My Last Boat VI

Foggy,

With only the bimini up, there are 2 way to enter/egress the cockpit. If we're at a dock, I get on/off by stepping on the very aft of the coming. When I have to go forward, I crouch and exit at the front of the cockpit. I used to be 6' 2" and it's still workable even though I creak when I bend. Again, if we're in the water Judy's bimini is up.

hardee is correct, AIS receive is cheap and if you boat anywhere there's large freighters it's wonderful. If you get a Garmin plotter, I assume AIS receive can be plugged into the plotter. If it can't, get a cheap PC, download openCpn, plug a GPS puck and AIS receive in, download the free charts and be safe. For about $400.

We cross the Santa Barbara Channel, where the big boys from China go up and down, along with the tankers from Alaska and AIS takes all the sweat out of the crossing. OpenCPN (and I assume all decent charting programs,) tell you how close you're going to get and when. How's that for service?

Boris
 
Taking advantage of AIS receive for minimal outlay seems wise. The only problem I see with it, since it is optional for recreational boaters, is getting a false sense of security with it, for vessel A, appearing as an obvious triangle on a chart plotter while a weak radar return, from vessel B, may be visible only as a weak blip and be the actual collision danger. Plus, with AIS receive only, vessel A or B may not see me.

We have freighters from all over the world in the Great Lakes. Notorious for changeable weather, fog too. This does not deter a plethora of pleasure boaters from May to October. Going back about a half century, I've concentrated my boating in northern Lake Michigan, where the water is still that glorious clear deep blue. We have a bottle neck here called Grey's Reef where all commercial ships coming from and going to the St Lawrence must pass along with island chains resulting in many wrecks on the bottom, some I've SCUBA'd. What I'm leading into is, after all these years at the helm of 4 different vessels of my own when AIS wasn't close to a concept, I'm glad to say I've never had a close call with a commercial or recreational vessel in these waters. Two factors, I believe, account for this: vigilance and radar. I did come close enough, once sailing in the 1980s, to get a series of '5 blasts' from a commercial big boy in the Strait of Gibraltar in poor visibility, no radar.

But, I'll still look at AIS.

Peter mentioned using a dealer suggested 'transom wedge' to lower his bow angle helpful in softening oncoming seas. I'm thinking tucking the engine trim in and applying trim tabs vs and added extra. My increased "V" bottom of the Venture should help: factory reports dead rise at the transom 4 degrees – dead rise mid-ship 7 degrees, dead rise 3 feet aft of the bow eye 40 degrees. Not a "deep V" by any stretch; any 'V' will not prevent 'pounding' if the hull speed, trim and sea angle are off. Short of that, you need 'foils'.

Agreed on extra grab rails: one or two 'head lifters', one at the Mate's helm seat bulkhead, the interior handrail option and at the pilothouse/cockpit corner.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Aye.
 
Foggy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Duf1y3Y9Enw
I don't know why two engines of equal horsepower would perform that differently unless the Yamaha was propped wrong or had some other issue. I'm thinking if that video is what you would use make a engine choice, enjoy your ETEC. Four strokes are heavier than two strokes but they have other nice attributes. Good luck with your engine selection.
D.D.
 
Two strokes have more torque than 4 strokes. They develop power on each 'stroke' vs every other stroke. Remember all engines have the same pattern: Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow; words to help remember the 4 main sequences in an engine. Intake, Compression, Combustion, Exhaust.

Two strokes 'Bang' 2x as often as 4 strokes, hence more torque. Also, less weight, fewer parts, etc.

Aye.
 
WillC, That was my thought too, Props.... and who put out the video :roll:

2 stroke may make more torque, but it sure did not sound like the Yamaha got wound up like the ETEC did, on the side by side run. I would think they were each propped to run as single since that is the way they were testing for.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon
 
PeterQ, excellent post. The only question I have is about "wedges" I have always seen them as a "correction" for a poor boat design--which is not the case here. I do realize that some of the fishermen use the on certain boats.

