum Parts 4 Sale
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 11-24-2008, 10:18 AM
  2. 21 foot Eliminator Tunnel Hull Jet Boat For Sale
    By OldFaithful Squirter in forum Cats & Tunnels
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 02-26-2007, 05:44 PM
  3. eliminator tunnel hull
    By tahiti77 in forum Jet Boats
    Replies: 25
    Last Post: 04-03-2006, 03:23 PM
  4. buying eliminator tunnel hull
    By tahiti77 in forum Sandbar
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 04-01-2006, 02:18 AM
  5. Eliminator V bottom tunnel hull
    By Nubbs in forum Sandbar
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 08-13-2004, 08:52 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
  •