8.1 vs Hammerhead

[warsetter2010]

I have recently purchased a 2010 23 LSV, and I decided to go with the 8.1 big block. Before I had a 2008 with a Hammerhead and I have noticed little to no difference in the hole shot. It's too late for me to go back now I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to beef it up a little. I have a high altitude prop on and I am weighting the boat with the internal ballast as well as about 1700 more lbs. I also like using the wedge. The Hammerhead would come out of the water with 3 people on top of all of that and the 8.1 will not.

[68Slalom]

How many hours on the motor?

[MalibuTime]

The 8.1 also weighs more (alot, I am pretty sure). Regardless, doesn't sound right. You mean 3 people in the boat correct? (not being pulled up at once?) What is the actual prop spec you are using (diameter and pitch, or model #)? Lastly, are you accurate on your 1700lbs estimate, and it's not actually something way more? I think you will have some others weigh in with LSVs that are also running around that much weight.

[MN_LSV]

We have the 2003 23LSV with the 8.1L engine. We purchased it used and it has the Acme 381 (4 Blade, Left, 13.5 X 17.5, 1.05 cup).

I have noticed when weighted heavy for surfing on the left/regular side, with the manual wedge down, we have some problems holding surf speeds. Same setup on the right is fine. When weighted heavy equally for wakeboarding, no problems. Have gotten up 3 wakeboarders at once weighted with no problems. (Don't ask why we pulled 3 boarders, they just wanted to say they did it). With wedge up, we had 9 adults, 4 kids, 1100lbs in fat sacs, plus back left/center factory ballast and left side surfing was fine, (but didn't try the wedge).

Also when weighted heavily and using the wedge, it seems to hold alot better in 15+ feet of water.

We called Acme to see what the recommended for us because of the surfing issue. They said the Acme 1273 (14.5 X 14.25, 4 Blade, Left, 1.50 cup) would give the holding power and hole shot that we were looking for but we would loose about 2-4 mph top end. Currently with the 381 and no ballast it tops out at 50mph at 4900 RPM.

Not sure about the elevation changes though, we are only at 1000ft......

Edited September 28, 2009 by MN_LSV

[warsetter2010]

I have recently purchased a 2010 23 LSV, and I decided to go with the 8.1 big block. Before I had a 2008 with a Hammerhead and I have noticed little to no difference in the hole shot. It's too late for me to go back now I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to beef it up a little. I have a high altitude prop on and I am weighting the boat with the internal ballast as well as about 1700 more lbs. I also like using the wedge. The Hammerhead would come out of the water with 3 people on top of all of that and the 8.1 will not.

There are 25 hrs on the boat as of now. And the boat was weighted with 3 passengers, internal ballast, 1700lbs extra ballast, one rider and the wedge all the way down. I believe that the prop I have on there now is a 1273 but I could be wrong. The boat would not plane off, it was disturbing to me because the hh 383 would plane off but it would take awhile.

[Bake's Marine]

I have recently purchased a 2010 23 LSV, and I decided to go with the 8.1 big block. Before I had a 2008 with a Hammerhead and I have noticed little to no difference in the hole shot. It's too late for me to go back now I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to beef it up a little. I have a high altitude prop on and I am weighting the boat with the internal ballast as well as about 1700 more lbs. I also like using the wedge. The Hammerhead would come out of the water with 3 people on top of all of that and the 8.1 will not.

There are 25 hrs on the boat as of now. And the boat was weighted with 3 passengers, internal ballast, 1700lbs extra ballast, one rider and the wedge all the way down. I believe that the prop I have on there now is a 1273 but I could be wrong. The boat would not plane off, it was disturbing to me because the hh 383 would plane off but it would take awhile.

Give that motor some time and it will loosen up.

The hammerhead is a really good performing motor, it's pretty hard to beat a 383.

-Paul

[Ache For Wake]

I have recently purchased a 2010 23 LSV, and I decided to go with the 8.1 big block. Before I had a 2008 with a Hammerhead and I have noticed little to no difference in the hole shot. It's too late for me to go back now I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to beef it up a little. I have a high altitude prop on and I am weighting the boat with the internal ballast as well as about 1700 more lbs. I also like using the wedge. The Hammerhead would come out of the water with 3 people on top of all of that and the 8.1 will not.

There are 25 hrs on the boat as of now. And the boat was weighted with 3 passengers, internal ballast, 1700lbs extra ballast, one rider and the wedge all the way down. I believe that the prop I have on there now is a 1273 but I could be wrong. The boat would not plane off, it was disturbing to me because the hh 383 would plane off but it would take awhile.

Where in the boat is the 1700 lbs of extra ballast sitting? If most of it is in the back, that could be your problem. I have a 2000 lsv with a hammerhead and I run 1500 lbs in the rear lockers, and about 900 lbs in the center ski locker and bow. If I have more than 2 people sitting in back, without the bow weight the boat will not plane out.

