Boat Set-Up Tips

[johnsonm50]

I've noticed that, due to the higher rake, the cleavers tend to lift the nose of the boat more so than that of their round-ear counterparts. I would compensate for the difference in the attitude of the boat by either moving forward, or taking a small amount of tuck out, depending on the water conditions. The change in set up is dependent on driver ability and is boat-specific. This is something one will have to tune on each individual boat.

From what Ive read one throws a conical thrust, the other throws a stream. From having 2 very similar pitch/dia cleavers to run on the same rig I find the hi rake one to take off better, causes pop ups - slam downs but is so close in speed that Ill call it the same. The low rake one handles better in general & once going & is more predictable in ruff. That being a runabout, on a hydro the hi rake prop works ok. I dont have much in dog eared props to compare.

[form-e one]

if you guys would invest in a rake gage like prop builders or i have for the last 20 years you would understand what the differences are in you cleavers hi and lo rake and you roundy blades it is also why you can run one prop higher than another without going side ways,,,, and get better cooling on yamato"s..

[hydroid]

Rake gauge...?

if you guys would invest in a rake gage like prop builders or i have for the last 20 years you would understand what the differences are in you cleavers hi and lo rake and you roundy blades it is also why you can run one prop higher than another without going side ways,,,, and get better cooling on yamato"s..

Sounds good, I want to learn more to be competitive.
Now, tell us from whom/where to get one and what is average cost?...this would be helpful to determine how much one needs to 'invest'.

[form-e one]

contact john meyers,,425-485-6139 in seattle he has dupicates of my rake guage and pitch guages that where orig ed karelsens,,, rake guage is 125$,,pitch??? ,,,

[Dave M]

Props to Prop Thread

Hey guys, how about starting a Prop Thread ? Include all your posts on Cleavers, round ears, Hi and Lo Rake, guages, etc. My best advise on props.... let the prop man handle it. There are several around. A call to them might be worth a nationals..

[ram95]

I'd like to back up a little and make a few comments. First, I T-totally agree with "Dave M" regarding that steering wheel nut - do not use it for a tension device, it'll lock your butt up in a turn and you won't be able to straighten it out. To be safe, you need to have end play there. If you're running D or FE you might think about using hydraulic steering. I've run it since 2008. Some of you have seen it - it works. Just point and shoot. No torque feedback.

Second I use 'degrees' to set tuck and propshaft height. I use a simple little battery powered digital guage sold by Harbor Freight. It measures in tenths of a degree - nice! Your boat doesn't need to be level to do this. You just measure the difference between the angle reading you get off the bottom of your boat and compare it to the angle reading off your propshaft (or bottom of cavitation plate, etc), and that is your amount (degree) of tuck. For a while, you'll be comparing it to your pals inch reaings, but after a while, you'll know exactly where you are. And you're the one that counts.

Third, measuring prop shaft depth at the end of your propshaft is not too difficult if you.... find an old aluminum storm window and bust it, being careful to save the 2 long aluminum edges. Usually, they are cut at a 45 degree angle and come to a nice point. They are also usually 1/2" wide. So you just slap one of them up against your boat bottom and hold the pointed end near your propshaft, and measure from there. If you save both the aluminum pieces, you can lay them side to side to see if one is bent because the kids stepped on them. Kind of like a calibration device.

Alex
DSH 12A The Mad Russian
DSH 8A Stagger Lee

[jeff55v]

For anything over a BMH I truly wish the hardware companies would stop selling the tension nut on the hub of the steering wheel.

When I assemble my boat and motor, the first thing I do is hook up and tighten the steering cables. Then I tie the motor down. Then I check the RESISTANCE in turning the steering wheel. If it is not to my liking, I tighten the friction nut on my steering wheel. Most of us steer with one hand. The steering wheel has to stay put when we let go of it to regrip. It would be extraordinarily UNSAFE to have the thing flop all over the place when we let go to regrip. I am glad the manufacturers put the friction nut in the center of the steering wheel!

[ZUL8TR]

tuck degree device

I'd like to back up a little and make a few comments. First, I T-totally agree with "Dave M" regarding that steering wheel nut - do not use it for a tension device, it'll lock your butt up in a turn and you won't be able to straighten it out. To be safe, you need to have end play there. If you're running D or FE you might think about using hydraulic steering. I've run it since 2008. Some of you have seen it - it works. Just point and shoot. No torque feedback.

