Tunnel Hull Advice

[Bad Boy]

Ok Guys I am very Familiar with Running Shallow Water I have a Prodrive & a Airboat. I am Interested in Putting Together a Tunnel but Dont Know a Whole Lot about them. I have a 3 Cylinder 60 Mariner with Tiller & Small Foot. I am Thinking a 18 X 42 Southfork Would Run Pretty Good. I Raced Drag Boats so I have Experience in Setting up a Boat For Speed such as Props & Jackplates. Please give Me yalls Honest Opinions of What Size Hull would Run the Best & Fastest. Also How much am I looking at Spending on a Hull Only. Thanks.

[Hydro]

Welcome to the site !

Plenty of tunnel hull x-perts around here that will be commenting on your question...

[Will"E"Fish]

Longer the hull the more power u can use. I new the land manager years ago for Miami that ran a 20' 48'' bottom with tunnel and up and down rapid jack 11'' offset with a unlimited Merc mod vp (Way over200hp).Had sum way managed to get 200 hp calon on it. Had to move steering about 5 foot off the front of boat. Speed was unlimited.I'm sure that this way more than u want but if I wanted one; the longer will plane out much quicker and manuver better also. Ice runner would be a must for many reasons: help with turning at high speeds and protect the bottom sum what. Good luck they can be alot fun . Diffently invest in a good push pole.

[Montauk17]

You are on the right track going with the southfork. They build the best factory tunnel on the market. If you can get away with it do not use a jack plate. Tunnels run the best with the lower unit close to the tunnel. If you do have to run a jack plate to get the motor height correct stay with a 4" setback. For a prop I would go with a powertech sw3. It is made for tunnels,has the gumbo cup already casted into the prop. They make it in a 4 blade too but in my experience they are too heavy and loose holeshot. http://www.ptprop.com/index.php?page...mart&Itemid=46

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Will"E"Fish

Longer the hull the more power u can use. I new the land manager years ago for Miami that ran a 20' 48'' bottom with tunnel and up and down rapid jack 11'' offset with a unlimited Merc mod vp (Way over200hp).Had sum way managed to get 200 hp calon on it. Had to move steering about 5 foot off the front of boat. Speed was unlimited.I'm sure that this way more than u want but if I wanted one; the longer will plane out much quicker and manuver better also. Ice runner would be a must for many reasons: help with turning at high speeds and protect the bottom sum what. Good luck they can be alot fun . Diffently invest in a good push pole.

Him and his son both had big azzed motors. Together they had over 1000 gator tags. Them boats looked funny with them big motors on the back. Tiller driven 150's.

I wouldn't go with less than 18 ft with a tunnel hull. Shorter boats will give more squat on take off, dragging bottom in shallow water.

[Montauk17]

My podna just rebuilt a 1756 jon boat added a tunnel,new transom with 6" c channel,and front and rear decks. Put a 200 carb merc on it....crazy fast. It literally has instant holeshot,we got it up to 55 at 5,000 rpms with a 26 pitch 4 blade. The whole boat started tail hopping with throttle left. Gunna be a bad azz marsh boat. Wish I had some before pics this thing was bad off.

[Raymond]

Go with a 20x42, better preformance than 18x42.
Figure $4,500 with factory floor and .100 material.

[scott craft]

There is a nice 20x42 alweld tunnel with a 50 tohatsu on setexas.com for 7000. Boat motor and trailer are 2009 models.

Sent from my Windows7 Phone using Board Express

[Montauk17]

Alweld is a nice boat.....but there tunnels don't run worth a crap

[Hydro]

Originally Posted by Montauk17

You are on the right track going with the southfork. They build the best factory tunnel on the market. If you can get away with it do not use a jack plate. Tunnels run the best with the lower unit close to the tunnel. If you do have to run a jack plate to get the motor height correct stay with a 4" setback. For a prop I would go with a powertech sw3. It is made for tunnels,has the gumbo cup already casted into the prop. They make it in a 4 blade too but in my experience they are too heavy and loose holeshot. http://www.ptprop.com/index.php?page...mart&Itemid=46

I have the SWC4 and the boat meets all my expectations, it jumps on plane and will NOT cavitate no matter how hard you try and am jacked way up ... That said, I would like to try a 3 blade out for giggles...

[scott craft]

Originally Posted by Deadly D

I have a 1842 SF w/tunnel and a 40 merc juiced up a little and it runs great. Buddy of mine has the same boat with a 90 tiller and that boat is a beast. He can get out the hole better than I can

Can you put a gas tank behind the rear seat? I looked at one a few years ago and it seemed like a gas tank wouldn't fit behind the seat due to the transom bracing.

[Montauk17]

Maybe a 6 gal....anything bigger mount it upfront by the deck. Better weight distribution anyway. Speaking of that,how does that 90 sit on the back? I got a 75 3cyl I would like to put on a tunnel. Was he able to mount it on the transom or had to use a jack plate to get it right?

[Montauk17]

Originally Posted by Deadly D

He put it all the way up and has it bolted to the transom, no jack plate. I had a jack plate on mine and never was happy, went to transom and it will go where it would with the jack plate and also pump water when you would tie it up and leave the motor running and get out the boat

Yeah mounting it on the transom is the way to go. Been wanting to get a marsh rig,got the motor for it now just gotta get a tiller for it. Think I might go a lil wider like a 1848.

[Bad Boy]

Thanks for the Input Guys I was Thinking 20 x 42 also Beacause I have a 20 x 40 Crawfish Skiff with Prodrive That hauls a Load Well. Keep the Comments Coming. Hey Ray this is your Relief Nice Hang Out Yall Have Here.

[CajunChristian]

Originally Posted by Montauk17

Alweld is a nice boat.....but there tunnels don't run worth a crap

They do much beter if you vent them. I run an 1844 alweld with a 3 cylinder, 45ci, 4 stroke merc, it is adequate. The water pump is a beast.

D

[Shawn Braquet]

On the southfork tunnel, i cut out the side on my rear seat and slide the gas tank underneath it, its a 6 gal

[Bad Boy]

Putting The Gas Tank in the Back seems Like it would Hurt Holeshot but Help Top End. I sthis Correct?

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Bad Boy

Putting The Gas Tank in the Back seems Like it would Hurt Holeshot but Help Top End. I sthis Correct?

Not if ya only weigh a buck-5 like braqet. Tunnels r all about balance - weight distribution. Get it right and they'll run like a spotted azz ape. My gaz is front left, battery rear right, have to balance ice chest and riders but it will get easier the longer you drive it.

[Bad Boy]

Please Post Pics of your Tunnel Hull Setups I need Ideas. Thanks.

[davidkyle323]

mine