[Bobby Light]

The 8.1 also weighs more (alot, I am pretty sure). Regardless, doesn't sound right. You mean 3 people in the boat correct? (not being pulled up at once?) What is the actual prop spec you are using (diameter and pitch, or model #)? Lastly, are you accurate on your 1700lbs estimate, and it's not actually something way more? I think you will have some others weigh in with LSVs that are also running around that much weight.

The 8.1 weighs over 400 lbs more than the HH.

[warsetter2010]

I just found out it is a 1235 prop 14.5 x 14.25. It could be the weight positioning, but I have it as even as I can get it .I have about 700 in the rear, 350 in the center and 400-500 in the front.

[Bobby Light]

I just found out it is a 1235 prop 14.5 x 14.25. It could be the weight positioning, but I have it as even as I can get it .I have about 700 in the rear, 350 in the center and 400-500 in the front.

Weird that thing should be an absolute monster out of the hole.

[johnsvt]

I just found out it is a 1235 prop 14.5 x 14.25. It could be the weight positioning, but I have it as even as I can get it .I have about 700 in the rear, 350 in the center and 400-500 in the front.

Weird that thing should be an absolute monster out of the hole.

Something sounds wrong

[WakeGirl]

I just found out it is a 1235 prop 14.5 x 14.25. It could be the weight positioning, but I have it as even as I can get it .I have about 700 in the rear, 350 in the center and 400-500 in the front.

You said that it's only while surfing, which I assume that you use the setup described above for. Where do you have your passengers sitting? Is that on top of the stock ballast? How do you have the boat weighted while wakeboarding?

[cyoda44]

Does any boat plane off at 10 -12 MPH??? MY VTX sticks it's hose in the air "higher than a Mastercraft dealer" when we are surfing.

[WakeGirl]

I think what's confusing is that he appears to be mixing descriptions of both wakeboarding & wakesurfing. Being more specific & separating those 2 points would help a lot.

[corey]

The only time I've heard of an 8.1 not ripping out of the hole is when the exhaust was to restricted.

[Ndawg12]

Does any boat plane off at 10 -12 MPH??? MY VTX sticks it's hose in the air "higher than a Mastercraft dealer" when we are surfing.

I like it!!!

[Bake's Marine]

Does any boat plane off at 10 -12 MPH??? MY VTX sticks it's hose in the air "higher than a Mastercraft dealer" when we are surfing.

It sounds like you need more weight in the center/bow of your boat.

Paul

[cyoda44]

Does any boat plane off at 10 -12 MPH??? MY VTX sticks it's hose in the air "higher than a Mastercraft dealer" when we are surfing.

It sounds like you need more weight in the center/bow of your boat.

Paul

I agree.... thinking of adding a bow tank this winter, but would love to somehow devise a dual ballast system for the front. Independent left and right side. Any ideas? maybe a duel bag set-up? A hard tank with a divider would be nice.

Edited September 29, 2009 by cyoda44

[MN_LSV]

I have recently purchased a 2010 23 LSV, and I decided to go with the 8.1 big block. Before I had a 2008 with a Hammerhead and I have noticed little to no difference in the hole shot. It's too late for me to go back now I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to beef it up a little. I have a high altitude prop on and I am weighting the boat with the internal ballast as well as about 1700 more lbs. I also like using the wedge. The Hammerhead would come out of the water with 3 people on top of all of that and the 8.1 will not.

There are 25 hrs on the boat as of now. And the boat was weighted with 3 passengers, internal ballast, 1700lbs extra ballast, one rider and the wedge all the way down. I believe that the prop I have on there now is a 1273 but I could be wrong. The boat would not plane off, it was disturbing to me because the hh 383 would plane off but it would take awhile.

Where in the boat is the 1700 lbs of extra ballast sitting? If most of it is in the back, that could be your problem. I have a 2000 lsv with a hammerhead and I run 1500 lbs in the rear lockers, and about 900 lbs in the center ski locker and bow. If I have more than 2 people sitting in back, without the bow weight the boat will not plane out.

That's about the same for us with the 8.1L, but our older boats don't have the built in front ballasts.

Our boat doesn't plane out at surf speeds, but at boarding speeds it does.

[aaudii5150]

We have a 07 23lsv with the 383.....

I have the same issue on the left side while surfing. We usually have like 10(Est 1300lbs++) people in the boat. Center tank 3/4 front about the same and surf side locker full. With everyone lined up on surf side the prop looses it's bite sometimes. I found that backing it down to around 9.6 works well.

We don't really have any issues when wakeboarding...... I did find that with that much weight in the boat we don't need the wedge and the boat really loves that!

We do plan on replacing the prop before next year.....

[jtrovato]

This thread is too confusing! Is the OP talking about surfing or wakeboarding? He has not mentioned in any of his posts surfing OR wakeboarding speeds, but people are talking about surfing speeds?? Need more info from the OP to figure out what is going on here...