Lifting Strake Dimensions

[WoodenPontoon]

I'm planning to construct a set of lifting strakes over the winter. Most of the strakes that I've seen appear to be nothing more than L-angle. What is the size of each side of the strakes on your boats (height & width)? How close to the bottom of the tubes are your strakes mounted? Additionally, it would be helpful to know your tube diameter(s). If you could post pictures, that would be most helpful.

All three of my tubes are 24 1/2" diameter. I plan to install the strakes on the inboard sides of the outside tubes and on both sides of the center tube.

Any help here would be appreciated ... as always!

 

[5150abf]

Re: Lifting Strake Dimensions

I can't supply you with dimensions since they may be proprietary(I'm with Bennington) but I can tell you that they probably won't work like you think they will.

When we chine a new boat at work we almost always have to tweek them a bit to get them to do what we want.

I would find a boat very similar to yours and get some good measurements and go from there, shape also plays a big role in how they perform so if you can try to mimic the shape of an existing chine as closly as possible.

 

[lmuss53]

Re: Lifting Strake Dimensions

Dan, good luck finding a boat like yours. Sorry 5150, but Dan's is a home built, all wooden pontoon. I do think 5150 is right on with his advice to get the design off of a similar boat with a performance package.

I spent most of this season convincing myself that a third tube has to have the transom built in to provide lift and still keep the prop in the water. I am probably going to take my third tube off in the off season.

I will try to find a Tracker boat with the NV performance logs on it some where over the winter and make some drawings to "reverse engineer" that design on to my original tubes. I am also going to go to the Pittsburgh boat show in January to try to get some ideas, (and maybe a new aluminum deck boat).

Dan, I took some measurements off of factory pics of the NV strakes and made some 1/2 scale cardboard mock ups at work. I think I have a fair idea of how they are made and positioned on the tube and I'd be glad to share that info with you if you want. I'm watching for one at the lake or in a storage place because I want to get some up close measurements. I really want to copy that Tracker design, because they seem to work very well on the boats you hear about with that option. Twenty-one foot, 2 tube boats with 90 and 115 hp motors running mid and high 30 mph ranges is good performance in my book. Naturally Tracker doesn't make them any more, which makes no sense to me at all.

I think this is a good subject, that lots of 'tooners are interested in.

 

[WoodenPontoon]

Re: Lifting Strake Dimensions

I can't supply you with dimensions since they may be proprietary(I'm with Bennington) but I can tell you that they probably won't work like you think they will.

I would find a boat very similar to yours and get some good measurements and go from there, shape also plays a big role in how they perform so if you can try to mimic the shape of an existing chine as closly as possible.

Thanks 5150! I appreciate your reluctance to share dimensions. It would not be worth risking your job over!

I have great respect for the people at Bennington. They agreed to sell me my furniture and bimini. They also sold me matching sheet fabric and foam so that I could have my sundeck cushions custom-made. Additionally, they hooked me up with their carpet people to get a custom snap-in carpet made.

I will be looking at numerous styles and sizes before I actually start my construction. I won't spend any time looking for a boat similar to mine, however!

Dan, good luck finding a boat like yours. Sorry 5150, but Dan's is a home built, all wooden pontoon. I do think 5150 is right on with his advice to get the design off of a similar boat with a performance package.

I will try to find a Tracker boat with the NV performance logs on it some where over the winter and make some drawings to "reverse engineer" that design on to my original tubes. I am also going to go to the Pittsburgh boat show in January to try to get some ideas, (and maybe a new aluminum deck boat).

Dan, I took some measurements off of factory pics of the NV strakes and made some 1/2 scale cardboard mock ups at work. I think I have a fair idea of how they are made and positioned on the tube and I'd be glad to share that info with you if you want. I'm watching for one at the lake or in a storage place because I want to get some up close measurements. I really want to copy that Tracker design, because they seem to work very well on the boats you hear about with that option. Twenty-one foot, 2 tube boats with 90 and 115 hp motors running mid and high 30 mph ranges is good performance in my book. Naturally Tracker doesn't make them any more, which makes no sense to me at all.

I think this is a good subject, that lots of 'tooners are interested in.

I would love to take a look at the styling of the NV strakes. I too have heard good things about them.

Thanks Guys!
Dan

 

[5150abf]

Re: Lifting Strake Dimensions

Ahh, ya you are gonna have a really hard time welding on that!

I saw the wooden pontoon but never made the conection, that is a really cool boat.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Lifting Strake Dimensions

gonna have a really hard time welding on that!

who says you can't "weld" "wood"

 

[WoodenPontoon]

Re: Lifting Strake Dimensions

Ahh, ya you are gonna have a really hard time welding on that!

I saw the wooden pontoon but never made the conection, that is a really cool boat.

Thanks for the compilments.

I am thinking about trying something that I've never done before for this project ..... "Stick Welding" ..... I was able to find some pine and oak, but have not yet found any mahogany!!!!

I actually think I know how I'll need to build these strakes. It'll be a lot more difficult than Welding, but should work well.