Hooking Hopper

[GRand]

I have a HTB 290 with a CMB green head and have tried numerous setups but end up with close to the same result. The boat has a really good attitude at speed and enters the turns fairly well, but at #2 & 5 it starts to drift out (from lane 1 to 5 by the time its on the straight), but if i back out of it .........hook. i tried engine height, prop, angle, cg and turned down the servo throw. any input would be appreciated. sorry about the long post.

 

[Charley Howarth]

What lower unit are you running? If it's a Lawless, you may need to trim the skeg a bit.

Charley

 

[Grimracer]

GRand

Here are a few things to look at.

Prop: Are you running a 1440? If so this is commin on this hull. To help the hooking Try a X prop.

Servo: How much power does it have. If it does not have at least 100 oz in then you need more power. Also are you running it on 6 volts to the servo? If not then you might want to do so.

Lastly: Is the boat straight. Sounds like a dumb question but Hoppers boats are glass and glass can warp. Check the sponson bottoms (backs) to see if they touch you setup board at the same time. You may also want to look for any hook on the bottom of the sponsons. Place a straight edge on the bottom of the sponsons and if you can see light (Big gap) between the edge and the bottom of the sponsons you may want to blueprint the bottoms.

Stick with it..

Grimracer

 

[GRand]

Charley: trimmed 1/4" off the lawless....no noticable difference in handling.

Grim: tried x440, x440/3, x640, x442, x438........havent tried 6.0v but i cant move the servo (120oz JR) or motor with my hand when giving it input............how far forward on the sponsons should i true? to the first step or farther? what is your procedure for blueprinting the bottom as i think this is probably where my problem is?

thanx for the help guys!

 

[Charley Howarth]

We chased a hooking HTB 360 forever. After talking with Mark Hopper, he suggested using a K&B Lower unit. He also had problems with the Lawless hooking on his hull. Try to get in touch with him as I believe he figured it out but stuck with a K&B.

Charley

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Here's some of the setups on my HTB 290/CMB 21 Greenhead LS:

1. Balance is 9 1/2" from transom

2. Prop is X640 cut to 37mm diameter

3. Prop is 1/4" above the bottom of sponsons

4. Servo is Futaba 9303

5. Lower unit is K&B

6. Running weight is 6.5 lbs

I have never had a problem with this boat hooking, but I've always run it with a K&B lower unit.

It would be possible to glue some plywood to the bottom of the "stumble blocks" so they are nearer the bottom of the sponsons.

Jerry Dunlap

 

[dale brobst]

My friends all bought hopper boats two ran great one did not he sanded and trued the bottom still no luck he called Mr hopper and did every thing he said to do but no luck, He even sent the boat back to him and Mr hopperlooked it over,he just got a bad hull and was out 300$ bucks.

 

[htbboats]

If you are using a Lawless unit that is probally your trouble. I tried one myself and only when I had fresh batteries did it do ok. I had about the same problems, hook on 2/3 or 5/6 bouys. I went to 6 volts and it did better until thay again got week. I changed back over to a K/B and all of the trouble was gone. The best way to go here is to fit you motor on a 7.5 foot. Then you will have NO flex shaft troubles. I can fix one up for you, I'd need your pto to complete the job.

Mark HTB BOATS

 

[billr]

I had a hooking problem and trimmed my Lawless down A LOT! I cut more than a 1/4 in off, more like 1/4 to 1/2

inch. The other thin I had to work out was that the boat, when hooking was concerned, was real sensative to the depth of the foot. The slightest bit to high and it would hook. I am talking 1/8 to 1/16 to high. I worked it out with the weighting and the angle, but it ran great after that.

Billy R.

 

[[email protected]]

Billy,

It's too bad you have such a hook. I've always seen those boats with really bad hopping where they bounce so much you always have to back off the throttle.

My suggestion to you is put a ruler on the bottom to make sure it is flat. If it's warped either sand it until it's flat and even, or take some thin plywood and cut it so it's flush to the bottom of both sponsons and glue it on. This will give you flat, even bottoms and will improve the boats performance.

 

[billr]

Well I do not have a hooking problem or hopping problem. I was just telling how I fixed my hooking. The HTB(hopper) has never "hopped" or bounced down the course. Now, my Dumas Hot Shot Sprint..... ****! It is hopping like a jack rabit on fire!! I trued the sponson like you said maybe a year ago. It helped, but the biggest problem I had that was causing the hoping was the relationship between the weight and angle of the foot. Once I figured it out, it stopped.

Billy R.

 

[Precision Boats]

We run two HTB 260 tunnels one with a stock SS an one with a Rossi .21 an Lawless lower unit. We had this same problem on the mod. boat in the turns. We cut a good 5/8" off the skeg on the Lawless an the problem went away. Give it a try.

Tim

PB Racing

 

[TOM MOORE]

HELLO GUYS

MARKS RIGHT ON THE 7.5 FOOT I RUN THE 260 290 AND THE 360 A 21 ENG ON A K-B 7.5 FOOT IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO MUCH BETTER HANDLING AND FLEX SHAFTS LAST FOREVER. TRY A X442 AND TAKE ABOUT ALL THE TONGUE OFF THE PROP BACKCUT IT A LITTLE SHARPEN AND BALANCE AND HOLD ON. HOPE THIS HELPS JUST MY TWO CENTS

TOM.