skagit skimaster

[Bill Anderson]

Is a merc 900 to big for this boat?

[Helmar]

She will get up and dance with that on the back.

This is with a 85 on the back and playing in the wake's.

[DMCI]

Is a merc 900 to big for this boat?

Personally, I wouldn't put on anything over 1100 hp. That leaves at least one opportunity:



Now if you really want 900 horses, there is a solution for that as well:



In fact, you can even by those used on the Internet, since they been around for a while. This package I believe is cheaper than buying to 557 units. I looked at twin VERADOS for an outboard powered 26 Bertram, but figured they be too big around club members except of course for Dick.

[strobee]

I run a big old fat 1967 100HP Johnson on my Skimaster and am happy with it. Clint

[Bill Anderson]

thanks for the replies, this boat had not seen water since 1969 when my grandfather put it in the barn. I put the merc on it and it runs like new. I was just a little concerned about the weight and torque on the transom.

[Helmar]

It seems like the hull didn't change much as they went into the cuddy cabins and into the 20 footers.
Only problems that I have seen when they had even the inboards were they would porpoise so to keep the nose down, they would load weight in the bow...
Kind of defeating the purpose in my book.
Doing that just makes the engine work harder, more fuel etc.

On the flip side, you could also move that engine around to different boats and into the 20 footers with no issues.

That is one of the things that made it nice when we have events. You could ride in the different boats with different power to get a idea on how they are going to react with different power options.

I am not sure how to muster up more classics in your area as they Are there.
It would be nice to see some of you get together as you have some beautiful lakes and water ways in your area...
NO SALT

I came from Oregon and fresh water. Not used to giving up a motor to the Salt Gods.

[strobee]

The Skimaster is different design then the Skagit 17 or Skagit 20. It was designed by Lloyd Lindberry not Howard Roberts. The stringers are completely different and the hull will flex more. They put in a one piece stringer system across the bottom. If you ever take the deck up do not step on the raised part of the stringers. Will send you a picture of another Skimaster that I used to own with the deck removed. Clint

[Helmar]

You learn something ever day. I kind of remember that now that I think about it.
It doesn't negate the fact that the Skagits (I own a Skimaster, Sportster (got that from Clint) 17 Express and 20 foot Offshore) all preform like barn doors with motors on the back and will porpoise when pushed past its hull limits.

[Skagitguy]

Joe, With my former 17 Skagit Express 30 mph ( 50hp ) and 20 Skagit with the 115 Merc i have never had it porpoise. I wonder if it because i have always had two 12 gal tanks up at the bulkhead in both boats and the 20 also has a 28 gal tank under the back bench seat along with 2 batteries? The top speed i have had the 20 Skagit up to has been around 36 mph. I usually cruise around 26-30ish. Chuck

[GregJ]

Helmar, I have two batteries in the splashwell, the 50 hp Rude and 24 gals. of gas under the bench seat and occasionally three other people on board. It gets up to a plane well, will do 30mph and it never porpuses. I have the Rude fully down and I also use a aqua fin. If I raise the engine one notch then it will porpus. The floor has been foamed (you did it) which has improved the way it handles a chop. These are some of the reasons why I have owned my 17 Skagit Express for 15 years.

[DMCI]

Skimaster and Trimtabs

Would seem to me that perhaps small Bennett trim tabs would be a possible solution to bow rising. While adding weight to the bow may sound like a good solution, it appears to me that it would be horribly inefficient essentially adding more drag to the boat, especially in this day of rising gasoline prices.

The tabs would have the additional benefit of, for lack of a better word, roll trim control. Don't know if anybody has ever tried this on a Skagit, or if it would even work. I suggested this option in the days when we had the Skagit 24 but nobody implemented my idea (I was 14.) Since then every boat I have owned or operated has had them.

You can essentially trim the boat fore and aft by pulling in the engine with the motor trim. This will force the bow down.

[Sammamish1]

It seems to me that balancing the weight in the boat is a better solution than forcing the bow down with the trim adjustment on the motor.

I have seen boats swap ends due to burying the bow with engine trim. It can cause an ejection at speed, and that's never a good thing.

Let the boat find its "level" by adjusting the movable weight and then use the trim to fine tune it.

As Helmar says That's my opinion, but I could be wrong.

[Skagitguy]

just use the motor trim switch.... Chuck

[strobee]

I may have dealt with porpoising of a Skagit 17 more then anyone else. I may have the most overpowered Skagit 17. I started with a 175 hp V6 Johnson. This was on the boat when I bought it. 100 pounds of lead was in the bow and with the power trim I could get 43 mph without porpoising. The motor would have two be trimmed all the way in to keep it from porpoising. The boat was very hard to steer and hard to drive. I changed to a 140 hp Mercury in line 6. The Skagit still porpoised and should have been called Flipper. We tried 200 pounds of lead in the bow and with me in the bow for added weight we got 39 mph and I was beat to hell in the bow. For my boat adding weight to the bow had no effect on the porpoising. I have since added a large dolphin tail to the motor and step and trim trim tabs to the boat and taken all extra weight out of the bow. This has cut my top speed down to 35 mph, but porpoising is no longer a problem. I have the ability to move my trim for the most efficient ride and smooth ride. I am now very happy with the ride of my Skagit. Power trim really helps in choppy waters. My 16 foot Skagit ski master has a 100 hp Johnson with CMC trim unit. I have never had problems with it porpoising. It is not terribly fast at 34 mph, but it is a pleasure to run. I have found that adding weight to the bow made no difference for me. Dolphin tales, trim tabs, and proper trimming of the motor seems for me what work. Clint