TOPIC: Hydroplane Do,s and Donts .

I Always wanted to own a Hydroplane .Never got to drive one .I got 2 guys trying to sell me their boats .Both are around 11 foot long and are suppose to be C or D Hydros the kneel in type .One was actually suppose to be raced by a Mercury Team in the late 60s or early 70s .Ive got a 50 HP Merc stock Short lower unit . Could a guy run that on a boat like this ?? Im 180 pounds and would like to keep it under or around 50 mph or so .Is $400 to much to pay for a nice Pickle Fork Hull ?? Would that be to fast for a New Bee ? Anybody Run Hydros that could help a Virgin ?? Dont want to race Just have fun in it ... Sorry if I shouldnt post this here . If its improper Please delete it .. Larry

Hi Bobo.
Hydros can be lots of fun. $400 for a solid boat with hardware (throttle & steering) is a good deal. If it was actually raced and comes with any pedigree info (races won, previous owners names, etc.) then all the better.
For general lake running, keep it simple. Get a deadman throttle (Keller brand) and rig up a tethered kill switch. It doesn't take much to get tossed out of the boat! With a 50hp Merc with a short unit, you'll have to find the tallest (highest pitch) prop you can find as that motor will scream on a less than 200 lb. boat. Don't bother with using the gears, unless you want to rig it at the motor for starting in neutral. WIth a big motor on a small transom boat, reverse is NOT an option.
In the end, it'll only go as fast as you squeeze the throttle. Work your way up in speed as your comfort level increases. Depending on the hydro design, some will "fly" more than others. With a service motor, some boats won't perform at all at the relatively modest speeds you're likely to see. A good "D" hydro with a 44XS Merc is running around 80mph in the straights. With a service motor you're likely to be around half that...
- Scott

Chinewalker wrote:

Hi Bobo.
A good "D" hydro with a 44XS Merc is running around 80mph in the straights. With a service motor you're likely to be around half that...
- Scott

But for the uninitiated, bear in mind that half of 88mph will SEEM like twice that in a little hydro!

My experience with the Spartans and Super spartans was that they scare the living heck out of you. With a 30hp motor your doing everybit of 50mph and your about 2" from the water. You need flat water with no other boats as a wake from a big boat (15' v hull even) can over top you and sink you.

Likely they are plywood and canvas construction so, look for rot everyplace. Allot of them are built with 1/4" ply and generally no glass to protect it. Not that they cant last but, they usually start getting soft.

I purchased several hydros the last few years, and before I found and rebuilt my race motors I ran service motors like you want to do
$400 is ok if the hardware is there
50hp motor on hydros dont turn they plow forward, you will need a "Large" center skag turn fin, or no steering at speed & that feels pretty sketchy...see pic for LARGE fin blank $20 at Sorenson woodcraft, cut to shape corners

I also bolted a second taller transom piece to the transom to raise the motor, this will pickup another 5-7mph

too much weight to even lean back to work on the hydro it will sink...stay forward or increase coming height

battery must be small lawn mower battery to cut weight and a small fuel tank carrying just enough fuel to run

these hydros were made to run short heats... not 1/2 a day ...best to epoxy coat the interior & exterior for water protection

Wear a helmet & kill switch and start saving your pennies for a race motor 50mph gets boring quick when you know your ride has the capabilities of 80mph

here is a vid I made of a similar setup that your looking to build, should get your juices pumping.....DOUBLE CLICK ON VIDEO to go to You-Tube to view...this site slows down the vids and makes them choppy for all but the fastest of connections



this is my newest ride Im building brand new Sorenson Pickelfork and Mercury Factory race motor Mark55H fresh rebuild...lookiin for 85mph with a 3 bladed stainless cleaver this season

Thanks for the info guys .The boat Im leaning toward is a 11 foot Pickle fork tunnel .It was built by a guy who built and raced Hydros a along time .This boat was built in the 90s . He built 2 boats at the same time .He concetrated on the other and was pretty successful from what I was told .He passed away from cancer and his wife gave his buddy this boat .He put a Mod motor on it then he said at over 65 years old He didnt want to run at 80 pluss no more Or did his Wife want that .So he hung the spurs up .It looks like a well crafted boat and is in pretty decent condition .No Dead Mans but has steering .Its got a fin on the Left fork for turning . Is that what you were talking about Mad Props ?? Nice video by the way . Did you make it ?? Looks like fun . Ive done some crazy stuff in my life . We use to have contest on knee boards as to who would let go of the rope first at speed .I quit at about 55 mph .Dam roost from the boat starting hitting me ....L.O.L..Scared ild dig the tip in ...When your doing that speed on a 3 foot long board thats 3/4 inch thick Its a Little Scary ..Is there a web site that sells Hydro parts ??

Its got a fin on the Left fork for turning

that fin is for go fast turn left racing, you will need a center fin
or see if you can relocate that side turn fin to the transom, so you can turn both ways

you are better off with a center turn fin as shown,large is good