TOPIC: new member- 1960 Arkansas Traveler Rocket RKC-14G

Hi NEW MEMBER here just saying hi and expressing my feelings about the forum. It is great. I have just patched up a 1960 AT rocket for my family vacation and the forum was helpful in getting it done in time to use and has sparked a new intrest for me in fiberglass boats etc. Between the links and some of the info I found within the site, has helped me in getting my old gem on the water. I will get my daughters in the future to post some pictures they took of her in action in another post . One TROUBLE I am having with my Rocket is it doesn't want to plane out with more than two people in it. It has a 62 evinrude speed twin 28 hp on it and motor is healthy , I do have too much weight in it from patching transum and old seats etc but i would have thought it would still plane out with three people in it? someone told me a (plane Plate?) on the motor will help? Would anybody have any comments or ideas on this. I do have 1968 evinrude 40 elec shift in garage and the boat is rated to a 40, but it needs rebuilding. Anyway fellow boaters its still fun to use and have and also great to have a forum to talk about it on.
Aren't old things are great.

RKO14G,
Welcome aboard, glad to have you here. Great to know what everyone is putting out here is helping folks. Always makes you feel better. It sounds like your motor doesn't have enough umph to plane you off. I had the same problem on my Clipper this weekend. Envinrude Fat Fifty on back, 18' boat 4 6 gal tanks of gas full, the battery and 6 adults wasn't a great combo for plaing off. Had to have my father-in-law move up front with me and had to pretty much run her full throttle to plane off. Most folks here will tell you NOT to use one of the plane plates on your motor. Not real familiar with the 28hp speedytwin but what is the tilt setting at on the base. You may need to move it down. Others more familiar with this can jump in here. Another question would be the height of your transom and if you have a long or short shaft motor.

Bob

Welcome aboard RKC, glad to have you join us. Maybe as you have said just enjoy the setup the way it is for now, rebuild the 40 over the winter and try that out next season?

Some folks believe in the planing plates, whale tails, whatever you choose to call them. Many feel they're a band-aid for an improper (or badly matched) set-up, as Bob stated. It's your boat, do whatever makes you happy. I would give it much consideration before drilling any holes in the AV plate of your vintage outboard to mount anything though......just my two cents.

RKO14G,

WELCOME to the forum.

Arkansas Traveler made a GREAT boat - i've owned several of them over the last 4 decades.
(i went to college in Arkadelphia, AR in the 1966-76 period - i was IN the US Army then & doing 2 degrees took me almost 10 years.)

yours, satx

I would think it should plane is it is set properly and your weight distribution is right. More weight forward may help. If your useing the proper outboard transom lenghth size. OK , whale tails have their place. I only have an 8 hp 4 stroke Honda on my MFG. Without one it will not plane. I only fish out of it and it will run all day on a quart of gas. But with an outboard that is big enough, set up properly it should plane. I would look to see if it is the proper shaft size first then maybe weight distribution. That outboard should put her on plane. The cavitation plate should be at or below the stern . I have mine at about an inch and it seems to work well. If the anfle set on the outboard is is set wrong it will make it hard to plane also. Seen a guy with his Mercury last week set at the wrong angle. He had her pushed to the wall and throwing a rooster tail 4 feet into the air and not going real fast. He kept going even after I tried to flag him down. He must have been a new boater. Someone will put him straight. Welcome aboard and pics of the outboard on the back of the boat so we can see where the cavitation plate is may help, and angle.

Thanks everyone. great info and tips. going to hopefully take it out again this weekend and now understanding more should be able to hopefully make some improvments. As it is now I really like the boat and driving it, any improvments will just make it just that much better.
Will try and get some pic's posted soon, It's nice to share what i am seening and feeling with others who have similar feelings.
Thanks again.