Do you use a turn fin on a rigger for pure SAW runs

gil sonsino · Jan 22, 2012

Caramba !......... this is what we say here!

Martin Hamilton · Jan 22, 2012

Gil how much toe in do you use on each side.

gil sonsino · Jan 22, 2012

on my 80 boat using a good digital mitutoyo caliper about 1/16".. on the right sponson.......the left has no toe in.

John Finch · Jan 22, 2012

Mike Rappold said:
John Finch said:

You can adjust your front sponsons to allow the boat to turn well without a turn fin, but you must turn at low speed. SAW without a fin is harder to drive than oval trials, but turn fins slow you down considerably. You will be faster if you learn to drive without one. No matter how small you make it, not having it is faster. Learn to drive without one. Also, If you think you need the fin to go straight, you are also thinking how much can I slow this puppy down so I can drive it. A saw boat set up properly will track perfectly straight without a fin and with a very little rudder.

Click to expand...

John,

You mention that the front sponsons can be adjusted to allow the boat to turn well. Can you expand in more detail what type of adjustments? Is it an angle adjustment or an overall design/shape?

Thanks.

Mike

Narrow the width of the sponsons and they get deeper into the water at slow speed so that they stop the slide and let the rear come around. Also taking out non trip on the outside of the left sponson will make the front stick at slow speed. If the boat spins out add a non trip to the left outside of the sponson or make the sponson wider. After experimenting you will see a combination that works well enough to turn. A three blade prop will help to make sharper turns, so look at the prop as well. Problem with the 3 blade is a lot of lift in the SAW. If the boat hops, the fronts are too narrow and sticking or you need more weight on the transom. So, it is the whole package you may need to adjust. There is more than one way to make adjustments and they all affect each other.