Sea Trials II

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georgiaken

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Jan 9, 2011
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Location
Philadelphia, PA
So, we arrived at the river today, not realizing we worked for the township.

This is what the ramp looked like:

Gladwyne-1.jpg


I guess the high waters left more than just a mud line this time around.

Anyway, we cleared the ramp, launched and headed up river to "fish."

Really, I wanted to run the boat and see what, if any effect sharpening my impeller had...and to check if the leak I fixed was the "only" leak.

Well, good news...the leak I fixed was the leak in question and there were no more issues with leaks (of course, it was the sealant on the drain plug - go figure).

And the impeller? Well, sharpening the impeller, per the Chris Gorsuch instructions on the Snyder Boats website moved my top speed. I went from 28mph going upstream in 2100 cfs water to 34 mph going upstream in 6100 cfs water.

Same gear, same guys, same everything.

Polishing up the liner might get me even more speed, but then there would be less liner :( (I have a groove or two - actually, the whole liner is grooved).

And...the jet foot is all mashed up. Apparently, the foot has taken a hit or two, so one of the pins won't come out. It appears to be mashed into the foot at the site of the hit (which compressed the foot). I even tried drilling open the hole...no dice. Looks like the pin is bent and I'll need to get another foot if I want it "perfect."

That said, having grill bars that are straight and possibly sharpened might squeeze out a little more speed as well. I just don't see buying a new foot "just yet."

I know I'll end up sucking up crap anyway that will gouge the liner again, but the thought of shining everything up and getting a nicer top speed number has me going.

Lil' Rude, I completely understand why you tune yours the way you do now...there's something nice about a little "home-made" maintenance gaining you a higher speed that's hard to beat. I mean, it only took my time...nothing else.

Anyway, the bad news...we didn't even get a nibble. But then, the river we were on has sucked for smallies for some time now in the area we were fishing...and the water was 41 degrees and it's only the second time we've fished there...so all and all, I'll take it...it beat sitting in the house.

One more day of working on the boat and we'll be ready to journey West to the Susquehanna...I'm stoked!
 
Glad to here you gained some speed, too bad the fish where not biting. When you say that everything was the same was the temp the same today as it was when you gps'd your boat the first time. I've seen huge gains in the winter months just to find out that when summer came around I was still running the same, that's why I try to do most of my testing in spring to fall when the temp stay close.
 
It was colder the first time I ran it...this seems like a genuine gain...once the summer comes, I expect the performance to degrade a bit...that hot humid air doesn't help much.
 

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