non racer with just aquired sst 45 tunnel need info please

[mercguy]

Sorry, Mark, I have to respectfully disagree.

45's are a bit of a special case and here is why:

45's are underpowered. The boat designers put craploads of extra lift into them to get them to perform. Drivers typically trim them waaaay under at the top of the straight just to keep them on the water. This asymmetry makes for an extremely unstable ride.

In my opinion, 45SST is the most difficult tunnel boat to drive. It is not the speed, its the design of the boat for the highest performance at the maximum theoretical speed the motor is able to push the boat and the hull is designed for. This has been developed and refined over the last 15-20 years to make a boat that is incredibly challenging to manage.

Its not a speed thing, its a driving thing.

Seems this discussion has escalated beyond i-flier63's simple request for info on where to get a prop.

Convo/PM anytime i-flier63 if your interested in any way about persuing racing that 45. I hope you do, it can be a life changing experience.

BW

"Drivers typically trim them waaaay under at the top of the straight just to keep them on the water."

................I wish I had that problem!!

[MN1]

Sorry, Mark, I have to respectfully disagree.

45's are a bit of a special case and here is why:

45's are underpowered. The boat designers put craploads of extra lift into them to get them to perform. Drivers typically trim them waaaay under at the top of the straight just to keep them on the water. This asymmetry makes for an extremely unstable ride.

In my opinion, 45SST is the most difficult tunnel boat to drive. It is not the speed, its the design of the boat for the highest performance at the maximum theoretical speed the motor is able to push the boat and the hull is designed for. This has been developed and refined over the last 15-20 years to make a boat that is incredibly challenging to manage.

Its not a speed thing, its a driving thing.

Seems this discussion has escalated beyond i-flier63's simple request for info on where to get a prop.

Convo/PM anytime i-flier63 if your interested in any way about persuing racing that 45. I hope you do, it can be a life changing experience.

BW

I don't think 45's are underpowered they're geared wrong for punch out of the corner. The 45 motor was designed for a hydro. And this from one of the OMC engineers that helped design the motor.
I've only seen a couple 45 boats that run the way they should. Most lumber around and out of the turns. It's that gearing thing. But a couple have found the right hydrodynamic and aerodynamic lift combo for the motor and props. Remember 45 boat builders had to start from scratch again after the capsule rule. That's the reason for the added lift, plus they added 25 lbs to the class too. For the fatties!! Could it be the 45 class is too heavy, yes?
Mark N

[Dave M]

Question

How does this differ from the Norcal project ? Ot the MHRA project on letting new peopl drive race boats ? We all applauded them for their efforts. Now you have someone who on their own has taken the effort to get a ride with their own money.

I see nothing wrong with a laker. The only advice I would give would be to have an expereinced racer present when you take it out the first time, with radio so they can talk you through it. Have fun. Those tunnel boats can be set up safe from blowover in all but extreme wind. Listen to experience. I would suggest you get an air supply as well in case you do dump it. That way you might have some extra time. I persoanlly would not be in a tunnel boat sitting down, strapped in without it. Scares the chit out of me thinking about not having air.

Go have some fun, there are enough folks on this site and other good tunnel boat sites that probably live near enough to you that they would offer to help you out. Who knows, you might catch the bug, or you might not.

[HRTV]

How does this differ from the Norcal project ? Ot the MHRA project on letting new peopl drive race boats ? We all applauded them for their efforts. Now you have someone who on their own has taken the effort to get a ride with their own money.

I see nothing wrong with a laker. The only advice I would give would be to have an expereinced racer present when you take it out the first time, with radio so they can talk you through it. Have fun. Those tunnel boats can be set up safe from blowover in all but extreme wind. Listen to experience. I would suggest you get an air supply as well in case you do dump it. That way you might have some extra time. I persoanlly would not be in a tunnel boat sitting down, strapped in without it. Scares the chit out of me thinking about not having air.

Go have some fun, there are enough folks on this site and other good tunnel boat sites that probably live near enough to you that they would offer to help you out. Who knows, you might catch the bug, or you might not.

Huge difference, the Nor Cal 400 and MHRA projects only take place at sanction regattas where trained EMT personel are on stand by. You hit the nail on the head Dave "own their own" is what scares most peole here.

Actually Dave I think it has more to do with a novice boater then anything else, we see it every summer on local lakes all across the country with the first time Sea Doo owners that are killed year after year due to lack of experience on the water.

Most of the guys here have been around water craft all their lives so its second nature but when you take a novice boater and put him in an old SST45 race boat it just spells disaster.

