Hey guys, GREAT site! Been lurking awhile and just registered. I was going to post this in the Driver's Corner but saw that nobody has been there for awhile. I actually don't have a Hydrodyne but am a big fan. Thought I'd get some input since you folks are about the only people in the skiing world who don't have their heads totally immersed in inboards. Question #1: How many people can a 17.6 or 18 Dyne typically pull with a single 150 hp? I'm talking deep water starts on two skis. Reason I ask...would like to get a handle on how my v-bottom Rapid Craft might do. My friends and I had a "group best" a few years ago of 5 skiers (two skis each, not slalom) behind a 1986 Checkmate Sportfire with an inline 6 Merc 115. The friend's Checkmate is gone, but alas...my current ride is a 1995 Rapid Craft Hurricane powered by a 2005 Mercury 150 XR6. This coming summer, my goal is to pull 6 skiers, but I'd really like to attempt 7 or 8. I've attached a photo. Here's what I can tell you: the bottom design is a plain old rounded V with lifting strakes, a lot like the Switzercrafts were if anyone is familiar with them. It doesn't have that wide, flat bottom like a Hydrodyne, but it doesn't have a real deep deadrise either. It comes out of the hole strong, but does a bit of a wheelie. The V-bottom Rapid Crafts were combination barefoot ski and high performance boats. The transom is 15 degrees and I have a 6" setback with an extra 4 degrees of negative tuck, so the motor really can be tucked under (19 degrees) for holeshot. I can also lower it down another 3/4" from where it is now. My normal ski prop is a 25" Trophy Plus and it pulls a slalom skier out with no problem at 2/3 throttle or less. My plan for the 6-8 skier attempt is to locate a 19" High Five or maybe an OMC Shooter and put 180 lbs of tube sand under the front deck. When we've pulled multiple skiers in the past, we've put the skiers in the middle fairly close together and spread the outer people way out to the sides to give the boat a head start before the full load came on. I don't trust my pylon to pull this many people and it would place the boat at a huge disadvantage anyway, so I'm thinking of running two or three people off of the pylon and the rest off of the stern eyes. Everyone would be on old wood combo skis or pairs of the widest slaloms we can find. All skiers would be under 175 lbs, most of them in the 110 - 150 lb range. A pier start is not an option due to lack of experience, and a surplus of neighbors and cops. Whaddaya think? Any tips or input would be great. Thanks...and a twin-rigged Hydrodyne is on my wish list someday!
The only problem I see is the boat will need more speed than a Dyne to get on plane. If you really want to go for it, I would try a 15 inch pitch prop in the 14.5 in diameter range. A three blade with round ears, minimum cup, and minumum rake would be my choice. Start out with the motor fully tucked. A 15 should give you 27% more static thrust than a 19, and 66% more than a 25. I am going to guess that it would pull a bunch more than a 115 with the right prop. jim
Nice boat. I like it. Looks a lot like the old Ski Centurion Warrior Barefoot Comp, but the pylon is towards the rear instead of in the middle. Well when I owned my 18' I had a 150 Mercury Optimax on it with a high five 21pitch. I pulled six guys on flat combos deep water start for an act called Harness Barefooting. It pulled them no problem out of the water, and that was off of the pylon too. I posted some other results some where else on tis site about how it performed while being used during a practice, as well as the show later that evening. Hope this sheds some light for you. Greg
To help a little, i would suggest hooking up the ropes low, maybe 2 on each of the eye hooks and 2 on the pylon or something like that, will help keep the bow down...
Thanks for the input guys. We'll see come summer if I can get enough people together. Ran into a married couple from the neighborhood in the store today. They are both skiers and said they'd be candidates. :mrgreen:
You might pull 6 with a 19" high five but it would be marginal, i'd bet no but I'd love to know. The pole is a long way back and high so pulling from the pole will make it mcuh harder. It also depends on gear ratio too. As Jim said, a 14.5 by 15 would be great for your run. I've had a good run with a 14 inch diameter four blade on my Evinrude too but that is a 225HO big block. Pulled 5 slaloms off the pole with a 21" prop! All that only repeats what others have said. In our testing, we've found wooden flat bottom combos are a LOT better for this than glass skis. You'll pull at least one extra person in this if you are all on wooden skis. In about three weeks, we're going for the world record number of skiers behind one boat. 121 people, 3000hp, years of planning and two early morning opportunities to try for it. Can't wait.
Please keep us informed on the world record attempt. What type of boat do they use with the 3,000 H.P. ??? Bob
The boat is used for river and harbour tours, I'm not sure if this is the right company (there are two there) or the right boat but you get the idea http://www.worldheritagecruises.com.au/ ... index.html All the skiers have been tested, the techniques proven and engineering well tested short of actually doing it. What we need most of now is enough grunt to get the job done. We have 12-13 tonnes of bollard pull so we are close.
Those boats look similar to the ones that do the LA - > Catalina Island run here in California. They absolutely scream for their size. I can't imagine them having any trouble pulling that many skiers. Looks fun!
