Classic 1963 21 Video and pics

[3rdday]

Well, I couldn't wait until I was completely finished. I have minor stuff to do yet like rub rail, paint, installing the t-top etc. I was most interested to see what that 200 EFI would do on a light boat swingin' a 21 pitch prop. I was only able to barely make 53MPH at 5100-5200 RPM max. I could not get her to wind up to 5500-5600 RPM.(soliciting thoughts on this, thinking a 19P, however top speed is not important, efficiency of motor is) Hole shot was great she will pop up on plane quickly. It was very windy and a little chop 2-3'. On my fuel management I was getting 8-9GPH at 30-31 mph @ 3200 RPM. I feel I have enough torque to climb large waves, I am not sure at this point if I should drop down to a 19P ( would I gain or risk economy). She is extremely light, at rest the chine barely touches the water this gives me 29" freeboard at stern. The ride was very dry not a drop on me or my neighbor regardless of the wind and running attitude.
Since the boat rides very highout of the water not ploughing a bit, it got really hairy running full speed paralell into and out of the troughs and waves.
I know and felt what Carl meant "my flying machine".
The ride is rediculous! Did not pound a bit.
Enjoy! I apologize for the wind, very noisy.

http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee58/bscapo1/

Brian

[nestorpr]

She looks like a predator with that raked bow and much bigger than 21 feet, congrats!

[65Bowrider]

Congrats on your launch!
Now I imagine you're fired up to get her totally completed. She's looking REALLY good and ready to take on any type of seas. Good job ... and keep the pics coming.

[Islandtrader]

It is really cool to see a 21 in the water.

It did look a little squirmy. I wonder if tabs and ?? would take that down a notch.

If I remember what Carl said they got 50+ with twin 115 Mercs. So your 53 should be right on the money. I wonder what my 300hp i/o might top out at

Keep us informed and I can not wait to get a ride in the "Beast"

[Snookerd]

Way to go Brian.............She's looking good. She sits nicely in the water and moves well too.

[Bushwacker]

Congratulations on your successful sea trial Brian! Looks like that motor is plenty of power! That bracket is probably worth 2-3 mph and it sounds like you could pick up another few mph with a lower pitch prop. What is bracket setback and how far is cav plate above the hull? Mine is 3.25" above bottom, with a 30" setback. I kept raising motor and gaining speed until I noticed I had to trim motor down more to keep it from porposing, but I can still make hard turns without any ventilation. You might want to try an aluminum prop until you get it really dialed in with normal operating load. A good quality aluminum prop can be repitched until you get it where you want it, and then you'll have a better shot at getting it right when you spend big bucks on a SS wheel.

You're right that it does look light - it looks like the chine is just barely wet at the transom! It also seemed to be bouncing off the waves more like I'd expect from a 20; don't remember the Unohu having that much motion in small waves or having that much bow rise coming on plane, but I'm sure it was quite a bit heavier, and being a sterndrive, the CG was quite a bit further forward. That said, you won't find a better riding hull that size! Maybe you need to rig one of the patented Moesly ballast tanks in the bow!

Terry, Bob said the Unohu was a 50 mph boat with the last engine he had, which was a 270 hp/350 ci Chev/Volvo sterndrive. You should also be quite a bit lighter without those big molded fg seats, so you'd better have a kill switch lanyard attached to you the first time you nail the throttle on that rig! Denny

[3rdday]

I appreciate the kind comments and the advice.
So you think I will do better with a 19P prop? I believe It will, but I don't have a knowing it will. My setback is 29" with the cavitation plate being 3" above keel. I think when I fill the Tanks 90 Gal. ( I was running with 25 Gal) and add another 450 lbs in people and another 150 lbs in Ice and gear will significantly change the ride and engine performance, this will be the real performance test. I am guessing the boat & motor is about 1200 Lbsa Lighter than the original boat and Motor. It is all Epoxy and Foam composite coring. I read somewhere the Old I/O was about 1400 lbs.

[Bushwacker]

Brian, it sounds like you may be pretty close to optimum on motor height. Do you know how far you can trim it out before it starts to porpoise? I can't run much higher than 65% (where 100% is where it switches to tilt mode).

I'd defer to Fr. Frank on specific prop selection; check his posts on how to select a prop. Don't know what the max rpm rating is on your motor, but if you couldn't over rev it a bit with that light load, you'll definitely want less pitch as you increase load. You said you're planning to add a T-top, and that will also drive you towards lower pitch. I'd also check min planing speed with heavy load, as some boats with brackets are stern heavy and like a stern lifting prop, as many of the offshore type 4 blade props are. After trying 17 and 19" 3-blade props, I switched to the 4 blade stern-lifting type. It helped be get my min planing speed down to 12-13 mph, which is really great in a 20 when it gets rough! The 21' Unohu made a crossing from West Palm to West End one time in 20-25 kt east winds and 10-12' head seas! Took him 5 hrs, but he only burned 19 gallons to run 60 miles, so there's a lot to be said for a low planing speed!

Maybe you could pick up a cheap used aluminum 19" to try with the heavier load, and then a good prop shop could tweak it (Repitch to lower pitch to increase rpm or increase cup to reduce rpm.) My spare prop is an aluminum 4B that was repitched from 20 to 18" so it turns 55-5600 with very heavy loads, which is perfect. My SS 20" prop turns about 5200 with normal load and gets better mpg, but only about turn about 4600 with 6 folks in the boat! Am thinking about getting a Powertech that turns about 5500 with a normal load so I have more margin for heavier load. Denny

[McGillicuddy]

Wow - what a bully of a hull -- never really considered what a HUGE 21 that is. The black on the strakes looks viciously cool!
Congrats on making the splash.

Love that background chatter, "How long is going to be doing that???" 'Til he freakin' runs outta gas - now enjoy this piece of history or go away... and quit askin' questions, heh, heh!

Thanks for postin' the viddys, I've never seen a Moesly 21 except in pictures. Nice Job! -McGill

[3rdday]

Thanks, I cannot take credit for the painting, that was done by the original owner. It stays.In fact the black and white color scheme stays thruoght the boat. I am the second owner of the boat, the family had it since its birth.