Line-X on the bottom of a boat ??

[grumpy]

Keith

You'll get more HP out of a 2 stroke motor, you could use a 20 & still have more power than a 25 4 stroke, the 2 stroke will also get you out of the hole quicker & be a lot lighter.
Then, there's that oil mixing deal & a lil more noise with the 2 stroke i always hated that.

Grumpy

[David L. Darnell]

Gentleman,

Gheenoe's are a great little boat. A two person boat in my experience and opinion.

Great design, with an almost cult following, here is the place to go for Gheenoe questions and opinions. http://www.customgheenoe.com/forum/

I'd stick with a 15hp 4 stroke. Check with RedDog for a ride in his Classic with a 15 Honda on it. She travels 18mph with us two upstream against one generator, not bad

There is not a perfect boat or setup, you can get close but not one boat that will do it all.

If the LT25 had of handled the jet motor like they will a prop motor, it would still be out in my garage and I'd not be rigging the new Tracker modified-V I replaced it with.

To give you an idea, the people pushing a LT with a prop motor, jack plate and trim tabs, are getting 30+mph. I got a streaking blink you eyes of 12mph with the jet

[bd]

That's awful!  I don't understand why there's such a big dropoff in mph with a jet.   

bd

[Glenn Hawkins]

The weight of David's motor combinded with a lack of enough transom width. 

When a jet motor goes from an idle to wide open. Where you will find you operate it most of the time.  It is like a vaccum.  It sucks down the rear of the boat.  If the transom and bottom surface area are not wide enough the boat will never plane out fully.  Unless, you have a bunch more of horse power.  20-25hp just won't do it on a Gheenoe/Riverhawk.

[Leo deMonbreun]

The weight of David's motor combinded with a lack of enough transom width. 

When a jet motor goes from an idle to wide open. Where you will find you operate it most of the time.  It is like a vaccum.  It sucks down the rear of the boat.  If the transom and bottom surface area are not wide enough the boat will never plane out fully.  Unless, you have a bunch more of horse power.  20-25hp just won't do it on a Gheenoe/Riverhawk.

man, that just sucks!! 

[bd]

Hmm.  Well, I guess I'm glad I got this information.  You gentlemen just saved me $3,000.00. 

I definitely would have been putting a jet on the Gheenoe at some point before I read this.  Now I'll have to reconsider.

I guess the next step is to evaluate what I can do to run my prop drive motor shallower.  If I could get it to run in 12" or so, I'd put one of those Mac's River Runners on it to protect the prop and I'd be happy.  Needing 2 ft to 2.5 ft of water to run without hitting rock is not satisfactory.

bd

[David L. Darnell]

BD,

Go over to the Gheenoe board and ask questions, with the understanding that most of them have never seen good running water  , most are coastal and inshore users.

But, you will get some ideas.

I'd look into jack plate, large adjustable trim tabs.

[Steve H]

BD, here is the jack plate I put on my boat. Tons of adjustability and super light as well it is easy to mount and you can even adjust it on the water if need be. Mind you, not hydraulic but I didn't see the need for that plus I didn't want the extra weight.


http://www.bobsmachine.com/  - Navigate to the Convertible Jack Plate

[bd]

Thanks, Steve.  A jack plate is going on my "I want" list.  I don't think I'm interested in a hydraulic - too much $ (even if it's still 1/3 the price of a jet).  A convertible or manual jack plate might be a good compromise between a fixed plate and a hydraulic.

bd

[Leo deMonbreun]

bd, here ya go!  This is over on go LSN...

http://www.golsn.com/listings/recreational_vehicles/boats-water_crafts/812234.html