350 dd

[airboatjosh]

i am building my first boat. i have a 350 with a little work done to it. not exactly sure what though. i have a 15 ft hull and some people tell me to run it direct drive and others say reduction unit. will this hull run dry ground without a reduction unit? im stuck between a rock and a hard spot.not sure what to do. please help. thanks

[yobee]

Get a gearbox. End of story. Night and day difference! (For the record... I got a box and prop for sale ) I highly doubt you can do more than spin around the edge of the bank on that big of a hull DD. JMO

[br,lc,LA]

reduction.... gear or belt... i would not run a 350DD unless I didnt have the $2-3K for the reduction.... put the motor in the power curve it was designed to run in.... you will be really limited on power running direct drive and also you will put a lot of stress on the engine all together...

go reduction and thank everyone when you are running the hill at half throttle...

[JAMES]

IF ITS A STRIGHT WATER BOAT DD IS GREAT IF U WANT TO RUN GROUND AND HAVE A LOAD IN IT GEAR REDUCTION 15 FT IS STILL KINDA BIG FOR A SB GEAR REDUCT JMO .
IF YOUR FUNDS ARE LOW RUN WHAT YA HAVE UNTIL U GET WHAT U WANT

[harley]

If you have the $$$ go with a GEARBOX for sure.. 15ft hull is to much boat for a 350dd motor....

[scoobie]

built my first boat dd 388 strocker dd with dd if you dont want to be stock stay in the water reduction all the way or just buy a defferent boat

[Lonewolf9029]

Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard spot--thats where you'll be if you don't go gearbox or belt. DD just won't let the motor reach it's torque/hsp producing curves at 3000R's. You'll catch on soon, the SA boys will line you out like they did me. Don

[SWAMPCRACKER]

I would suggest that if you want to stay with a dd setup on the hull you have I would try and sell the 350 and try and find a gm 500 out of a caddy. That would be the only dd setup on a hull that big that I would run and if you set it up fairly light and have the right prop you should be able to run a little dry ground with that setup.Now if you want to run ground with the 350 s/b and you have it loaded down then definately think about a gear reduction unit even if you stayed with the 350 s/b the gearbox and the right prop pitched right will help you out alot more and check to see if there is any polymer or any other type of slick bottom on the hull if there is and if its old replace whatever it is with a fresh product and you should be in the clear

[airboatjosh]

thanks everyone looks like im gonna get a gearbox. now my question is which is the best and what ratio should i get?

[yobee]

Search "dantheairboatman" or Stinger gear drives. You want to talk to that man if you got the money, he will set you up right... (or you can buy mine, save a couple bucks, and I can call Dan! ) ps. it's in the classifieds. lol.

[682gold]

IF ITS A STRIGHT WATER BOAT DD IS GREAT IF U WANT TO RUN GROUND AND HAVE A LOAD IN IT GEAR REDUCTION 15 FT IS STILL KINDA BIG FOR A SB GEAR REDUCT JMO .
IF YOUR FUNDS ARE LOW RUN WHAT YA HAVE UNTIL U GET WHAT U WANT

15ft. is kinda big for a SBC gear reducted boat? I beg to differ on that...

[Lonewolf9029]

682: I agree. Mine knows no boundaries. Not that it won't get stuck, they all do. Just that nothing has required much pedal with the 2.68 and 81" "R" 3 bld. I still haven't seen WOT since Allen with S&S became involved. Don