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Max Machine Works whale tail report

ONE-A-DAY

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Max Machine rebuilt my drive and said I needed to try their whale tail cavitation plate. Tried it this morning, for my boat is the best few hundred bucks ever spent on a boat.....my 26 Daytona with a minus two lower will roll over on to plane with only 2500 rpm, down from about 4000, definitely a drive saver. At speed it’s different as well, takes a bit more trim then before at WOT but no ill effects.
 

02HoWaRd26

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Max Machine rebuilt my drive and said I needed to try their whale tail cavitation plate. Tried it this morning, for my boat is the best few hundred bucks ever spent on a boat.....my 26 Daytona with a minus two lower will roll over on to plane with only 2500 rpm, down from about 4000, definitely a drive saver. At speed it’s different as well, takes a bit more trim then before at WOT but no ill effects.
Did you try at semi speed 180*? As I’m 90% on the river i gotta do small radius 180* and don’t know if it was the -2 or tail but wow it was way better for me. As i said in my deal it definitely seems as tho it’s a fix all.
 

ONE-A-DAY

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Did you try at semi speed 180*? As I’m 90% on the river i gotta do small radius 180* and don’t know if it was the -2 or tail but wow it was way better for me. As i said in my deal it definitely seems as tho it’s a fix all.
I’ll do that on my way home now.
 

Motoxxxloak

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Same for my 26. Felt like an instant plane compared to before!


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69hondo

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DO you guys think this would benefit my 27 foot fundeck at all?
 

robby dmax

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I think I am going to try one as my 25 Daytona with a -2shorty will not roll over without some patience.
 

zx14

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I wonder what makes the difference on my 26, I hold about 2800 rpm (that’s just before blowout) and the nose goes high, and we roll over. Im 1.36 and. Bblades 32 bravo and -2. I put the SCX on a few months back, and I feel it’s even better. I had 4 adults and 3/4 fuel last weekend, same deal, just a little longer to get there.
 

02HoWaRd26

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DO you guys think this would benefit my 27 foot fundeck at all?

Based solely upon this thread I’d say try it.
It’s retarded how much difference something so in adequate seeming can make such a difference. Like my boat would NOT have plane at all. We went as the family with cooler with intent to spend the day on the boat! It would NoT plane so we went home!
Got the tail Monday at 7:59am as they opened their doors and ran home installed and went back alone. Boat popped up immediately!
And I’d say that if you installed and didn’t get results you’d sell immediately here but seems there’s no negative to it so far.
 

milkmoney

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We seen u coming in to topock

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BajaMike

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I was able to get on plane at a max of 2200 rpm, that’s crazy.


You need to go to a lower prop or gear ratio. You should be able to get rated horsepower at RPM of at least 5000 to 5500 rpms. Good luck.
 

02HoWaRd26

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You need to go to a lower prop or gear ratio. You should be able to get rated horsepower at RPM of at least 5000 to 5500 rpms. Good luck.
Huh?
I think his point was to brag at how quick his boat popped up on plane! Which in my opinion it’s truly a bragable thing to pop up on plane in a 26’ cat at such a low rpm.
 

Englewood

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If you don't mind me asking...Is it an XR that you had built by them? If so, what was the cost?

Thinking about adding a whipple and need to beef up drive.
 

ONE-A-DAY

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Its a Bravo, they prefer the bravo case over the XR case, it has a beefier front snout. Full blown build with all of their billet goodies top and bottom was just shy of $9000.
 

Waterheater

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Do you have to do anything to your drive to put it on? Other than drilling holes.
 

Cdog

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Did your come with instructions? I assume it mounts this way?

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Cdog

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Okay. Not a hard job but I had some fitting to do since my drive shower hold down got in the way. I removed some material at the front to move the plate forward a couple of thou.

A trip to Ace to get a longer drive shower hold down bolt and the job is finished.

Headed to Parker tomorrow at 1 after my kids swim meet.

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02HoWaRd26

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Okay. Not a hard job but I had some fitting to do since my drive shower hold down got in the way. I removed some material at the front to move the plate forward a couple of thou.

