[FELLOW-SHIP]

HA SCOTT
WELL I FINALLY GOT INTO THE WATER SPLASHED THE BOAT LATE LAST SATURDAY. I WORKED ON IT ALL THE WAY UP TO 1 IN THE AFTERNOON ON SATURDAY JUST TO GET IT IN EXPECTABLE CONDITION. I HAD 0 HRS ON THE MOTOR JUST STARTED IT IN THE CANNEL FOR A FEW MINUTES TO CONFIRM IT WOULD START AND GO INTO GEAR ON FRIDAY. THE DEALER SAID NO MORE THE 3,000 RPM’S WELL 3,000 RPM’S WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO GET THE BOAT ON PLANE I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. BECAUSE OF THE VARIABLE DEAD RISE AND THE LARGE CHINE’S ON SEACRAFT ALONG WITH ONE ENGINE AND TRIM TABS WE WERE ON PLAIN AND RIDING NICE. AS THE HR METER CLICKED ON I WAS ABLE TO INCREASE THE SPEED. IT SEEMS THAT AROUND 3,600 TO 4,000 RPM’S IS THE BEST FOR MY BOAT. THAT PUTS THE SPEED BETWEEN 25 AND 30 MPH ON THE GPS. I DID KICK IT IN THE BUTT JUST TO CONFIRM I COULD BRING IT UP TO 5,200 RPM’S TO CONFIRM THE PROP WAS CORRECT FOR THE MOTOR BUT DIDN’T LEAVE IT LONG ENOUGH TO CONFIRM ANY ACCURATE SPEED AT THAT RPM. WE HAD ALL TYPES OF SEA CONDITIONS FROM FLAT ONE DAY TO 3-5 ON ANOTHER IT SEEMS THAT THE BOAT LIKES SOME WAVES UNDER IT TO GET SOME AIR UNDER THE HULL. I THINK IT WILL RIDE BEST IN 1-3 OR 2-4 RUNNING AT AROUND 3,800 RPM’S. WITH ALL THE WEIGHT RE DISTRIBUTION I DID I REALLY DON’T NEED TRIM TABS IN MILD SEA CONDITIONS OTHER THAN STABILIZING PORT AND STARBOARD IN A LEVEL RIDE. THE ONLY OTHER BOAT I HAVE HAD THAT TYPE OF RIDE IN WAS A 27’ CONCH THAN SEEMED THAT FLAT SEAS WERE TO NICE OF CONDITION FOR IT AS WELL. WE RAN THE BOAT OUT TO ABOUT 25 MILES OFF SHORE EVERY DAY LOOKING FOR DOLPHIN WE GOT ONE IN THE LOW 30 LBS. BUT MOST WERE SMALL. WE ALSO GOT A COUPLE OF BLACK FIN TUNE ONE ABOUT 20 LBS. THIS IS A DRY BOAT IN 3-5 ‘ SEAS WE DID NOT TAKE ANY WAVES OVER THE BOW NOT ONE. WE DID GET A LITTLE SPRAY ON ONE WAVE BECAUSE OF THE WIND BLEW IT BACK AND PUT A LITTLE SPRAY ON THE WINDOW SHIELD. THE 30” TRANSOM IS GREAT NO WATER IN WHEN DRIFTING. THE SCUPPERS WORK GREAT NO WATER COMING IN THEM EITHER UNLESS YOU PUT TOO MANY PEOPLE ON TOP OF ONE FOR A LONG TIME. TRANSDUCER TRACKS THE BOTTOM AT 30 + MPH I LIKE THAT T-TOP AND LEANING POST JUST FINE THERE IS LOTS OF SPACE IN THE BACK FOR FISHING SINCE I CUSTOMIZED THE SPLASH WELL. THE LIVE WELL WORKS GREAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO TURN ON THE PUMP WHEN RUNNING OR TROLLING . THE ONLY TIME YOU DO IS WHEN YOU ARE DRIFTING. THE TANK IS 32 GAL. I HAD 100 LIVE BAIT IN IT NO PROBLEM. I DO NEED A BIGGER NET NOW TO CATCH THE BAIT THEY CAN REALLY ZIP AROUND THE WELL PRETTY FAST. THERE IS NOTHING I WOULD CHANGE I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THE SET UP. THE ONLY MINOR PROBLEM I HAD IS A HAIR LINE CRACK WHERE THE DECK (SPLASH WELL AND THE TRANSOM CONNECT). HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE TRANSOM JUST HOW I BUTTED THE TWO TOGETHER. I SHOULD HAVE RAN A PIECE OF GLASS UP FROM THE DECK TO THE TOP OF THE TRANSOM INSTEAD OF CONNECTION THEM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SPLASH WELL.
I TOOK A FEW PICTURES AND WILL SEND THEM IN, I WILL BE GETTING A DIGITAL CAMERA SOON AND THEN YOU WILL GET SOME GOOD SHOTS. I STILL HAVE SOME THINGS TO DO BUT THE BIG STUFF IN DONE AND I NOW CAN CHOOSE TO FISH OR WORK ON THE BOAT I LIKE THAT A LOT BETTER. I DIDN’T LIKE THAT TIME CRUNCH I HAD AT THE END TO MUCH PRESSURE TRYING TO FINISH UP FOR THE TRIP. NOW I CAN GO BACK TO A BETTER PACK TO FINISH UP WHERE I LEFT OFF.
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