someone getting a fast bad step hull to run at the meet.
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good job Terry looking good!

Now your making me think about adding a step to my new hull. I am currious if you have blowover problems if the step helps or hurts ? What do you think.

The addition of the step is beneficial to a hulls performance. At first you have 2 surfaces touching the water when on a mid to full plane and this eliminates the porpoise effect that comes along with having only one surface in the water trying to balance out the weight of the boat. Second the step allows for a controlled hydroplane effect and this happens when air is allowed to flow under the hull and leaves as compressed air under the transom hence actually making less drag and with this in mind the actual boat weight vs. the surface weight friction is reduced. If you were to take a flat bottom hull and a step hull &ldquo;same length&rdquo; and rig them out with the same motors and with the hp the same and have the same propellers and the same weight riggings the step hull will travel further on fuel, faster at top end, and will ride flatter. On the other hand the operator must adjust to the way that a step hull is operated in driving as compared to a flat bottom. A flat bottom will dig in a turn as where a step hull will slide. I have seen where full size boats must start turning before the actual turn and power out of the slide. But the last statement was from my own personal experience.</p>

BBG. Good to know - what about land performance ? seems a bigger flatter (flat bottom) surface might slide a little easier.
Snow - should be about the same - I am seriously thinking of steping my hull.
Are the front and back sections at the same plane - with just the step cut out ? or are they at slightly different levels ?
I am also planning on putting air ducts coming thru the rake to relieve air pressure and reduce blowover

little slick bottom and they run the hill fine. And yes the two step are on the same plane. Like BBG said stephulls are great running fast boats. I have built like 20 something flat bottom hulls and never got one to run like anywhere close to the way my step hulls run. U can run them almost wide open the whole time if u have enough room to slide them  around. After i built the first step hull that i put  a .46ax on i loved the way it ran in water. But  it wouldn't run the hill. Added slick bottom and it ran the hill fine. So after that the flat bottom boats where dead to me. step boats will bounce on dry ground a little . but on snow it should run like its on water. Although  I never ran one on snow. Dont have any here

I was reading the thread and you mentioned putting in air ducts thru the rake. How about lowering the height of rake and its lenght? Now on Offshore site, a gentleman from near GreenBay, Wisc., has an electric airboat using a 7 blade fan and from pictures has no rake or hardly any but the deep blue color really doesn't show a rake.Now from what i can see is rows which are high on the outer top side and a lower section to let air flow like down pressure system. Do a search there- chops airboat -are words to start the search. Also when Cajun Airboats site was up, a guy from somewhere had a similiar boat but was really neat. I tried contacting the guy but never got a reply, it was that neat. I have several airboats and regular monos. Speaking of steps, i'm not sold on steps as i think they would flip in turns. I round my bottom edges cause i like to glide in wide turns.Self-inflicted from florida has airboatswith the bottoms look like shallow V of regular boats which allow air to flow and keep theairboat flat on the water. Enough out of me._____********** How about a adjustable airfoil in front to keep nosedown a higher speed??!! Someone will come up with one with a gyro, wait and see.

they will flip in turn as will flat bottom boat if they r at a very high rate of speed. But i have never completely flip one of my big step boats. it has flipped on rudders but never did a complete flip. And talking to Mr cajun gator he also told me that after about 30 mph all his boats will flip. I had a step hull that hit 38 mph and it did a complete flip. just nothing to hold them in water. but to drive around the pond they r a blast. Just my two cents. hell i went to the nationals in orlando and saw all kinds of v bottom boat, mono and they all flipped at one point just higher speeds. also like mike said they dont need a rake on front at all. I like small one so when u come off land into water the nose doesnt dip under water. u can look at all my videos on youtube ptr34 . and 2manytoys123 also he has some of the almost flip videos on there. but they where on a very windy day driving into the wind

Good Job Terry.....that is a good looking boat!!!

Some good input there Mikup and GTR34 I am pretty much commited to the step and the ducted rake - made some good prgress this weekend. The hull is carved foam with cedar strips covering the bottom and sides, I think I overkilled the thickness of the strips so it is going to require a LOT of sanding. strted with 1/4" thick by about 1 1/4". I will try and get some pics tonight and post tomorrow. I plan to cover the top with maple veneer. This being the recycled woody. Foam - neigbors trash - covert opp on my way to work, cedar - front porch 2 x 6 that was replaced ripped down to 1/4" strips, and the veneer left over from my fireplace mantle. so far only the gorilla glue and about 8 hours invested.

I did this on my last hull and had lots of snags and dunkings coming off land into the water and especially on snow trying to go over snowbanks with steep edges.

dadkins; i see you used gorilla glue. When i make a wooden mono boat, i glue the bottom sheets with this glue and the sides which seem to withstand high speeds and don't break open like ca does with kicker.

I really like the gorilla for cedar strips as it fills any imperfections and oozes out for nice filler effect. and seems to bond like crazy to open cell woods especially if you moisten them first.

In reply to the glue topic and putting a hull together may I suggest Steel Flex 9000. I am going to start useing this on my wood propellers to protect the blades from water impact. Alot of guys like to apply this on their hulls to run as a slick bottom due to actually how tuff the material is. It is also basically usedon high traffic wood floors and table tops. I put an application on a wood plank as a test strip and did things like hit it with a hammer and and trying to pierce it with my knife and I tell you this stuff is tough and once it adheres to the surface the only way to get it off is sanding and you will be there for a while.

On the topic of air ducts and flipping boats I myself am having a hull laid up now and I am going to have the laminator put the bow angled down in the front side around 7 degrees to see how well the down force will help. The only time I had actually flipped one of my boats was wide open and doing a sudden hard turn.</p>

BBG The only problem with fixed front end slopped down is if not correct, what then. I, myself like the adjustable airfoil which can be adjusted but ,that's me. Wait and see..

i agree with mike. guys have try that with real boats. And wing is the better way to go. I was think about one on the orange boat

Ah, Big Rock,

Are you sure about using a wood prop ? 

The only reason for the wood prop is because my motor is rated for a 22x8 or 22x10 if any one knows where there plastic propellers that are of equal size that are Pusher Propellers let me know, this has been a difficult task. Believe me I would most certainly go plastic or carbon fiber if possible.

Here's a few - 2 or 4 blade

http://www.bolly.com.au/models/glass.html

Thanks for the link. How ever they are out of business best to my knowledge. The last I heard the minimal order was around 100 pcs. Did they re-open if so this would be nice.</p>

Here is MY fast step hull.

Have you sent them an email Big Rock ?

Eden Prairie picture #3 with airfoil. Now from my vantage point, the rakes front edge or the flat area needs to be changed. The air won't get near the foil to do its job.Tip or suggestion on foil; run a rod thru the support uprights for scoop and thread the rods end and wing nut it to make it adjustable. Man, it does look great and shows your workmanship and knowledge. Stain it and seal it and will look like a million bucks.

Mikeup,
Its hard to see from that angle - but when viewed straight on - about half the foil sticks up above the rake - I am probably going to gring the rake down another 1/2" too, in reality this is prbably 1 lb heavier than the previous hall and may not be as prone to flip so I am going to try it first - I may mount the wing on the top of the rake too ? we will have to see how it does without first - plus it's a little cleaner looking without.
Dave