New Boat Build

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 7:28 am

Ok, thanks to everyone who offered help on my previous post, "IGSO-540 or LS3" viewtopic.php?f=85&t=45091 . I have decided on the LS3, or at least a car motor at this point and I have started building the hull. I will start posting pictures as we go. The hull will be 14'x 7'9" or 8'. It has a 60" wide flat bottom. The rigging will be aluminum.

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 7:43 am

.125" aluminum for the hull.

SwampNinja · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 8:05 am

Good luck. I will be tuned into this one.

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I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?pqvub0

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 8:22 am

A few pictures of the hull build.

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 9:30 am

Hull bottom with T-Bars installed.

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 3:15 pm

Starting to look like a boat!

Southern Style · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 4:06 pm

DAMN.......... Talk about starting from SCRATCH... Get on it man !!!! Looks great, will be following the post as well.. Love these posts.. Reminds me of when I was building mine and posting up.. Thanks for letting us be a part of your build !!!!

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2012 7:16 pm

Has anyone ever powder coated their hull? I am thinking about doing it with this hull? Any opinions? I know it is more durable than paint but I am curious if it will hold up on the hull.

SDeatherage · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2012 7:34 pm

A buddy of mine owns a powder coating business. And I know he did a hull for a guy who races. And it had no polymer and they were running it on the powder on the bottom and it was holding up pretty darn good from what they said. They put extra coats on the bottom. It will wear out eventually but they were impressed. And I have seen other hulls fully powder coated and they were holding up well.

CONTINENTAL CRACKER · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2012 7:49 pm

I talked with a guy that has a powder coat shop and also does airboat work. He said he recomends to do a flat color because it doesn't show scratches as much as a gloss color will,and from what I have seen it holds up good.

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2012 8:18 pm

CONTINENTAL CRACKER wrote:

I talked with a guy that has a powder coat shop and also does airboat work. He said he recomends to do a flat color because it doesn't show scratches as much as a gloss color will,and from what I have seen it holds up good.

That's a good idea, going with a flat color. I was worried about scratches and fading too.

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2012 8:36 pm

Some updated pictures of the hull.

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2012 8:40 pm

Ok so it's time to order the prop and gear box, I am going to need them for mock up. I have decided to go with the 2.68 Rotator as I can not get my hands on a Stinger. Most have recommended either a 3 or 4 blade "R" for my set up but I am wondering why not the "S"?

Stephen09 · **Joined:** Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:09 am **Posts:** 95

Nice build looks good will be posted

skinny99 · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2012 8:56 pm

GTSIO-520 wrote:

Ok so it's time to order the prop and gear box, I am going to need them for mock up. I have decided to go with the 2.68 Rotator as I can not get my hands on a Stinger. Most have recommended either a 3 or 4 blade "R" for my set up but I am wondering why not the "S"?

The "R" just works good all around. Snappy and fun to drive with plenty of push on the dry.

3 Blades should be enough unless your building a particularly nasty LS3. The "R" series likes pitch.

Boat looks good! Thats a lot of work.

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2012 8:56 am

skinny99 wrote:

GTSIO-520 wrote:

Ok so it's time to order the prop and gear box, I am going to need them for mock up. I have decided to go with the 2.68 Rotator as I can not get my hands on a Stinger. Most have recommended either a 3 or 4 blade "R" for my set up but I am wondering why not the "S"?

The "R" just works good all around. Snappy and fun to drive with plenty of push on the dry.

3 Blades should be enough unless your building a particularly nasty LS3. The "R" series likes pitch.

Boat looks good! Thats a lot of work.

I am either going with the WT 550hp or WT 418. I think the 418 is around 625hp? The new hull is around 7'9" at the gunnels so I need to keep the prop under 80" so I was thinking maybe a 78" 4 blade "R" or a 78" 3 blade "S" but everyone seems to like the "R" better?

BlowInIt · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2012 9:06 am

You can pitch out a 3 blade R even with the 418ci. His race boats still only use three R blades for what its worth. Do not go with S blades.

BTW 7'9"= 93"s, you could go up to a 84" if you wanted.

deuces wild · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2012 9:51 am

if you want a shorter prop go with a 72 inch 10 blade warp drive hub and razer blades if you get the 550 then i would use 8 blade

Tony480 · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2012 11:30 am

deuces wild wrote:

if you want a shorter prop go with a 72 inch 10 blade warp drive hub and razer blades if you get the 550 then i would use 8 blade

I don't see any 72" prop holding 550 horses back with a 2.68 box.Hell I don't care if you put 12 razors back there.It should swing an 80" 8 blade razor like it was nothing!

DAGWOOD0520 · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2012 12:06 pm

on the 418 you could run a 3 or 4 blade R, the 3 blade will be a little more like a hunt/play prop that snaps up quick and runs fast on the big end, the 4 blade will give you a little more on the ground and should cruise at a little lower RPM but will not be as snappy or as fast. Really comes down to how you want the boat feel when you hit the gas.

on the WT 550 with a 2.68 a 3 blade R is a really good match.

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2012 3:12 pm

I think I have made my decision, 80" 4 blade "R", 2.68 Rotator Box, WT 418CI.

Ruagatr · **Joined:** Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:29 pm **Posts:** 3685

Damn good choices!

Maddog

BigJakesrq · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2012 6:59 pm

GTSIO-520 wrote:

I think I have made my decision, 80" 4 blade "R", 2.68 Rotator Box, WT 418CI.

That is a solid base. I have the same setup more or less I run 82'' 4 blade R. You should be fine with the 80'' though.

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Tue May 29, 2012 9:06 pm

BigJakesrq wrote:

GTSIO-520 wrote:

I think I have made my decision, 80" 4 blade "R", 2.68 Rotator Box, WT 418CI.

That is a solid base. I have the same setup more or less I run 82'' 4 blade R. You should be fine with the 80'' though.

What RPM are you turning with your 4 blade? I am still on the fence as far as 3 or 4 blade? I need to make my mind up soon though!

GTSIO-520 · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2012 10:35 am

So I took a few measurements last night and I should be good with an 82" prop. I really want to go with the 3 blade R. Do you think a 82" 3 blade R will be enough prop for a WT 418? Seams most of the CM race boats run 3 blades.

BTW transom is in I will post some more pics.

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