lifting strakes

johntg3

Cadet
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
10
can lifting strakes be added to any pontoon and how do you do this? solid welds? location? lenght? placement front to back? by the way i have a 22f/c G3 not a tri toon.
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: lifting strakes

We add strakes to tubes all thetime so yes it can be done but be very careful who you have do it as they are below the water line most of the time.

Does G3 offer strakes, if so it would be best to use what they originally put on the boat, they can also provided dimensions.

Hydrodynamics are kinda funny, if the chine is just a little too long or short it will really affect how they work, we have run R&D boat that didn't do very well, you take off or add 2' of chine and they are perfect.

Too long and you lift the transom too much and cause the bow to plow too short and you don't get enough lift.

No you don't need to weld them full length, we go 3'' of weld top and bottom every 2' of chine.

So get with G3 and see if you can get chines from them, post what they say and we will go from there.
 

johntg3

Cadet
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
10
Re: lifting strakes

thanks! i got in touch with G3 and waiting on their reply. ill post as sson as i get info
 

rrhodes

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
Messages
636
Re: lifting strakes

How much HP do you have? At low speed the strakes can actually create additional drag and slow the toon down. You need enough power to benefit from the strakes.

I looked into adding them on my toon but the manufacturer said I need at least 150hp to see a difference, while I disagree I am not willing to blow the money only to find out they were right and end up slowing my boat down.
 

gecko454

Cadet
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
14
Re: lifting strakes

New to the forum and just ran across this thread. I have a 27' landau tri-toon and am considering contacting the manufacturer to see if I can get lifting strakes added.

One thing that confuses me is that the brochure for my pontoon states a maximum hp rating of 150hp for my boat without lifting strakes but then states that with the lifting strakes option you can go up to 250hp. Why would lifting strakes make a difference in the hp rating. Isn't hp ratings usually determined by the construction of the boat and the wieght ratings. I always thought lifting strakes were more for handling than anything else.

Hopefully someone with a little more knowledge can jump in and sort this out.
 

imported_John o

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
137
Re: lifting strakes

New to the forum and just ran across this thread. I have a 27' landau tri-toon and am considering contacting the manufacturer to see if I can get lifting strakes added.

One thing that confuses me is that the brochure for my pontoon states a maximum hp rating of 150hp for my boat without lifting strakes but then states that with the lifting strakes option you can go up to 250hp. Why would lifting strakes make a difference in the hp rating. Isn't hp ratings usually determined by the construction of the boat and the wieght ratings. I always thought lifting strakes were more for handling than anything else.

Hopefully someone with a little more knowledge can jump in and sort this out.

Here's my guess:

Without strakes a pontoon is a displacement hull. It plows through the water instead of over it. Every displacement hull has a "hull speed" beyond which the application of more power will do little or nothing*. It just can't go any faster (IIRC it has to do with the length of the bow wave generated by moving through the water).

With strakes a pontoon becomes a planinf hull, it moves over the top of the water instead of through it. Adding more power to a planing hull results in increased speed.

The company probably figured at that 150 will move the boat up to its hull speed. No use adding any more power as it won't do any good. It would only add weight to the stern and affect the handling of the boat.

But adding strakes means that the increased HP can be used and the company has probably designed the transom and supporting structure to support that weight and power so why not use it?


*hull design can affect this speed but there is only so much you can do with a displacement hull. see -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_speed
 

mikegj

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Messages
45
Re: lifting strakes

John
There is a guy in MO. that has these strakes,I got mine this weekend. They are G3's

Bill's Boat Stuff

-
4105 Highway 68
-

Salem, Missouri 65560

bgordes@fidnet.com

573-729-4617
 

cuzzx

Seaman
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Messages
74
Re: lifting strakes

if lifting strakes help why would you need more hp to push the toon?

thats what it sounds like to me.
 

Water logged

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
371
Re: lifting strakes

It takes power to get up on the strakes. Once there I can back off and maintain plane. I have 115 hp on a 22 ft Party Barge twin tube with 2 strakes on each tube.

Glenn
 

gecko454

Cadet
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
14
Re: lifting strakes

So far I haven't had any luck contacting landau. I think with the economy manufacturers are cutting back wherever possible and it seems customers service (telephone and email support) have been drastically cut, at least that's what my local marina/dealer said and my experience backs up their claim.

Any idea what it would cost to add lifting stakes to a 27' Tri-toon. It's a Landau with the U shaped tubes. I'm currently thinking about just doing the center toon on both sides and then only on the inside of the two outside tubes.

Another option that was mentioned on another forum was to replace the center toon with one that was larger, designed more towards planning and continued all the way to the rear of the boat with a built in transom. FYI the current set up has the center toon end about 4 ft from the back of the boat and the has a separate transom which the motor mounts to.
 

gecko454

Cadet
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
14
Re: lifting strakes

Landau finally returned my call and they told me that although I could have gotten lifting strakes installed from the factory at the time the boat was purchased they are unwilling to add them now.