A trip to Ace to get a longer drive shower hold down bolt and the job is finished.

Headed to Parker tomorrow at 1 after my kids swim meet.

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Really curious to hear your opinion and review on it. As all that have spoke in this thread have been cats, be interesting to hear from a V guy. I talked to a guy with an Eliminator deck boat today he asked what it was as he’d see a few recently he had said, bet he gets on the wagon this week lol
 

Ricks raft

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Waiting for results on the V. Have a porpoise between 30 and 40, right where I like to cruise and ski.
Got worse after keel and bottom redone. Use to be able to stop it at full negative trim, now can't.
Howard 22 sport, 502
 

tkrrox

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Any reports on a v Hull?


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Boat 405

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I should have mine on Monday. I never had any issues getting on plane. I run a -2 lower and imco standoff box. Curious to see the change.
 

Done-it-again

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Okay. Not a hard job but I had some fitting to do since my drive shower hold down got in the way. I removed some material at the front to move the plate forward a couple of thou.

A trip to Ace to get a longer drive shower hold down bolt and the job is finished.

Headed to Parker tomorrow at 1 after my kids swim meet.

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Interested to hear how this performs as well. Keep us posted.
 

Cdog

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Will do y’all! The howard & Schiada I/o’s suffer from a terrible bow slap when u are trimmed out and trying to get speed out of the hull when you hit a wake or mixed water. I was told by some old timers this was because the stern angle is not ideal for the I/o as the molds were V drives. A drive wedge will fix the problem but I have yet to see something like this available on the market.

I put a revolution 4 prop on the boat and it improved the ride exponentially. Much smoother ride with the stern lift the prop provides. I lost 5mph on the top end but it was worth it.

The boat has never had an issue getting on plane with the drive down but I assume this plate should help it work even better.

I’ll update on Sunday. If you see me around Parker tomorrow or havi Sunday with two kids say hi! Pulling dad duty while wife is on a work trip on the east coast.

Cheers!
 

paradise

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Okay. Not a hard job but I had some fitting to do since my drive shower hold down got in the way. I removed some material at the front to move the plate forward a couple of thou.

A trip to Ace to get a longer drive shower hold down bolt and the job is finished.

Headed to Parker tomorrow at 1 after my kids swim meet.

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You might flip over the bolts and put the button heads on the bottom. That’s the side the water will be flowing against and I could see it creating cavitation problems the way you have them. ?
 

Cdog

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You might flip over the bolts and put the button heads on the bottom. That’s the side the water will be flowing against and I could see it creating cavitation problems the way you have them. ?


Ya I thought about that. I don't think it will make a difference but I'll see.
 

Taboma

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Wouldn't you want all the nuts on the top and the smooth headed screws on the underside ? Just seems the nuts in the main flow would create drag and turbulence, where as the smooth screw heads would cause must less of either. Doesn't matter ?
 

Cdog

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Okay I'll flip them. My thought was with all the shit hanging off the front of the drive (hyd hoses and rams) it's already getting turbulent water.
 

Taboma

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Okay I'll flip them. My thought was with all the shit hanging off the front of the drive (hyd hoses and rams) it's already getting turbulent water.

But those aren't in the immediate flow surrounding the prop --- less bubbles in the vicinity of the prop I'd think would be better. Reversing them won't hurt and might help ?
 

Runs2rch

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Wondering how they would work on a larger V with twins?
 

Cdog

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Flipped

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I figured this ledge wasn’t going to help either.

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02HoWaRd26

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Okay. Not a hard job but I had some fitting to do since my drive shower hold down got in the way. I removed some material at the front to move the plate forward a couple of thou.

A trip to Ace to get a longer drive shower hold down bolt and the job is finished.

Headed to Parker tomorrow at 1 after my kids swim meet.

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Flip those bolts, you want all the nuts on top, as per MMW

Edit:
Oops had t read far enough when i posted.
 

