on my sprintcat 42 the engine had to be moved rearward 3 inches taking CG from 34% to 32% which gained me 5mph. The fuel cell was moved rearward and a small amount of ballast added to the rear bringing me to 31%. currently the boat runs 67mph with a 26cc zenoah.
what happens with nose weight is corner bogging. you have to give it so much positive trim and strut height that when cornering the nose drops very hard and it plows in the water.
it is very easy to both add weight to the nose and bring the nose down with strut setup. cats are highly sensitive to setup. 1% can make a large difference.
heres a few examples I used for my build off my hard drive to give an idea of weigh distribution. note how far rearward the engines and radio box are mounted.
View attachment 323458
View attachment 323461
View attachment 323460
View attachment 323466
View attachment 323467