Paging FORREST!

[MOP]

Forrest have you gotten to play with some other later 16's to see if yours handles better in chop? I have this idea that maybe the old bottom was better for running faster in a chop. My thing is not to see how fast it will go but to move the cruise speed up a bit in a chop. I do pretty good with a fair amount of tab on, but I think the strakes will do the same thing with less drag may be able to run a faster cruise.

[Forrest]

MOP, I haven't done any direct comparisons, but I have run my '72 16 Ski Sport side-by-side with a few later model 16s. What I have found is that the older 16s run higher at the stern at full speed than do the newer 16s. The older 16 can be a bear to handle at higher speeds - almost down right scary - especially if you start to go heavy on the up button. BTW, I set my trim-limiter to allow only 2 ticks up on my '72 16 with a 1.5:1 Alpha SS turning a 23 cleaver prop. The newer 16 with its shorter inner-lifting seems to be a lot easier to handle and a lot more predictable especially when going over waves like boat wake, than does the earlier 16 with its inner lifting strakes that continue almost to the transom. All that being said, I do think the older 16 properly set up is faster than the new 16 for a given amount of power in water up to about a two foot chop. But all in all though, I would think that the newer 16 is overall more enjoyable to ride in and operate over the course of the day than the older 16. To put it bluntly, my old 70mph 16 is more like a thrill ride at an amusement park than a boat ride. Though nearly as fast and heck of a lot more stable, passengers like rinding in my X-18 much better than in the 16. In fact, some folks won't even ride in the 16 anymore. :( eek! :D

[Rootsy]

bring it on Forrest, i'll ride in the 16! after driving a spring car a time or two not much frightens me anymore... cept of course... winni bandits :p

wonder how an intermediate extention to the inner strakes would effect the ride and stability... i have a few good photos of my boat running with a mirage.. man is it ever nose high... that cleaver really tamed it down. the boat rides on maybe the last 2 or 3 feet of the hull where it is smooth...

anyway, good insite and info... more fuel for my fire wink

[MOP]

I might just try adding about two foot, I'll glue on some soft wood so I can rip it off easy. I am running a Cobra drive which sits back a little farther than the Merc's so it should not air out.

[smoothie]

So thats how I can get my trim in the same sweet spot every time wink Thanks again answerman :D