Second I use 'degrees' to set tuck and propshaft height. I use a simple little battery powered digital guage sold by Harbor Freight. It measures in tenths of a degree - nice! Your boat doesn't need to be level to do this. You just measure the difference between the angle reading you get off the bottom of your boat and compare it to the angle reading off your propshaft (or bottom of cavitation plate, etc), and that is your amount (degree) of tuck. For a while, you'll be comparing it to your pals inch reaings, but after a while, you'll know exactly where you are. And you're the one that counts.

Third, measuring prop shaft depth at the end of your propshaft is not too difficult if you.... find an old aluminum storm window and bust it, being careful to save the 2 long aluminum edges. Usually, they are cut at a 45 degree angle and come to a nice point. They are also usually 1/2" wide. So you just slap one of them up against your boat bottom and hold the pointed end near your propshaft, and measure from there. If you save both the aluminum pieces, you can lay them side to side to see if one is bent because the kids stepped on them. Kind of like a calibration device.

Alex
DSH 12A The Mad Russian
DSH 8A Stagger Lee

Alex

I have one of those HF battery degree devices. Works well. But no need to take a degree measurement off the botom and subtract it from the prop shaft reading. I just place the device on the bottom in the fore-aft direction about 1 foot from the rear bottom edge and zero it out using the calibrate button to read 0.0 degrees. Then I stick it to the bottom of prop shaft with the magnetic side of the device and read tuck degrees directly that are relative to the zero setting from the bottom. I always use the same side of the device (the magnetic side) on the bottom as on the prop shaft to keep accuracy of the measurement consistant.

Also note the device is short (about 2.5") so when using it the bottom is assumed to be perfectly flat.

Finally the device does have an accuracy associated with the degrees calculated by an internal chip. The accuracy stated in the manual is +/- 0.3 degrees. The 0.3 degrees is about 1/16" over 12". So know the tool.

[johnsonm50]

Alex

I have one of those HF battery degree devices. Works well. But no need to take a degree measurement off the botom and subtract it from the prop shaft reading. I just place the device on the bottom in the fore-aft direction about 1 foot from the rear bottom edge and zero it out using the calibrate button to read 0.0 degrees. Then I stick it to the bottom of prop shaft with the magnetic side of the device and read tuck degrees directly that are relative to the zero setting from the bottom. I always use the same side of the device (the magnetic side) on the bottom as on the prop shaft to keep accuracy of the measurement consistant.

Also note the device is short (about 2.5") so when using it the bottom is assumed to be perfectly flat.

Finally the device does have an accuracy associated with the degrees calculated by an internal chip. The accuracy stated in the manual is +/- 0.3 degrees. The 0.3 degrees is about 1/16" over 12". So know the tool.

You can hold the device to a known straight edge between it & the bottom, question being is the error factor consistent or changed per use?

[ZUL8TR]

tuck measure

You can hold the device to a known straight edge between it & the bottom, question being is the error factor consistent or changed per use?

I suppose to be consistent just place some black sharpie marks on the bottom for same placement of the straight edge and use the same straight edge and the same degree device. Kind of like using the same tire pressure gage to check air pressure, or prop pitch gages fpr pitch. Same would apply to all gages.

After using degree device to measure tuck it can be done several times to check the consistency of readings.

The accuracy of any gage can be checked by comparing to a known source. All tool measurements are relative so consistency is the approach.

Battery powered devices depend on the condition of the batteries so they need to be checked for proper voltage. I remove the batteries from all my batttery powered measuring tools when not in use for an extended time cause some of these devices still draw some power even when off.

[Systemoverload]

if you guys would invest in a rake gage like prop builders or i have for the last 20 years you would understand what the differences are in you cleavers hi and lo rake and you roundy blades it is also why you can run one prop higher than another without going side ways,,,, and get better cooling on yamato"s..

I got a rake gauge and a pitch gauge and can see and measure the differences in construction among props. Speed and slip I can compute but how does prop choice affect set-up and handling? Just trying to understand boat & prop interaction.