Taboma

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Curious why the whale tail on what appears to be a Vee ? Didn't want to roll over and plane easily ? Usually with drive trim and tabs, that's not a problem with a standard depth lower. As we all have learned it's all about the compromises versus priorities. My Cole would much prefer a Mach for wringing out a few extra on the top end. I'm pretty sure a -2" lower would aide in that quest as well. But I've never been willing to sacrifice the ability to pop on plane easily and be able to pull up a skier.

Just wondering what you're trying to accomplish ?
 

Shlbyntro

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Max Machine rebuilt my drive and said I needed to try their whale tail cavitation plate. Tried it this morning, for my boat is the best few hundred bucks ever spent on a boat.....my 26 Daytona with a minus two lower will roll over on to plane with only 2500 rpm, down from about 4000, definitely a drive saver. At speed it’s different as well, takes a bit more trim then before at WOT but no ill effects.
Be careful with these. They are havoc on gimbal rings and other trim/steering components which are costly repairs.

In the short term, yes your boat will perform better. On the long term, they will wear out the transom components about 10x faster because of the extra load forces being translated through the drive.

I recommend the extra few dollars for a set of proper trim tabs
 

Singleton

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Be careful with these. They are havoc on gimbal rings and other trim/steering components which are costly repairs.

In the short term, yes your boat will perform better. On the long term, they will wear out the transom components about 10x faster because of the extra load forces being translated through the drive.

I recommend the extra few dollars for a set of proper trim tabs

I have trim tabs on my boat as well as the tail. Tabs and tail do 2 separate things.
 
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Shlbyntro

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Now that is ho


I have trim tabs on my boat as well as the tail. Tabs and tail do 2 separate things.

Just be wary of your steering components sir. I've repaired far too many and advise my customers to remove these regardless of brand.

These and external tie bars (when not in conjunction with hydraulic steering) are the number one and two culprits of a bad gimbal rings
 

RiverDave

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Really curious to hear your opinion and review on it. As all that have spoke in this thread have been cats, be interesting to hear from a V guy. I talked to a guy with an Eliminator deck boat today he asked what it was as he’d see a few recently he had said, bet he gets on the wagon this week lol

All of my boats have had tails and all of them were improved. Mine are a little different than these.. However if I was making a general one that I was selling to the public for a universal application it would look exactly like this one.
 

Singleton

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Just be wary of your steering components sir. I've repaired far too many and advise my customers to remove these regardless of brand.

These and external tie bars (when not in conjunction with hydraulic steering) are the number one and two culprits of a bad gimbal rings

I have full hydraulic steering as well.
Bob Teague is the one that recommend the step-up on my boat.
He set-up @shippingguy 27 Shadow and after a few conversations, Mr Teague said add the tab.
 

Ricks raft

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Will do y’all! The howard & Schiada I/o’s suffer from a terrible bow slap when u are trimmed out and trying to get speed out of the hull when you hit a wake or mixed water. I was told by some old timers this was because the stern angle is not ideal for the I/o as the molds were V drives. A drive wedge will fix the problem but I have yet to see something like this available on the market.

I put a revolution 4 prop on the boat and it improved the ride exponentially. Much smoother ride with the stern lift the prop provides. I lost 5mph on the top end but it was worth it.

The boat has never had an issue getting on plane with the drive down but I assume this plate should help it work even better.

I’ll update on Sunday. If you see me around Parker tomorrow or havi Sunday with two kids say hi! Pulling dad duty while wife is on a work trip on the east coast.

Cheers!


May not apply to my 22sport(Cole bottom) long big delta pad. And suggested that this hill doesn't like a big block.
Actually ventilates a little under hard accelaration(my 20.5 bahner, and 210 never did this, my 255 some). 20-30 no problem, about 32 -42 porpoises and gets worse unless put into a slight turn. 42 and above rock solid flat smooth. Surprisingly only does high 60's with a stock rebuilt 502(509) I could exhaust and supposed tune by whipper...

Until over 40 can't use any positive trim or starts to cavitate, especially if anyone in bow. Believe its stock bravo and regular drive height.

I have a rev 4 and bravo prop. Both work similar.
 
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