PDA

View Full Version : Anyone have experience with tunnel hulls?



txtaz
04-13-2009, 10:08 AM
Just curious how they handle in the 19-22ft range. I would assume they are a little rough over wakes/chop and turn flat.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

yeller
04-13-2009, 10:24 AM
One of the boats on my very short list was a 22' Eliminator, even though I'd never ridden in a tunnel. Based on what I'd always read, I figured the tunnel would be an awesome ride. Last summer, I hitched a ride in a 04 22'
Eliminator 496HO boat. Definitely much faster than my 22 as it ran upper 80's with the stock HO, but I wasn't impressed with the ride. There was a 1 1/2' chop out and I felt the ride was a bit rough. Not bone jarring, just not as smooth as what I expected. I still wouldn't rule one out as there is no denying tunnels are fast, just not as smooth as the Classic.

BlownCrewCab
04-13-2009, 11:47 AM
It all depends on the Boat, Eliminators and Alley Cats are Lake Boats. The Skater 21 and Trick Marine 21 are Offshore Cats and take Chop and wakes without even flinching. It doesn't thrive untill there's a 2' chop and it sucks it up no problem. It'll go 100mph with a stock waranteed outboard. It will be my next boat. I loved it since it came out 20+ yrs ago.

Conquistador_del_mar
04-13-2009, 11:49 AM
I have a 23' Eliminator Daytona which is a tunnel hull. When on a chop, you really need to get on the top to get a good ride or the flat bottom between the sponsons will hit fairly hard. I can take 2' chop, but I need to be running around 65-70MPH to stay on the top. It runs very smooth until there are waves that produce too much height. There is no lean when in turns which is a little strange at first. You definitely do not want to "plow" through the rough stuff like you would in a deepV hull, but they are definitely much faster. Mine is actually faster going up wind since it packs the air under the hull for more lift. They are a ball, but not for everyone or every lake conditions. Bill

glashole
04-13-2009, 12:09 PM
no first hand driving knowledge but we did have a 22 TALON run with us in toronto the end of last year

it ran real nice in the 1-1 1/2ft chop

once we were in the open lake water with the 2-3 ft waves he had to slow down where our 22's (classics and ZX) began to work nice

real fast in the calm water

could have been the driver not wanting to pound the boat too much but just the same if it was running nice it wouldn't pound

Shea