Bottom modification, addition of "ride-pad", and or lifting strake extension or addit

[Larry Farr]

I have a Sea Ray 260 OV which has modified engine and outdrive.

I am considering the addition of a "ride Pad" similar to that found on Velocity Power Boats.

A second option, or perhaps first, depending on your experience or opinion, would be the extension of the existing lifting strakes to the end of the transom. The two strakes on each side of the centerline terminate apx. 6' and 10' from the transom.

Specifically I am interested in information about the materials and techniques used to manufacture and attach.

Your expereince / input appreciated.

I will happly call you on my nickle for more info than you care to write.

Thank you.

[Scott]

Not being able to turn the boat upside down, I really think that either one of these projects will be extremely difficult and probably not worth the enormous effort. I don’t know of any way to easily form up against the hull and “inject” a material which would have sufficient strength and not chip when trailering and not develop air voids. So you are left with having to come up with an accurate form, then building a mold, then building the part out of epoxy, fiberglass, and some chopped strand filler (a part which is thin and triangular making it more difficult), and then you have to rough up the hull removing the gel coat, and then epoxy and probably bolt the formed appendages to the hull. Then you have to fair over any bolts (which themselves become somewhat of a weak link) and do the refinishing. I doubt that the minor gain from a pad would be worth all that effort, unless you’re racing the boat.

It might be more feasible to form a metal keel pad which would also serve as a keel guard, but you would have to be extremely, and I mean extremely, good with metal. I can see a one part pad with the flanges on the interior, thus bolted without exposing the bolt heads, and then injected with a filler, then faired a bit around the edges with thickened epoxy and filler. Might work if you are really good with metal.

I’m curious – what effect would extending the strakes have anyway? And why are they are cut short in the first place (to reduce turbulence near the props? Or some other reason?)