I'm not sure if anybody is still following this thread but I would still like to find somebody to install lifting strakes on my tritoon. If you have any info on people with a good track record of adding lifting strakes I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Mike
 

Bamaman1

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
1,895
Re: lifting strakes

From what #2 says, the manufacturers have done a lot of R&D on adding lifting strakes. It sounds as if it's pretty technical--and strakes are not just generic items. My 24' boat has max. power and no strakes--and I can vouch that it hits a mph wall--and won't go any faster.

If you want more performance, you may need to trade for a factory prepared tritoon with hi performance strakes and a little larger motor.
 

Water logged

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
371
Re: lifting strakes

If you have U shaped toons they may be filled with foam. Most U toons are. Welding on a toon filled with foam could be problematic. The heat from welding could start a fire in the foam. Recommend you determine if you have foam or not.

Glenn
 

suncruiser24

Cadet
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
9
Re: lifting strakes

I'm running a 24' Suncruiser, 70 hp Evinrude. Gave strakes the same thought. Decided to go with a Water Glide system, with floor joist sheeting. If you provide Water Glide with the proper measurments, their computers will give proper install numbrers.

System works extremely well. Speed up, fuel consumption down and handeling is improved incredibly. About a weekend install process, with boat on the trailer.

Worked so well, I became a dealer!!!
 

lncoop

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
5,147
Re: lifting strakes

I'm running a 24' Suncruiser, 70 hp Evinrude. Gave strakes the same thought. Decided to go with a Water Glide system, with floor joist sheeting. If you provide Water Glide with the proper measurments, their computers will give proper install numbrers.

System works extremely well. Speed up, fuel consumption down and handeling is improved incredibly. About a weekend install process, with boat on the trailer.

Worked so well, I became a dealer!!!

This is the first honest beta I've heard on the Waterglide. Even though you're a dealer I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since you first tried it on your own barge. So, enlighten me. 21' Suntracker w/ two toons and 90 horse two stroke Merc 2002 model. Performance is acceptable but not great. Top speed is around 23, but I'd love to cut back on gas consumption and pick up some speed if possible. How would the PW benefit me and what would it cost to add to my rig?
 

The Rooster

Ensign
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
936
Re: lifting strakes

Hey "Coop", back when we had our 2005 Starcraft 24' w/ 90 hp Merc. Optimax, we went looking for additional performance. 22-24 mph. was average. Long story short, we contacted and purchased the "Pontoon Waterglide". We found the people extremely friendly, and informative. It did exactly what they said it would. Gained 5-6 mph., and lowered fuel consumption. But, we developed a bad vibration problem that was very evident through the console and boat in anything but calm waters. After investigating and talking with the "PWG" people, we determined that because our Starcraft had 24" spacing between cross braces, that was the source of our problem. I tried some additional bracing, but was unwilling to remove all the underskinning I had added to brace further. Thats when we decided to trade for the triple tube Bentley 243. Bottom line, it did what they said it would do, but I couldn't live with the strong vibrations. Cost us a little under $ 2000.00 for everything.
 

suncruiser24

Cadet
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
9
Re: lifting strakes

Yes, my comment was as honest as I could make it. My performance (speed) on the 24' w/ a 70hp, went up about 36-37 %. This is based off a gps speed, w/ 3 adults. Started at 16 mph, went to 21-22. Fuel consumption was also lowered considerably, although I do not have a fuel flow meter to know exactly what %.

Handeling , to me, is the biggy. Boat will turn in half the radius it used to. You can feel it "come up on plane".

I read about the vibration issue. My joists are on 21" centers, and I don't have any vibrations. Some of this could be caused by the mounting location of the rails. Another important issue is the "R" measurment. This is how deep the WG sets in the water.

Call if I can assist 309-840-1586

For the price, About $2000, plus about $250 freight, I really like what it does. Also, check how deep your prop shaft is "below" your toons.

Safe boating!!!
 

gecko454

Cadet
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
14
Re: lifting strakes

Water Logged has a very good point and one that I hadn't considered. Our 2700 Landau has U shaped tubes that are filled with foam and although you can get the boat from the factory with the lifting strakes you can't add them latter on.

I wonder if there would be any benifit to replacing the center log with one that has the transom as part of the tube and then have lifting strakes added only too the center tube. Would that add enough lift to get the boat on plan? I believe JC uses this setup for thier center tubes.

I have considered trading in the boat for one with lifting strakes but unless I find a used boat in perfect shape it really doesn't make sense. Our boat is in perfect shape and I like the layout better than the new ones, plus we have added many options that you can't get from the factory. Have 20k in the boat and to replace it would be over 40k (for vertually the same boat) 50K+ if I add the lifting strakes and a 250 4 stroke. Any body have any idea how much 3 27' U shaped tubes with lifting strakes would cost? and how much I could sell 3 27' U shaped tubes in perfect shape without lifting strakes for?
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: lifting strakes

Your first probelm would be fionding someone that makes U tubes, there aren't that many places doing it.

Next is the cost, it could be as much as $1500 per tube and trhen you need to install them so it could be close to 5K and then you have to try and sell your old tubes which could also take a while.

It is your money but that seems kinda steep to gain a few mph.

And you couldn't just add the 250 either, the boat that is rated for the bigger engine has to have quite a few more crossmembers and probably a different motor pan.
 
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