Excel Volaire 390 build thread

[jeffstevens763@g]

re; bags cheers, yep the seats, found that out nearly went A over T when it shot off the end might make a bit of hdpe with the same slot but small so it misaligned when pushed and locks.

[Fenlander]

Really interesting to see PD. You certainly have produced a fully sorted outfit on day one, it often takes months and several initial runs to get to that stage.

Be interesting to hear more of how you find it handles and it's performance when the engine is run in. I get the impression that floor shape should produce some good speeds. What pitch prop did the Suzuki come with?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by GuyC

Very nice.

Are your beaching wheels on the right way round?

Mine cant under the hull and therefore don't come into the boat too far when raised.

I tried them both ways, if I have them the other way around so they cant under the hull, they rub the hull. I mounted them as low as they can go, the Volaire has a gusset at the bottom of the transom to reduce splashing, this limits how low you can mount the wheels. I've set them off the transom on some plastic blocks, to give as much clearance as I can get. I'll take a photo tomorrow when I wash her off.
I was worried that the wheels would stick too far into the boat & foul the engine when underway, but it's fine.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Really interesting to see PD. You certainly have produced a fully sorted outfit on day one, it often takes months and several initial runs to get to that stage.

Be interesting to hear more of how you find it handles and it's performance when the engine is run in. I get the impression that floor shape should produce some good speeds. What pitch prop did the Suzuki come with?

We managed to get the first 2 hours on the clock yesterday, so we opened the throttle fully for a few seconds. Managed 18.5kn. I won't know what the WOT was until I plug the laptop in tomorrow. It was an odd experience initially with the tiller steer until we got used to it. It's very lively & we had a couple of "go kart" moments. High speed turns tend to be side slides rather than the "on rails" turns that we get with the RIB, good fun though. I found that if you give it full throttle in a tight turn, the prop let go & ventilated, I had to come off the throttle & let the prop grip. I tried a couple of trim positions & I'm now on hole 3, the lowest being hole1. I don't know how this compares with the norm. It looked to me as if the engine could come up an inch, I'll make a spacer to try for next time out.
The supplied prop is a 12" which feels ok to me, it certainly didn't feel overpropped. I'm after another one as a spare if anyone has one lying about.
The sounder lost it completely at anything other than tickover speed, so that's work in progress, I think it need the transducer raising.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

re; bags cheers, yep the seats, found that out nearly went A over T when it shot off the end might make a bit of hdpe with the same slot but small so it misaligned when pushed and locks.

I'd thought about punching a couple of holes in the web of the seat rail, between the bead & the tube & sticking a bolt & dome head in to act as a stop.


Or maybe something like this
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/rivet...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

[jeffstevens763@g]

Ive been looking at this today I want to keep the ability to move the seat where I want so I'm thinking of cutting a hole and slot in some round HDPE but at an angle so when the seat presses on the end it tries to go straight but the angle locks it up, no holes needed and it's adjustable well that's the thinking will let you know.
What diameter is your prop?

[Fenlander]

PD mentioned a 12" prop Jeff. That Volaire hull must be efficient as even an 11" fitted to my Suzuki 20hp was too much on the Aerotec (two adults and one or two light teens) so I went down to a 10" which suited us.

Must admit I've not had any 15/20hp motor on a SIB that would cope with full throttle on a tight turn without ventilating. Side slides are often the norm for a SIB and other Volaire users have said they are perhaps extra prone... no problem if you know.

[jeffstevens763@g]

It's just I have a 101/4 x 12 in the shed I wasn't sure of the 20 hp diameter

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

It's just I have a 101/4 x 12 in the shed I wasn't sure of the 20 hp diameter

I’ll check tomorrow [emoji106]

[jeffstevens763@g]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rovtop-Clip...B53Y6BBFBYFVKJ
What do you think could work with a bit of fercaling for seat stops and got other uses

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rovtop-Clip...B53Y6BBFBYFVKJ
What do you think could work with a bit of fercaling for seat stops and got other uses

They look promising and useful, good find[emoji106]

[jwalker]

Well, firstly, there's obviously a bit of gurnard in you!

