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View Full Version : Corsican Bravo Ford Shakedown !! YEE HAA!



mphatc
06-26-2005, 09:18 PM
:hyper: :D :D :D

Finally the Corsican made it back to the water, a year later than planned and 2 years after I started the rebuild.

Saturday we had a wedding, and after that we towed to the lake and planned on a leisure maiden voyoge of ~ 5 miles to our island. We were running later than planned and chose to go to the closest ramp, but further from our destination, it was getting dark and this atleast would allow us to reach the island before dark IF nothing went wrong.

As soon as the stern was wet, while still on the trailer I fired her up, inspecting everything, ahhh low and behold the T'stat housing gasket had a leak. Not expected! A guik fix with lifecaulk and the old gasket, feeling like McGiver himself we set off across Winni.

I'd never driven an 18 with a Bravo, my prop was a stab in the dark, and none of this one off design had been proven. A little throttle and we were on plane, 20 minutes later we were tied up at the island!

We were psyched, all felt great, no vibrations, great response from the engine which was already run on the dyno, and Linds was excited to have made it to the island alive!

I ran it 4 hours today, including a 6:30 AM run in the haze on glass . . possibly the smoothest water one could imagine.

All in all I had ZERO problems today, everything works as it is supposed to, The boat runs nicely on plane with no helm, the throttle response from the 302 is AWESOME. And there's alot of horses in this thing to play with :D :D

Now for some tuning questions . . .

This is a Ford 302 connected to a Bravo , the X dimension is 3/8" higher than stock, the prop is a LH 23P Mirage. No tabs.

In calm water, 3-6" chop with small motor boat waves the boat will start to chine walk at 4500 RPM. This happens when you set the throttle and then trim it out. Later in the day in a bit more chop with 15 gallons less fuel and a bit more trim I could run 4600 w/o chine walk, this worked if I started with the trim up and then brought up the engine speed.

This prop is a bit much as with it I couldn't reach my redline or 5000 rpm.

Is the steeper pitch of this prop grabbing the stern and inducing chine walk?

Suggestions!

Mario L.

BUIZILLA
06-26-2005, 09:26 PM
22 turbo

roadtrip se
06-26-2005, 09:49 PM
Hope to see her run out at 1000 Islands. Been a couple of years, since we last saw her and she was really nice then!

I would also sniff around for a Hydro Q4 21 or 22 LH, especially with the raised x-dimension. There are a lot of 18 guys running these out there with success. I own two and they really clean up the handling, especially in rough water conditions.

Good luck,

Todd

boxy
06-26-2005, 10:11 PM
Nice work Mario, you deserved a break. Now shine it up, and head North .... :D

MOP
06-26-2005, 10:12 PM
Great news Mario, I bet you are still Ginning! Sounds like it will be a winner with the right prop, hope you will make 1K.

Phil

olredalert
06-26-2005, 11:22 PM
Mario,

-------This is really good news. You deserve many more fun hours. Coincidently, I think I may be getting mine wet tomorrow as well and am as excited as you. I feel like the proud, albeit poorer papa..........Bill S

Fish boy
06-27-2005, 07:16 AM
Congrats Mario, post some pics if you get a chance, love to see some.

gcarter
06-27-2005, 07:23 AM
Good for you Mario!
The only time my Minx chine walked was when I had a Mirage on it.
And the most stable it's been is with a Hydro on it.

mphatc
06-27-2005, 04:46 PM
Thanks guys! Atleast I feel comfortable in reading that with a prop my chine walk will go away . . . now to find a few props w/o buying an inventory ;)

As for 1000 Islands, sorry we won't be there this year. It's just not in the budget. We'll have to see you all at the Winni Poker Run!

I wish it was Friday , can I go to the pond NOW??

Mario

PS Linda said to me on the first run across the lake , "this boat will be the death of you, I'm prepared for it. Atleast you'll go doing something you enjoyed." :lifeprese Nice.

blackhawk
06-27-2005, 09:24 PM
When I got my new boat(although not a Donzi it's close ;)) it chine walked worse with some props than others. I discovered that some I could not "drive through" and some I could.

The stock Viper(Volvo SX drive) was the best with the Mirage + second. Both of these props would allow me to drive through the chine walk. At first i would trim up until it started walking then trim it back down giving me a stable ride but at a lower speed. Then I started experimenting to see what would happen if I trimmed up. What do you know, it got better!

Now I trim right through the "walking" spot and it's faster and more stable than ever. In dead clam water it still wants to walk a touch but is easily steered out by a slight bump to the wheel.

Cuda
06-27-2005, 11:33 PM
now to find a few props w/o buying an inventory ;)

Nice.

Call Throttle Up in St Pete Florida. You give them a credit card number, and they will get you a prop to try, if if doens't work, they will send another. I think they only charge for shipping the different props if you find one to buy. Of course, this is if the prop comes back in perfect shape.

Julie and Matt are great to work with.