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Starflite top speeds

Jim
I think its a sign of old age when you start repeating yourself. I think its a sign of old age when you start repeating yourself.
 
That 87.1 MPH Starflite would probably gain a few mph if it werent pink
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Mark,
I had a 1987 Starflight and I put a new (1991) Merc 200 on it.

Setback: only a 5.5" CMC hyd plate

Porpshaft Height: approx. 2" was about best

Props: 24 Turbo and 26 Chopper were the two best. I don't think we had any Trophys or others around back then. Lots of Turbos, merc quicksilver props and cleavers.

Top speeds: Can't remeber exact numbers, but I did GPS it. I had a friend with a GPS (back then he paid about $600 for it!). I use to see mid to high 60's (64-68) consistantly with either of those 2 props. The 24 turbo actually performed better then the chopper, but I remember the chopper being faster.

PS: Let me know when you get the ski pole.

-Craig
 
Craig
Your numbers look just about right with what most guys are getting with that hull. More setback seems to carry the bow a little better and picks up a couple of MPH. Say, thanks again for changing our mind on selling the ski bar. It arrived in Minn. yesterday along with the hardware from Swivl-eze, so I'll be picking it up next week when I'm down there. Looks like I'm good to go.
 
1988 starflite 2 men and a cooler, 6" setback on a hydraulic jackplate, Merc bridgeport 2.4 EFI 240 hp, 22p quicksilver prop, top speed was 68 mph on GPS in some heavy chop at 6800 RPM, on calm water I can't get the hull to loosen up enough to break 65. Also at 68 and in heavy chop it is extremely difficult to drive because I have it trimmed so high, needless to say it needs more setback.
 
Have a 1986 starflight with 85 johnson V8. CMC 6" manual jackplate, nosecone, 29 mazco re-3. The hull was custom built by checkmate with an extremely light lay-up. It has a transom from a 25'mate so it can withstand 300hp. Hull was factory blueprinted. The motor has reeds and some exhaust work. With the exhaust plate removed (very loud) it was gunned at 92MPH with one person 1/4 tank etc. When setup was dialed in was even a little faster. I believe the Kunkel boat had similar specs. With 4 people it runs mid 80s
 
Originally posted by Hoser:
Have a 1986 starflight with 85 johnson V8. CMC 6" manual jackplate, nosecone, 29 mazco re-3. The hull was custom built by checkmate with an extremely light lay-up. It has a transom from a 25'mate so it can withstand 300hp. Hull was factory blueprinted. The motor has reeds and some exhaust work. With the exhaust plate removed (very loud) it was gunned at 92MPH with one person 1/4 tank etc. When setup was dialed in was even a little faster. I believe the Kunkel boat had similar specs. With 4 people it runs mid 80s
Click to expand...
Sounds like you may have the fastest sportfire around!
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SWEET, but I'm still claiming FASTEST "stock" Starflight...
>Stock 1992 regular "production hull" all stock and fully loaded (all interior), full gear on board (jackets, fire ext., anchor, ropes, paddle, stereo system, oil tank, battery, ski pole, cover, etc.).
>Stock 10" CMC hyd plate
>Stock 1999 production 300 Merc Promax...
>Stock out of the box 28p Chopper II
REAL E-TREX GPS SPEED MAX OF 87.1mph...
No BS!... and a photo to prove it!!!
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Wow 92 mph in a starflite, I can only dream! How does the boat handle at those speeds? Mine feels very stable at 67 mph, at least compared to other boats I have been in.
 
The Starflight as you know is a modified V bottom with NO PAD... It runs great until about the mid 70's, then you better know how to drive!

I set mine up and balanced the weight as best I could (location of battery, trim pump, oil tank) and I stowed all my gear either in the floor (low center of gravity) or under the rear seat.

It took some time to find the sweet spot for combo of motor height and the prop I ran. At 87.1 think of it as "driving on a balance beam"... FUN, but not the safest thing to do!

I think I could have broken 90mph if I had a chance to run that custom 5-blade before I sold it... probably even faster if I removed some of the weight! Jim.
 
I wish Wildman Randy would have spent more time dialing in his Pulsare 2100/300x rig. It seems he ran it a couple of times and pulled the motor to put on one of his Liberator Cats. I think with time he could have truely exceeded 90mph in that boat......
 
jrumon said:
The Starflight as you know is a modified V bottom with NO PAD... It runs great until about the mid 70's, then you better know how to drive!

Just saw this post as a newbie to this site.
I can vouch for how hectic the starflite can get over 70 (mine is an 87 with 220 efi and chopper 26".) Add the wakes of the Hudson River and you have a situation only an experienced driver should be handling. I'm getting too old for this but I still love it!

.

It took some time to find the sweet spot for combo of motor height and the prop I ran. At 87.1 think of it as "driving on a balance beam"... FUN, but not the safest thing to do!

"driving on a balance beam"... that is a perfect description of the Starflite's handling charectoristcs at speed.
Click to expand...
 
I added extensions to mine, took it out to 13.25 inches off of the transom. The "point" of my CLE lower unit is about 1.5" below the bottom of the hull and I believe I can go up more, plently of water pressure. The extra set-back made a huge difference in the way the boat drives, much better, steers better, jumps up on plane much faster now and I can hit 65 no problem with very little trim. With my 2.4 BP hitting 7000 RPM's and the engine trimmed up way too high (threw about 100 foot rooster!) I can hit 67.5 with 3 people and a dog and the coolers and my tool box turning a 22p chopper. I have no doubt that once I lift the engine another inch and loose the toolbox and passengers I will hit the 70 mph mark.
 
Thats what others have said but I actually removed the dual cable it already had on it, it was terrible, steered like crap and it's much better now. I ran my other checkmate for the past 4 years on a single cable steering at 55mph in a much more dangerous boat without a single problem. I'd love to get hyrdaulic steering but it's just not practicle for the price, if i was going 100 mph i would be more worried but 65 is not that fast.
 
JRUMON-SWEET, but I'm still claiming FASTEST "stock" Starflight...
>Stock 1992 regular "production hull" all stock and fully loaded (all interior), full gear on board (jackets, fire ext., anchor, ropes, paddle, stereo system, oil tank, battery, ski pole, cover, etc.).
>Stock 10" CMC hyd plate
>Stock 1999 production 300 Merc Promax...
>Stock out of the box 28p Chopper II
REAL E-TREX GPS SPEED MAX OF 87.1mph...
No BS!... and a photo to prove it!!!
You say your Starflite is Stock but forgot you remove that wet form in the bow. That mean you just got bump to the mod group.:D Just kidding. You the man!
 
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