Samuel Hagan JR
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2010
- Messages
- 4,669
My Sport 40 doesn't have a tunnel underneath or belley pan. It's completely flat. I'm guessing with today's speeds and motor technology, the cushion isn't needed as much as it used too. I have my strut mounted underneath but I have the drive dog 1/4" past the transom. I was told about a half in past the transom help speed some but anymore then that it lost speed. I might try mounting it on the rear for ***** and giggles but I don't want to cut up a shaft just to try it out.The cushion of air as I describe it is the air passing under the hull. As the air passes under the boat, the boat is held up. The way that the bottom is shaped will reflect how the hull handles. Most Sport boats have a flat bottom for the rear half of the hull and that is probably the best scenario for holding the rear of the boat up at speed. The air traps down the side will help hold the air under the hull.When you mean cushion of air under the transom are you talking about the airtraps under the boat or the very back. Is that why some guys have those long 1/8th inch runners on the rear bottom.So far the testing on my new hull has proven no advantage. I have had to downsize the prop from what I ran on my previous boat. I will be putting the strut back under the boat. I believe that the cushion of air under the transom helps hold the prop up better.
Take a look at the modern hydroplanes of today that run the props farther behind the transom. They have also recessed the transom and run the sponson canoes and rear shoes as far back as the prop for support.
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