Rooster Tails

Beatles

Recruit
Joined
Nov 12, 2019
Messages
1
What do I need for my boat to provide a massive rooster tail. It is a 26 foot cigar type speed boat with a large v8 engine. Thank you. Tom
 

WesNewell

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Messages
497
Why would you want that? If you see a boat with a large rooster tail, it just means the engine is not properly mounted or trimmed and is loosing efficiency and speed. If you engine is properly mounted and you want to put on a show just keep trimming the the out drive up until it pushes the water upward. Don't blame me if you blow an engine.
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
12,944
As mentioned above, just over trim it. Starvation of cooling water for the engin is an added bonus for those unimpressed. I guess you could rig up a pump to discharge water up and behind the boat, but why? Rooster Tails at speeds below 80 mph are unimpressive
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,303
Bolt a Rhode Island Red to the engine cover

Or trim up

Most rooster tails come from jet boats. Not even a surface drive gives much of a rooster tail
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
Back in the day when a 35 HP outboard was the biggest one made, many of us youngins had rooster tails just to look cool. It also made the girls think our boats were faster than they really were.

It wasn't because it was a jet, or because the motor was trimmed too high, it was merely a gadget that cost only a couple bucks and it was mounted on the transom. The really cheep guys used a soup can because they didn't want to spend the $2.00.

I don't know if they make them any more, but I'm sure if you google the concept you'll learn all you want to know.

Or, look at the back of a Yamaha jetski (waverunner) They call their rooster tail a "visibility spout". It mounts behind the jet pump and directs water thru a port on the swim deck. With a little ingenuity I'm sure a guy could farbicate such a bracket and screw it to the bottom of his transom.

(PS - Cigar boat? Or, do you mean cigarette?)
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
12,944
I overtrimmed my 115 merc and got one, also warped the cylinder head waterjacket cover.
Click image for larger version  Name:	CRESTLINs.jpg Views:	2 Size:	144.3 KB ID:	10814718
Click image for larger version  Name:	rooster2.jpg Views:	1 Size:	278.2 KB ID:	10814721

My I/O has done it,it's not over trimmed. Service manager drove,
image_322637.jpg
 
Last edited:

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
Roosterboost.com

Holy crap is that expensive. I can't believe their market is big enough to sustain their business.

Here's an idea......buy a copper pipe 45 degree elbow and mount it on the transom with a pipe strap. Position it so one end is below the hull.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,303
its worse than chrome on an engine...... not only does it not add to performance, it actually subtracts from it.

sort of like the bi-plane wing on the trunk of a honda civic
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
I think the term is actually "sausage boat"

Two women used to tie their pontoon up to a local dock and cook stuff for passing boaters. They called it "The Wiener Wagon"

Imagine that - here for all these years we thought a Cigarette was the first gofast, when in fact the first one was actually a pontoon!
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
In my pre-teen years I outgrew this kind of nonsense after using a clothes pin and a couple of playing cards to make my Schwinn Roadmaster sound like a motorcycle. :D
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
In my pre-teen years I outgrew this kind of nonsense after using a clothes pin and a couple of playing cards to make my Schwinn Roadmaster sound like a motorcycle. :D

Maybe the OP IS a pre-teen.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
I overtrimmed my 115 merc and got one, also warped the cylinder head waterjacket cover.



My I/O has done it,it's not over trimmed. Service manager drove,

On the 115, what RPMs were you running when you snapped the picture.......6k+? Looking at the fine mist spray you must have been in the 50+ area. With that said, going to bet your pickup ports were below the surface well enough, just at enough of an angle to not pickup ram water as they were designed.....coupled with your added requirement for the rpm you were running.

Was it worth it? 🙄😇 Would have been for me back when I had a 115 tower. 😏
 

QBhoy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 10, 2016
Messages
8,286
With a conventional inboard and outdrive...a few things to mention

1. it’s totally pointless in terms of anything other than for show

2. Most wont do it unless you have loads of power and a hull combined and able to air out completely

3. if the above is true, you’ll need a prop capable of working near or at the surface without loosing grip

4. did I say it was pointless already ?

5. it will lose speed

6. you will likely overheat unless you have a high intake lower unit

7. your UJ’s will throw the towel in pretty quickly

8. did I mention it’s pointless already ! Haha.

not to say I haven’t done it myself, but anyone with an ounce of mechanical sympathy would avoid it.

I fear you may be comparing your boat to surface drive boats or fast big power outboard boats with a jack plate. Different thing altogether.

what boat is this ? I’m not sure I know what a cigar type boat is ?
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
12,944
On the 115, what RPMs were you running when you snapped the picture.......6k+? Looking at the fine mist spray you must have been in the 50+ area. With that said, going to bet your pickup ports were below the surface well enough, just at enough of an angle to not pickup ram water as they were designed.....coupled with your added requirement for the rpm you were running.

Was it worth it? 🙄😇 Would have been for me back when I had a 115 tower. 😏



That boat had its best speed at 51mph @5500 rpm. It only hit that speed on the last run before I switched to a Merc QSS Prop(this, and the pics were in 1985). It usually ran 49 mph at 5450 AL or SS. It was an 84. the first year for the Integrated Power Trim, and it would trim high enough to stave the Water Inlets, especially if the engine was mounted with the AV Plate above the hull bottom. 2 new gaskets would leak after a few hrs running, so the Dealer gave me a New Water Jacket Cover, and a new gasket and it solved the water leaking at Spark Plug #2.

The I/O was probably going about 65 mph, it was running a RAKER, the Enertia wasn't for a couple more years
 
Last edited:

scoflaw

Ensign
Joined
Jun 2, 2010
Messages
962
Not sure why some are busting the OP. He has a "go fast" boat with a large V8.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Top