Flotation Pods

[susqyg3]

Here's the situation.. I have a G3 1756 CC DLX, with a 90/65 yamaha four stroke. I've been running the boat for about 3 years now, and I use it for the susqy primarily, but I do a decent amount of striper fishing on the flats, lower susquehanna, as well as a good bit of crabbing in the summer. I've been contemplating adding flotation pods to the boat to help with the squatting. It's a standard hull, standard center console (not fwd) with rear gas tank (21 gallon, although rarely over half full). Batteries are in the front, but that's about it as far as substantial weight goes. For those of you that have run the same hull both with and without pods, what differences have you noticed? My cousin just got a similar hull, just fwd console, with pods, and it got me thinking. Much of a speed difference? Cavitation? I'm sure it floats shallower, and would hope it would run a little more level, helping to protect the foot, which sure needs it. I ran ft. hunter last night at 3.5, and caught the foot a couple times taking it easy, but i've been fishing north of harrisburg more than in the past in lower water..

 

[Ranchero50]

On my IB jet I lost a little speed but the hull doesn't squat nearly as much on launch and it coasts off plane where before it would nose up and sink off the wave front. I'd gladly lose 2 mph of speed for a safer launch and shut down.

 

[icbronze]

I have a 1652 Triton with 60/45 jet and installed pods this spring. The boat sits 2 1/2 to 3 inches higher. I got them to help me floating down river. The Allegheny has been low the last couple of weekends and places I would bump drifting through, I did not. My boat planes quicker, handles better and runs choppy water better. No cavitation problems at all. I got them to float higher and they exceeded what I was expecting as far as the boat handling goes. I never GPS before the pods but I think I have actually gained speed. After they were installed I was 33 with current and 30 against with just myself in the boat. The only bad thing is you lose your ability to turn sharp in reverse. I got the medium pods which are actually for a 17' or 18' boat. I called Beavertail and they said the 52" bottom could handle the mediums

 

[susqyg3]

Good to know.. I've heard about cavitation problems in chop and stuff, but I'd think they'd actually help channel water to the pump? If I get them it will be over the winter, but I'm seriously considering it.. I love my boat, just would love to not squat as bad

 

[Jim]

Nice to read about real world experience with the pods! :beer:

 

[Ranchero50]

susqyg3 » Yesterday, 21:17[/url]"]Good to know.. I've heard about cavitation problems in chop and stuff, but I'd think they'd actually help channel water to the pump? If I get them it will be over the winter, but I'm seriously considering it.. I love my boat, just would love to not squat as bad

Cavitation is chop is more of a byproduct of running on the wavelets so the jet isn't getting a solid stream of water. You have three options, one is to slow down to displacement speed, another is to lower the engine with a jackplate and the third is make some sort of spoon to hydrodynamicly pull the water up to the pump. A jackplate is about the best option.

 

[susqyg3]

I almost never have any cavitation problems in even the roughest of conditions. Usually the pounding slows me down before cavitation does. I've been in tunnel hull jets that cavitate in the slightest of chop, so i'd rather stay how I am than cavitate that much. Just trying to get as much info / experience as I can before I decide.