I guess my point is ask any novice boater if he or she knows how to read the water and see what kind of look they give you. Ask a novice boater if he or she knows what to do if a 2 foot roller is approaching. Their answer will be what is a roller? Yes Im from the old school we used to call them rollers

[i-flier63]

Here are a few pics of the boat and of course I do plan on having a chase boat and help incase of a blow over, but don't plan on getting anywhere near that speed. Air supply also, just in case. I do appreciate the input and help greatly!
BTW: Experience=45 yrs old and boating since 15 yrs old, with my own boats, down to 7 boats at the moment!
Thanks again all for the info!
Photos when I figure it out

[i-flier63]

pics

pics of the 45 sst

[sam]

BTW: Experience=45 yrs old and boating since 15 yrs old, with my own boats, down to 7 boats at the moment!

You will find with your new boat, that your previous experience, though extensive, means almost nothing

Be very careful and have fun

[MN1]

pics of the 45 sst

This is an Grand Prix SST 45 capsule boat. There is one thing that makes this boat not a good choice for play without trained rescue people around when testing. And that is the design of the cockpit. These are designed so the driver has crash protection on the front, sides and above his head and the driver needs to be buckled in. One thing that most rookies might try is just don't put the seat belts on. This can be very bad if the boat goes over because of the way the top of the cockpit goes over the drivers head. So, the driver get trapped inside and throw around inside the cockpit. Not good.
Capsule boats really need trained divers out during testing.
One good thing about this boat is that with some simple safety mods it could race again! You might be surprised at how well it could run with a little work. Join APBA, take the capsule dunk test and have some fun.
Mark N

[HRTV]

This is an Grand Prix SST 45 capsule boat. There is one thing that makes this boat not a good choice for play without trained rescue people around when testing. And that is the design of the cockpit. These are designed so the driver has crash protection on the front, sides and above his head and the driver needs to be buckled in. One thing that most rookies might try is just don't put the seat belts on. This can be very bad if the boat goes over because of the way the top of the cockpit goes over the drivers head. So, the driver get trapped inside and throw around inside the cockpit. Not good.
Capsule boats really need trained divers out during testing.
One good thing about this boat is that with some simple safety mods it could race again! You might be surprised at how well it could run with a little work. Join APBA, take the capsule dunk test and have some fun.
Mark N

Funny it took you over three pages of post to change your mind and say exactly what I posted as the original poster in this thread. I never had to see a single photo and I knew this was trouble.

You cant argue with experience, and again you are wrong this boat would not be competitive at all and should be destroyed so that no young person gets a hold it. This is my final answer! these old OPC rigs are nothing but trouble!

Final answer.

[mercguy]

I disagree.................

Funny it took you over three pages of post to change your mind and say exactly what I posted as the original poster in this thread. I never had to see a single photo and I knew this was trouble.

You cant argue with experience, and again you are wrong this boat would not be competitive at all and should be destroyed so that no young person gets a hold it. This is my final answer! these old OPC rigs are nothing but trouble!

Final answer.

Dan, I pretty much race the same exact Gran Prix right now! It is still competitive (even more so with a driver lighter than my fat azz) and safe...............but, definately is not a "toy" and can do "funny things", if not driven properly!!

[HRTV]

Dan, I pretty much race the same exact Gran Prix right now! It is still competitive (even more so with a driver lighter than my fat azz) and safe...............but, definately is not a "toy" and can do "funny things", if not driven properly!!

It took you long enoug to post a photo of your 45

[mercguy]

It took you long enoug to post a photo of your 45

your server was giving me problems.....................but, I am just the "driver" (and parts getter!), the 45 belongs to Wayne Peeters!

[Flint54]

On the Lighter Side!!!!

Looking at the third picture makes me think!!! How could you get a FROSTY COCKPIT like that on those 105 degree 95% humidity summer days of racing??? What a moneymaker that would be!!!

[MN1]

Dan, I pretty much race the same exact Gran Prix right now! It is still competitive (even more so with a driver lighter than my fat azz) and safe...............but, definately is not a "toy" and can do "funny things", if not driven properly!!

Yep, that's what I said!!
Mark N

[MN1]

Funny it took you over three pages of post to change your mind and say exactly what I posted as the original poster in this thread. I never had to see a single photo and I knew this was trouble.

You cant argue with experience, and again you are wrong this boat would not be competitive at all and should be destroyed so that no young person gets a hold it. This is my final answer! these old OPC rigs are nothing but trouble!

Final answer.

My final answer is -------- Don't be negative toward new prospective boat racer's!!!! Even play boats produce future boat racers!!!
Mark N