Turbo

[BillyD]

Do you know if the current Skater 21 has a center pad or not? What do you think an honest top end is for that boat (lightly loaded with top-end prop) with a Merc 300X ProMax (supposedly about 325-330 HP)? What modifications were necessary to make the turbo work properly? I know that Bob Bergeron developed it at Land and Sea. Has anyone ever developed a belt-driven supercharger for an outboard? Might be next since we now have belt-driven Optimax injection systems. Would not need as much "plumbing" as a turbo. My first post. Looks like a good site. Thanks!

[Skater18Turbo]

Well its kinda a sleeper even with the goodys showing. In big water I get alot of V boats that think they have an edge, They soon learn how well a Skater works in rough water, even the baby one.
Yes its intercooled, that was the first thing I changed. Its in the land and sea housing but the exchanger is custom and much stronger than the original.
Whats it like driving your boat? I have visions of Hydrostreams and Alisons, lots of steering wheel action to stay on the pad. Am I even close? Other than some torque steer and a wiggle to get loose my boat is like driving a car.
Im afraid to even guess what mine weighs. Its alot more than yours.
Sounds like your going to redefine starting from scratch with the next boat. Is it going to be similar to the one you have now? Be careful during testing, its scary going were nobody has been before.
We are from Gun Lake Michigan, thats about 35 miles from the Skater factory in Douglas Michigan.
To BillyD,
All Skaters have a similar design now and don't have the center pod. They work great, the 24 with twins is over a 100 MPH, a 24 with tripples will get you close to 130 MPH.
I don't know much about the 21 and how much power it needs but I would be surprised if it didnt go at least close to 100 MPH. If your looking for a fast boat that can handle rough water, the Skater cant be beat.
I dont think a two stroke can be supercharged, A turbo increases both exhaust and intake pressure making the engine think its operating in a very dense atmosphere (like way below sea level) A supercharger would only increase intake pressure. But then again one of the first things I read about Turbos was they would'nt work on a two stroke, I'd like to give that guy a ride.
One last thing, I would love to have Scott and Dan as brothers but I was refering to there 24 Skaters being My 18's big brothers.
Hope everyone has a good holiday, Todd.

[BillyD]

Guess who is one of the people that said turbos would not work on a two-stroke?......Bob Bergeron who ultimately developed it!! I have an old letter from Bob where he says he does not think it would work because all of the pressure boost would go right out the exhaust (self-defeating cycle). A few years later, he came up with a way. It is my understanding that the Mercury Optimax system (as well as other direct injection systems)does its "direct injection" after the exhaust port is closed by the piston. With that approach, it seems a supercharger could be made to work. As a matter of fact, I have been told that direct injection is somewhat similar to a supercharger except that the pressure/volume combination of the air/fuel mixture is not enough to significantly boost horsepower over what a regular EFI or carb engine would develop. The benefit is, therefore, primarily environmental and better idle, not horsepower. Will be interesting to see what develops in the next few years since Mercury continues to pour quite a bit of money into developing new and better high performance engines. Still waiting for the new 225X ProMax that was put on hold. Should be a real nice engine.

[Skater18Turbo]

You might be onto something here. The bottom end of a 2 stroke is just an air pump. A good blower might be more efficient. But that project is for someone else.
So are you going to get a Skater? What do you have now?
Later, Todd.

[FCnLA]

Skater18Turbo,
Out of the hole, ya just point it straight and hang on. On top end (bottom's not straight) I turn it just a little, can get it up to the 6800's with a 26 pitch and it starts wiggling, solo. With two, it's like riding on a lazyboy. New boats same design but 20', two more added in the deck. Not much OB testing, but BFJ same type hull went over 148 mph in the liquid 1/4.
Boy was I off on the location. Thought I saw a lilly pad and the banks look like a lot around here. I need to get out (of state) more.
BillyD, I've heard of supercharged 2 strokes (turbo is a supercharger of sorts,just powered by expanding exhaust gasses instead of a belt). I'm not sure if was rotor type or centrifugal, but I heard they would run like hell but weren't reliable. Not to say you could not build a reliable one. I think I read it on the Scream and Fly message boards. If you like you can check their archives.
Happy Hollidays.

[Skater18Turbo]

FCnLA, we have lilly pads in michigan.
If you ever do get this way, plan to visit Hardy Pond. Its a great boating spot, one of the only places you can go as fast as you want without much fear of getting a ticket. (We have a state wide 55 mph speed limit in MI)
Today I heard OMC went out of buisiness. Hope that doesnt make getting parts harder.
Take care, Todd.