Fourth of July Weekend

You know the drill..

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Cobra427cable
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Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:19 pm

Fourth of July Weekend

#1 Post by Cobra427cable » Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:02 pm

Well, I have been told by many people and read it on here about large lakes, busy weekends, and very large boats make for a very choppy water. This last weekend we were at Grand Lake in Oklahoma and the day of the 4th, the water was very choppy and I could not get enough speed to ever use my lifting strakes. I just tried my best to keep her going in the direction I needed to get to. Once out of the main lake and into Duck Creek cove it wasn't so bad. I guess Pontoons just aren't the best for rough lakes. The next day it was just so-so and some areas I could cruise just fine but other areas it was rough enough that it would slow down due to the waves and I couldn't keep it on plane. It also sounded like the prop would come out of the water once in a while. Is there any suggestions or aftermarket products that would help in these situations? My engine is almost as low as it can go...have one more bolt hole I could lower it. Would underskinning really help??
2008 Sun Tracker Regency
22' party barge w/NV logs
135 HP Mercury Optimax
Kaw Lake, Ponca City, OK.

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lakerunner
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Re: Fourth of July Weekend

#2 Post by lakerunner » Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:16 pm

Rough water and big waves are a given on holidays. Sometimes one needs to just slow down. Toons give a smoother ride than most in choppy water. Your prop blowout occurred when you went over a big wave and lifted toon high enough to let prop ventilate.

Grand lake is one of the worse for BIG boats and BIG waves.
Loyd & Betty Meeks
Livin the lake life
2004 Tracker 22 Regency/2010 90 E-Tec. Pulled by Ford 2020 F 250,
McAlester, Oklahoma
Home lake is Tenkiller

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ROLAND
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Re: Fourth of July Weekend

#3 Post by ROLAND » Fri Jul 09, 2010 2:12 am

[quote="Cobra427cable"] I guess Pontoons just aren't the best for rough lakes.

If you think it was rough out there on your pontoon, be glad you weren't in a conventional v-hull rig. We took our boat out the weekend of the 4th, but opted to stay off the water on the 4th just because of that very reason you talked about, alot of boats, rough waters and of course, more than the usual amount of drunks on the lake.
Roland & Jo
2010 Bennington 20 Sfi
Yamaha 75 4 Stroke
Shreveport, Louisiana

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