My concern is that you don't want the boat to be bow down, with a following sea--which can lead to both broaching and bow steering. This can be dangerous. There for I prefer to use Trim tabs. Although I have not owned a 26, I have owned a 25 and ridden in a 26 which gave me some comparison. I started with a 22 and no tab, no Permatrim. Ride not the best, but we put up with it and learned for several years. Then we replaced that with the 25, which had trim tabs. I ran that for 6 months and then added the Permatrim--so I could compare. Definately better at getting the bow down--yet allowing the bow up in rough down wind conditions (such as 10 to 12 footers in Johnston Strait, high wind against current. I probably would go with the trim tabs, and also Permatrims for the best ride. But would like to know if Peter Q has had any severe down wind conditions--and if so how the boat handles.

Agree with Foggy about AIS as only another aid. Also the 24" radome is better--and a good radar essential up in the Great lakes.
 
When I mentioned installing a Permatrim on the motor, my dealer strongly recommended the transom wedge. here's a photo:

modules.php


(Note: If this photo is not visible, just go to my new sub-album "Sea Wings Equipment & Mods".)

I'm no expert at this, but I think the added bow-down thrust angle will help at hole-shots and possibly allow planing at lower speeds. The boat comes with Bennett trim tabs which are more effective at higher speeds, like 15kt plus. At least, that was the selling point for the wedge. A side-by-side comparison with a stock install would be interesting.

The motor has a wide trim range, and will easily trim bow-up, which I think is adequate for driving in a following seas situation. I still only have about 30 hours of experience, so I'll have to let you know.

The 26 Venture may be an entirely different situation, so maybe this mod is not applicable to that boat.

[/url]http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album1993&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
 
Peter, I miss understood what you meant by transom wedges--I have also seen wedges installed on the bottom of the boat--what you have allows the motor to trim down more (and up slightly less).

My own experience before and after permatrims convinced me that they did definately improve the ride into chop. More stern lift.

Sea_Wings_Transom_Wedge.sized.jpg

Above are the "wedges" on Peter's boat. The same effect would be by increasing the angle of the transom, if the factory thought that it would be an advantage.
 
I don't know how the angle compares to a 25-foot C-Dory with a wedge installed, but here's a line drawing showing the raked transom of a Cape Cruiser Marinaut 26 (the same hull as the C-Dory Venture 26).

marfloor_zps24d9f4ac.jpg
 
Will-C, you may enjoy this 'drag race' between a 2004 Honda 8 hp 4 stroke vs a 1963 Evinrude 10 hp 2 stroke. Over 40 years in engineering difference if you don't want to do the math. Agreed, it's not an apples-to=apples comparison and not much info is given, but it seems to reinvorce what Evinrude is still doing today. And, yeah, Made in the USA!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh86EiNkMXI

Aye.
 
Foggy, try to get in touch with a forum member named tpbrady. He wasn't satisfied with the Etec 90 on his 22 and repowered with a Honda 90. As I recall he had Yamahas on other boats and liked those even better.
 
20dauntless":3rm4zxgn said:
Foggy, try to get in touch with a forum member named tpbrady. He wasn't satisfied with the Etec 90 on his 22 and repowered with a Honda 90. As I recall he had Yamahas on other boats and liked those even better.
Click to expand...

Isn't he in the middle of football season? :roll: :roll:
 
AK Angler":37e004xk said:
Foggy":37e004xk said:
Will-C, you may enjoy this 'drag race' between a 2004 Honda 8 hp 4 stroke vs a 1963 Evinrude 10 hp 2 stroke. ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh86EiNkMXI

Aye.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... I wonder what the outcome would have been if the Honda had been properly trimmed? Seems to me that it was using a big chunk of it's power to make a giant rooster tail instead of actually pushing the boat. :wink
Click to expand...

Well then, take a look at this Evinrude > Honda performance. OK, different boats, but it look like the inflatable is Honda powered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4SvGTFasI0

Aye.
 
Wandering Sagebrush":z4kf8g67 said:
20dauntless":z4kf8g67 said:
Foggy, try to get in touch with a forum member named tpbrady. He wasn't satisfied with the Etec 90 on his 22 and repowered with a Honda 90. As I recall he had Yamahas on other boats and liked those even better.
Click to expand...

Isn't he in the middle of football season? :roll: :roll:
Click to expand...

Yup, Tom took "5" on the sidelines to to answer my email and say oil consumption on ETECHs is costly as well as other maintenance. Having owned and worked on Evinrudes, Hondas and Yamahas, he would go with Yammis.

That's worth 6 points on my score card.

Aye.
 
Back
Top