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

We managed to get the first 2 hours on the clock yesterday, so we opened the throttle fully for a few seconds. Managed 18.5kn.

That sounds OK for a first go!

the prop let go & ventilated, I had to come off the throttle & let the prop grip. ..... It looked to me as if the engine could come up an inch, I'll make a spacer to try for next time out.

Won't that make it worse?


If you needed to drop the revs and speed right down before the prop would regain grip it's a prop design/characteristic issue. You might need to get out the hammer to improve it.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jwalker

Well, firstly, there's obviously a bit of gurnard in you!







That sounds OK for a first go!

Won't that make it worse?





If you needed to drop the revs and speed right down before the prop would regain grip it's a prop design/characteristic issue. You might need to get out the hammer to improve it.

Aye, in theory raising the engine would make the ventilation worse, but it sounds as if that’s a characteristic of the hull, regardless of engine height. It only does it in extreme turns at full chat, & is very predictable (thankfully). Underway, in normal operation, the engine looked a bit deep & was throwing some spray up. I can knock a spacer up for nowt & give it a whirl.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Aye, in theory raising the engine would make the ventilation worse, but it sounds as if that’s a characteristic of the hull, regardless of engine height. It only does it in extreme turns at full chat, & is very predictable (thankfully). Underway, in normal operation, the engine looked a bit deep & was throwing some spray up. I can knock a spacer up for nowt & give it a whirl.

dave i know its a different boat but i had to lift mine 40mm then it still is 10 mm low and i'm third hole out to get it vertical , you will get ventilation on extreme turns just the nature of the hull.

i made a seat stopper [ rough] out of hdpe it's hard to pull the seat back but the oily nature of HDPE on PVC helps it slip that said if your sat on the seat the stopper will be at a different height so harder to move, you could put a grub screw in i suppose i'm going to try a rubber door stopper see what thats like same principle.

[GuyC]

Would putting a couple of hooks with with some shock cord stretched over the seat put enough of a wobble in the bolt rope to hold the seat captive?

[jeffstevens763@g]

sorted two bungee stops [PVC] drilled out to suit bead dia single wood saw cut lengthwise, flat screwdriver to open the cut up push and slide on the bead. when you put weight on the seat it dips to prevent slide if you want it permanent a spot of PVC glue will hold them in place. ive just put them aft end

[Pikey Dave]

Like it[emoji106]

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

It's just I have a 101/4 x 12 in the shed I wasn't sure of the 20 hp diameter

Mine’s a 9 1/4 x12 Jeff.
Had the engine plugged into the laptop today, the Suzuki diagnostics aren’t as detailed as the Evinrude. The Evinrude shows graphs of all the RPM ranges, the Suzuki just says x minutes between y&z rpm. I’m showing 8 minutes between 5000-6000 rpm which would correspond to the couple of “blips” that we gave her at the end of the initial run in period. So we’re in the right field, 2 adults, fuel, picnic, anchor etc.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Mine’s a 9 1/4 x12 Jeff.
Had the engine plugged into the laptop today, the Suzuki diagnostics aren’t as detailed as the Evinrude. The Evinrude shows graphs of all the RPM ranges, the Suzuki just says x minutes between y&z rpm. I’m showing 8 minutes between 5000-6000 rpm which would correspond to the couple of “blips” that we gave her at the end of the initial run in period. So we’re in the right field, 2 adults, fuel, picnic, anchor etc.

you need a tach then really but my prop at 10 1/4 gives you equivalent to 2 inches of pitch more theoretically but an inch on diameter is too much for clearance IMO its here to try if required

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

you need a tach then really but my prop at 10 1/4 gives you equivalent to 2 inches of pitch more theoretically but an inch on diameter is too much for clearance IMO its here to try if required

Cheers. There’s about 3/4” clearance between the tip of the prop blade & the underside of the AV plate, so a 10 1/4 might just fit, depends on the splines. I might pick up a tiny tach just until I get here tuned in.