Digging In

[Mike45]

I have a question about exiting a turn in my hydro.
My boat is digging in very bad when I am exiting a turn. I would like to understand why before I just get rid of the boat and buy a new one. Here's the deal on the boat. It is a homemade copy of a Pavlik so she is a little heavy not to bad but not as light as a say...a B&H, the air traps run full length and at the back of the boat on both sides and they are about 3/16" deep at the back. But I am not sure if this is even a problem. Am I trying to straighten the boat out to quickly around the turns, not leaning enough, not moving to the back fast enough, leaning to far to the front. I just am racking my brain trying to figure this out.

Any and all help will be appreciated. I will also answer any questions as best I can to get some help on this matter.

Thank You and don't forget I am still learning this is only my sencond year of racing.

PS: I also drive a runabout and am doing very well with it so I may be using how I turn this but should be doing something differently.


Mike Stevenson 45-P

[Dave M]

On the Exit ?

The boat is digging in on the exit of the turn ? Is the right side digging in or the left side ? It could be a simple fix of you over steering the boat, or some other things. I see a few new to the sport folks keep turning left to long and then over correct coming out of the corner and the boat digs in both left and right. You need to let it come out of the corner smooth and not have to make any directional changes. If you are over steering the exit of the corner don't feel bad, lots of people do it. Even experienced drivers do now and then.

Sometimes an older boat can tweak some meaning the bottom is not square any longer. If it tweaks in the wrong spots, it could be forcing the sponson down. Hard to say without looking at it close.

[Mike45]

Thanks,
I think I may be over steering but I was not sure. It digs in on the right then I try and correct it and it digs to the left. Last month in Franklin, PA it actually threw me out of the boat. I was able to hold on this weekend, tried to go but it cocked the motor and the prop was to far out to plane off again. I'll try and just slide out of the corner while I slowly bring the wheel back and see.

I still welcome any help with this. As I have been lucky and have not been run over.

[Andrew 4CE]

I find rollup runabout drivers who convert to hydro frequently get too far forward in the boat for cornering and lean hard and drive the sponsons into the water grabbing too much water. The back can also get light then and can try to spinout.

Keep your hips low too. Your avitar shows you butt up in the air... when the boat grabs you might roll right out of the boat.

[Mike45]

Thanks, for the information. Both of these things I think I am doing to cause the boat to dig in and spin out.

I think I am overstearing because I feel the boat begin to spin out when the prop cuts loose. Also thanks for the reminder to get my butt down and also to quit leaning so far forward and out of the boat as this is what is more than likely causing the problem.

It is just hard for me to see this because some races I turn perfectly and others I spin out on. I also have to remember what boat I am in and how it handles.

Again thanks for the help and the reminders (as I have been told this before) but my stubborness and the thrill to keep pace keeps me from paying attention to the obvious of others. I love the sport and I continually try to get others interested, so I welcome all input from other racers so I may pass this along when letting others go out in my boat for the first time.

Mike Stevenson 45P

[dholt]

Mike,

I saw your near spin out at Lakemore Sunday. Looked like you were trying to turn fairly tight...inside another boat's wake. That is a tricky thing to do...easy to dig the chine.

As Dave said...you want to exit the turn smoothly...letting it float out of the corner.

Sometimes not possible with traffic and/or boat wakes. Just don't oversteer...that's the biggest thing.

All boats turn different. Just need to get the feel of how each boat you drive reacts. A chicken wing on the right chine helps as well. Will keep the chine up and less digging in the corners. Pretty sure that AMH boat you have doesn't have a chicken wing. You could try putting one on it.

Turning rails on the chine help too. Easy to put one on.

D.

[Matt Dagostino]

Hey Mike

Here's the deal on the boat. It is a homemade copy of a Pavlik so she is a little heavy not to bad but not as light as a say...a B&H,
Mike Stevenson 45-P

Nice pitting with you at Lakemore..........herein is the problem. It is a Pavlick and not a B&H Copy. Just kidding.

I agree with Dana's comments and would add that the boat has pretty big sponsons and by not floating the boat through the corner coupled with your weight being forward you are adding to the handling issue off the corner. B&H Sponsons are shorter and tend to allow the outside sponson to 'float' off the exit of a corner better than any boat made (in my opinion). However you can help mitigate the problem by taking the advise stated.

Stay cool!!...........

[STEVE FRENCH]

Mike,
If that's the rig you bought from Rick.T/Canadohta Lake,.....It was built by Walley SCHLIPF in Florida.........I trade'd John Palmquist's National champ F/A...ASH (now painted red) hydro for it.

