Suzuki DF 140's

[randlemanboater]

Cool deal.

[snoozer]

It could be there is more weight in the stern. There is certainly less in the bow.

It is not me anymore, I have lost 130 lbs since last august.

The water coming over the stern is the ONLY thing I do not like about this boat. And I know how to fix it, but most likely will not, now that I have a 20 inch motor. I bought this boat as a 'beater', but think enough of it now to put some money in it. The fix may be to put this motor on a bracket and build up the transom. Living in the Keys is tough because there is no 'down' time between seasons to do the bigger jobs.

[THEFERMANATOR]

A bracket will make your problem WORSE! You will be giving it even more leverage, and when you come down off plane you will be putting it further back in the oncoming water. A good splashwell is the solution to your quandry you have. If you have a good splashwell, whatever water comes in will go right back out. Maybe also put your batteries in the bow somewhere. You need to move your CG furthur forward to keep the water off the stern with a 20" shaft. If you had a 25" shaft that would be different.

[snoozer]

Very True.
I did not want to sink any money into this hull untill I decided wether I liked or not.
But it has worked out to be a a fine boat for the Keys and the type of 'playing in the water' I do.
The stone crab pots are on the hard now for the off season, so the boat will come out next week for a bottom job and oil change. The splash well on this one needs some attention to stop some leaks. I'll look at moving the batteries, but I am not optomistic that just moving them will do a lot.

A suzuki note: I have a 18 pitch wheel on this one. I hauled in ten pots at a time (all in the bow, 500 extra lbs) and the boat planed out at 4000 and was just a knot off her usual speed. I never run WOT, and seldom as fast as 5000 rpms. today we will be in the gulf, looking at lobster holes.

[randlemanboater]

Notice how many times snoozer rubs it in that he lives in the Keys?

Just kidding snoozer, I'd brag about it too.

Snoozer, I think you would do well to switch to a 19 or 20 pitch prop, I am running a 21 pitch and it works good for me (even when loaded up with a bunch of people/weight), and brings down the RPM's considerably. I tried a 17 and an 18 pitch when I first got the motor and they were way too little pitch.

I was running a 19 pitch and it was ok, but still spun higher than I wanted. You know that sweet spot in the RPM's where the motor sounds happy, I was always just above that with the 19 when cruising around 25 mph.

I'm with you, I rarely run WOT, infact the only time I ever have with this motor was to check top speed with the different props.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Living in the KEYS isn't all that you would expect it to be RANDLEMAN. I did it for awhile and it got old quicker than you think. The average person is lucky to last 6 months down there before you leave.

[randlemanboater]

Originally Posted by THEFERMANATOR

Living in the KEYS isn't all that you would expect it to be RANDLEMAN. I did it for awhile and it got old quicker than you think. The average person is lucky to last 6 months down there before you leave.

I still wouldn't mind giving it a shot.

[Slightly_Twisted]

I have the 20 in transom on a CC also. This past winter I moved my two battries forward to just infront of the console and before the fishing platform. I've only had the boat in once to change out my bunk brackets, but I noticed a BIG differance in how she sat in the water. I've only been at headway speed and just above so I can't tell you how the proformance is, but it has to be better balanced then before.

I got new cable off ebay for half price about 1.60 a foot and ran the cable in the void space between the outter hull and the cap. It was no problem at all. Since I put my battry switch under the console front seat I think it took 40 feet of cable, but you could do it with less if you try and fish it though with your controls and depending on where you switch is.

[randlemanboater]

Here is when I was running a 19p. I am running a 21p prop now.

http://wellcraftv20.com/community/sh...ohnzuki&page=2

I'm pretty sure I reported the results for the 21p somewhere.

[Pipe_Dream]

I wanna go back to the Keys! But, like many places (including the island that I call home), from what I "hear" things have changed a lot in the past 20 years, and much of it was not for the better. Or maybe I've changed...

I first went to Key West in the early '80s on a college spring break trip. Roomie and I calculated we could do the trip (1200 miles each way) in my VW Beetle and Camp on Stock Island, eat and drink all for less than $200 a person. Would have managed it, too, except that we met up with girls and the $ went quicker! 'Twas an epic journey. Loved the laid back atmosphere. Roomie liked it so much that after graduation he packed up and moved there. I visited him 3 times, the last time I was there was around 1990.

Air was so clean and the water so green . . .

Then I moved to SC and the rest, as they say, is history. I have all this wonderful nostalgia for Key West and the Keys floating around in my brain, much of it awash in salty margueritas, and I keep saying I'm going to pack up the wife and make the trip back down there. Mapquest says it's 11 hours by car.

Roomie moved from Key West several years ago, up to Naples, and says while he still misses the Keys waters he is happier in Naples. So no more free place to stay, I'll have to be a tourist like all the others. If I had a good trailer I'd want to take the PD down there, into that beautiful clear water. (Sigh) Perhaps someday . . .