Got this week and ran for first time today. Was very pleased. Split bench and Tall transom and tall transom motor. Got the trim pretty decent with just me and 6 gal gas and a cooler. Was only turning 3550 rpms but running 29 mph deep water slight chop. I was expecting around 4100 rpms at this speed. Was throwing a decent rooster tail but didn't push down on handle til it blew out prop. Will toy around with optimizing the trim later. Starting, idle, and throttle response are excellent. What should I be looking for on rpms? Also I think the driver seat base makes it a stretch with tiller handle. When running straight sitting down my arm is extended straight out. May get one of those offset seat inserts to get closer to the handle. I am 5ft 11.

I'm bout the same height as you and have the same boat. I hated driving out of the drivers seat. It's too close to the grab bar and too far from the stick. I took it out and put my cooler back there all the way to the back and drove it there in the summer when I was just riding for fun. I drive standing up or kneeling right now for duck season though and leave the cooler at home.


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Setx longtail on here has that same rig , his is a year or so old. 37 efi as well . Might pm him or he might chime in. I think you'll pick up a little as it breaks in more . How many hours do far on it . From what I've see. Rpms and speeds picked up with use. Enjoy your rig .

H Finn

I wouldn't worry about the rpms if your running 29 in a 18x60 with stock motor. That's good speeds regardless on any hull brand or motor.

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Same rig as mine. I have close to 60hrs on it at this point and have absolutely no regrets. It's been a great all around setup for a lot of different things.

I run 4000-4100 depending on wind etc. at 28-29 deep water with my "normal" load. I tend to carry more extraneous stuff than I need to also. I have found with mine that the speed is not really effected by the trim as long as you're around 3600 and up your speed will be close to maxed out. The great thing about that hull isn't the speed capability, it's the fact that you can load that thing up with a few people, hunting gear, camping equipment, fuel etc etc etc... And still get on step and go where you need to. I didn't take pics or weights etc, but I have had more junk in mine than I probably had business hauling and still got it up and ran 22mph. Pretty amazing.

I agree, the driver seat base is in the wrong place. It needs to be "around the corner" from where it is. Back another 7-9" would make all the difference. Sitting in the seat feels like you're stuffed against the grab bar and your shoulder feels very vulnerable to getting snatched in two pieces by hitting something submerged. I just sit on the flotation and drive usually. On a long straight deep water run, I'll drop a seat in the base but it's rare.

The engine is very strong and responsive. The low and mid range power of mine have particularly surprised me. I could probably empty mine out to bare and find a section 3-5" deep and run 31 or so but that's not how I run so I don't worry about it. It's not about the speed to me. If it was, I'd run an outboard.

Enjoy the simplicity and ruggedness of that rig. Use it, take care of it, it'll take care of you.

Thanks for the comments. We have a lot of sand but rivers and swamps were in Flood stage yesterday. Only 2 hours on it right now. It just seemed odd to me with such low rpms but running just where I wanted it to. With some prop wear I am sure rpms will probably go up some. I ordered one of these to see if this fixes the seat base position problem.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Swivl-Ez ... Id=1192613

It will increase in rpms probably 200 more or so. Mine runs awesome around 3800. Will run nearly 30 in that range in deep water. Mines on a smaller GD hull though. You can trim up slightly but think your probably pretty good. I had to bend my trim tabs up a little to get it dialed in, that was more sensitive than trim. I never drive in seat. Most time I drive standing up, holding grab bar with right arm and left leg on left flotation pod and have handle up against leg to take any torque I might get. I know it sounds weird but makes the drive so much easier should there be heavy wind and or chop that can beat you up and or if your boat pulls. The seat base is useless in most driving conditions. Periodically used it years ago when new and when I used to hunt out of boat it was where I sat, but hadn't used boat blind in years.


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ImageUploadedByTapatalk1451576625.794201.jpgget you one of these ! Then you don't have to steer it at the end
Of the stick, my bench is in a bad spot too so not having to reach the throttle is nice

One thing I did that made my gdsd way more comfortable to drive was to take off that big ass grip and wrap the handle in handle bar tape from a road bike. I was cramping up on my throttle hand on long runs but now it's good


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Will post up when I get that offset post and run it. Ran again today in epic flood conditions on a friends property . Proabably 4 ft higher than I have seen it in 20 years. Strange to see no deer or pigs but tons of ducks on the road and turkeys about to fall out of every other tree. Boat ran great with me and 2 big boys and a cooler. Didn't check speeds as was having too much fun.

I think that offset seat piece is going to be the ticket to more comfortable long runs

Should 5 sheets hydroturf cover floors, front deck, and pods in the back? I think I only used 3 on my 1648 go devil with same layout.

5 of the big sheets should do it.

Learn to turn. That 18x60 slides like crazy in shallows and almost just as bad in deep water at WOT...

You just let of the throttle at the right time to let the hull drop a little and it will dig once you give it some more gas. My 1648 gd boat with 35 slid too.

I've figured out the controlled slide pretty well I think. I've tweaked my trim tabs a little and it does not blow out unless I make it. Turning to the right at WOT, I can just get off the throttle for a second or two so the boat will sit down and start the turn and once it's pointed the right way pin the throttle again. Not far into the turn the engine will gain 1-200rpm since it's being starved for water from one side of the skeg but just keep it wide open, finish the turn and once you straighten it back out you'll hear the engine rpm come back to normal and away you go. The only thing I've found is that if the boat is loaded real light and I try to slide it like that it will start to bounce. About all you can do is let off until it sits down in the water and take off again. I think that's more a byproduct of the hull and chine, not the motor. Turning to the left is about the same but the boat normally slides a little less for once reason or another, mine really turns left much better than right in just about every situation. Makes it a handful maneuvering this big bitch in the thick choked down flooded woods I hunted the end of the season lol

Lol

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I've been back there once or twice. it's rough.

Put it like this- I didn't get my boat on plane for the last two weeks of the season. Cypress trees spaced just right so you can't get up and run, and wouldn't get far if you did. I launched and it was a 20min idle to the spot lol. It's off the damn grid pretty much, dirt boat ramp, narrow deer lease trails to get there. Back in the waaaay back.

OP, sorry for the hijack

Its kinda like bumper cars lol.

GD makes 2 boat designs. the original hunting and fishing boat with round chines and the SD boat with a double angle flat chine. I don't understand the hydrodynamics, but the 16 X 60 SD boat goes faster sideways than straight. The round chine boat just digs in and carves a turn. If you have a boat that slides follow the advice of SETx Longtail. It will keep you from hitting the bank or thirty feet into the weeds. Been there...done that and it is all about throttle control.

Put 15 hours on it so far. Now that it's getting warm will use a lot more. Fully hydroturfed the floors and boxes and put 3 nice vinyl tempress seats in it. Going to be adding a minnkota 55 riptide with quick detach in the next few weeks