Posted by Sean Morris on March 22, 1999 at 12:30:49:
In Reply to: Re: Stilletto Info posted by Doug on March 09, 1999 at 09:57:28:
:
: : Hi All,
: : I've almost completed my stilletto. I've fitted a 60HP
: : outboard. Does anyone have some handling tips? Photos?
: : Please send.
: I completed a Stilletto in 1992 and installed a 115HP Mercury. Handling is rock solid with top speed, as set up, just under 50 mph. Two skid fins were installed instead of the one shown on the plan. Cornering can be tight enough at full speed to dump unsuspecting riders off the seat and onto the floor. The boat stays almost completely flat in corners on smooth water. Some porpoising is experienced on smooth water when the motor is trimmed out to far at any speed. In rough water the boat handles nicely until the motor is trimmed out past vertical and the boat gets very light feeling. In order to handle the larger motor the transom was doubled in thickness, the motor well was strengthened and the vertical boards on the sides of the cockpit were doubled all the way from the transom to the deck.
What was the positioning of the 2 skid fins? Did you stick to the Skid fin size indicated in the plans or did you use a larger size? When you say that it handles well in rough water, how rough are you talking about? Do you use anything to weigh down the boat up forward??