Posted by Don Dando on August 22, 19103 at 13:56:49:
In Reply to: Re: rooster tail posted by David on August 20, 19103 at 16:31:48:
As a former boat racer, what has been stated above about no special devices being used on actual competition boats is absolutely correct.
In the process of setting up a racing hydro for top performance you start with a racing lower unit that has a ratio of 1:1 or 16:21, $1500. Then about $350 each for stainless props, you'll want 15-20 of them for various conditions and a fist full of "rev-sticks". (Yard sticks cut to length to fit under the clamp bracket on the transom, free from local lumber yard) to adjust the height of the engine on the transom based on water conditions. A good solid trailer hitch so you can beat some cup into the prop, and you are ready to START! And lots of testing for the proper tilt pin setting of the engine.
If your engine and lower unit are stock and the prop is a stock aluminum utility prop, I doubt that you'll get any roster tail. In racing the roster tail is an effect of proper setup, not a goal for appearance.
You could use come coper pipe with an angle cut on one end to pickup the water and partially flatten the outlet end to cause a spray rather than a stream, one on each side of the boat, however this will cost top speed but with all stock equipment, it probab;y won't matter anyway!
Hope I wasn't too discouraging!
Don Dando
: I don't know about the full size ones, but on my model speedboat, it the prop that makes the roostertail. When the boat is up on plane, the prop is only half in the water, skimming along the top, I presumed that was what made the roostertail.