Walley swore his driver could stay with the top guns....I never felt the same/comfortable in it......but, I'm used to the Altralite also.

Sold it to Rick as a lake/cottage racer.

You are welcome to finish season with my CSH/25 Bezote (116N Tim Graminski rig) that is in warehouse in Clymer, Ny......Nice rig...Very good ride with 20H and 25XS/25MOD.......Alan drove it at Lock Haven with my 20H/Commode and actually gave my Altralite with my 22 OMC A-MOD a good race....
Charlie has run my 25XS on it......Has a filler piece on transom for tall/short towers.

Give a call/PM and will give you and Charlie directions and have my repair guy (Larry Bach) meet ya there (10mins from Corry, Pa.) ta load if interested.

100N Steve

PS....My Pavlick (Former 3-S rig) that I lent to Joel Weigle, is one of the best rides I have ever had the pleasure of pilot'n!.....Still hope to see Joel in it this year in 20SSH......Joel?

[Mike45]

My Bag

It sounds like I am trying to make this boat do something that it was not designed to do and that is "Hug the buoyes" around the entire corners.

Dana, Thanks for the advise and I am glad someone saw what took place. I think I recall coming out almost side by side and I was on the inside and was trying not to slide into another racer so I "over steered" the boat while it dug into his wake at the same time....But man what a save....my heart was racing and I was just waiting for someone to drive over me. I think that is one of the things I like about this sport is the rush you get as soon as you see the clock hit 15sec and it does not stop until you see the checkered flag.

Matt, I agree with you on the B&H but my partner does not think my B&H is a big enough boat for 20ssh and I was not sure what class I was going to be needed in at Lakemore so I brought the Pavlik (lookalike not a copy because the sponsons are kinda big, although the B&H is the same length I do not know the weight of it. I think I am going to put the Y80 on it anyway, they do turn much better and I never had a problem with it.

Steve, What do you think? You have seen my "Steeler Boat" (B&H). And thanks for the offer and I may take you up on it if I can not figure this boat out. Charlie has me convinced that I need to sand off about 10" of the air trap on the rear so it can "slide out" of the corners better. Both of his Butts are designed like that. I think these guys have it pegged and that I am over steering and with my wieght over the side is causing the problem.

Thanks for the history on the boat and maybe he is on hydroracer and can let me know what the boat likes.
Steve, and about the Seeeee Yaaaaaaaa......in my wake, For now I just hope to make it out of yours.


Mike Stevenson 45P

[Big Don]

How about this…maybe at the next race someone with experience jump in it and see what it does rather than everyone trying to guess what the problem might be.

[Matt Dagostino]

Have at it!!

How about this…maybe at the next race someone with experience jump in it and see what it does rather than everyone trying to guess what the problem might be.

I have a spare lifejacket for you to use to take Mike's rig for a spin!!......it would be good to see you get out there with us 'experienced drivers'.

[Big Don]

Doubt it would fit…LOL...I put on about 10 lbs. since I last raced. Oh wait I might have forgot a 0????

Plus I like those inferior boats...so… you guys keep buying those B & H boats they are way better than a Pavlick.

Sorry Troy, I know I’m picking on your boys but the truth needs to be told.

[Mike45]

Welcome to try

Hey Big Don, Sounds like a good idea and if you ever get over to a region 6 race I'll be sure and let you give her a try. I'll let you (or anyone else) put my 80 or 302 on her if you think weight is a problem. I also know a fellow with a "fat mans zipper".

I am not a veteran experienced driver but I am not inexperienced either but I would like to figure this boat out. It handles a little differently in the turns but man can she fly down the straight.
I was just out doing some test runs today (in the narrow and low Allegheny river) and even though I had to take the turns a little slower by getting my butt down and not leaning so far foward it seemed to slide better rather than me forcing the boat to turn but she still feels like she wants to turn like a tunnel, "on a dime".

I will entertain anyone willing to give her a try, but I am going to first fill the pickles with styrofoam or empty 2 liter bottles just in case because she did throw me out once while spinning around twice in the air and I thought it was going to sink. My life jacket was not going to hold us both up.

By the way Big Don you are not the one on the bottom in your avitar are you?
Had to ask. Thanks for the help and it may be a good idea.

[Big Don]

LOL... Mike that is not me in the picture. Kid on top is my kid. I have not looked like that in almost 35 years. At 52 years old with two bad knees and closer to 300 than 200 I'm not getting and any boat. Unless it has fishing poles in it.

There are some of the best drivers in the country at your races so I'm sure one of them could take it for a lap or two and get some ideas of what is wrong.