Can a SAN flip over?

[simplysanj]

Hey guys,

Here's a serious safety question/comment, I swapped my prop this weekend (SAN TE Big block Python) to an 856. Whoah, what a difference. It's like a different boat, much much much better.

However: when giving it a whirl, at relativly high speed (40MPH+) on a glassy huge wide open lake, a couple of S-turns caused the rudder to lift out of the water (I think) and the boat bounced violently around at 35+ degrees and started to increase it's lean each bounce. Scary as **** to say the least, I eased off but I was almost sure that the boat was going to roll over (as everybody screamed).

First off, never again am I going to do that, second, be careful after you change your prop and third, I am very happy that I didn' put a bunch of people in the hospital/morgue (including myself).

Some people told me that these boats never roll, I am not so sure. It wasn't even a complete power turn, just kind of tight.

Safety first, learn from my mistake.

Best,
Sanj

[OldFart]

RE: Can a SAN flip over?

Sanj, it can happen to a car, truck, etc.. & they aren't even balanced on a "keel" (especially with weight uneven side 2 side & front 2 back. OF

[bkhallpass]

You can roll anything if you try hard enough (the titanic went
down don't you know 8-) ).

Still, I'm surprised by the reaction you describe. How heavy was
your load? Were the ballast full? Without ballast, my SAN has never
done anything like you describe, and I put it through some pretty
heavy turns.

BKH

[NautiqueJeff]

A similar situation prompted the discussion below. This might give some further insight into the issue.

http://www.planetnautique.com/index....highlight=flip

[jwhposon]

Not too long ago I posted something very similar. It was all stock, san 04 with ballast, however they were all empty. It only did it on a left turn, was that the same with you? As I was turning it at a relatively low speed it just seemed to keep going, then when I put it full left it bounced (sortof) or most likely felt like the prop/fins came out of the water. As I darn near browned my shorts I backed off the throttle and pulled out of the turn. It would not do it to the right, only to the left. I had a total of 300 or less pounds on the left side, none in the bow. I was pulling a tuber, young kid at very low speeds. Needless to say I was very scared and have tried it when I was alone. It did not go over - I am still here - smile - but it goes closer than I like, more importantly I don't consider this ability "cool" nor is it a performance expectation in my book. I love my boat about 90%, there are two-three things that make no engineering sense to me - but that's pretty good in my book - smile. I don't have an answer, just a similar experience and I am keeping up on all the responses here.

[simplysanj]

You can roll anything if you try hard enough (the titanic went
down don't you know 8-) ).

Still, I'm surprised by the reaction you describe. How heavy was
your load? Were the ballast full? Without ballast, my SAN has never
done anything like you describe, and I put it through some pretty
heavy turns.

BKH

The boat had empty ballasts but the big block python weights more so it sits a little lower, there are about an extra 300lbs of sandbags evenly distributed in the back hatches. There was myself (165 lbs) and another heavy fellow (190+) on the starboard side and two ladies (250 lbs combined) on the port side. I am pretty sure that I swung the turn starboard side and the dude in back slid to the port side and all **** broke loose as the boat started bouncing and leaning. I almost bounced out of the seat, that would have been bad.

There was some seriously violent bouncing going on and the turn radius wasn't huge.

With the old prop, I did some much more extreme turns with bumpier water at what I think was full speed with people hanging on sideways in mid air, nothing like that ever happened.


I googled "flipped ski nautique" and I found one link

http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/sh...ad.php?p=18076

that mentions a flipped nautique during a power turn.

"At one of the pro tournaments 2 yrs ago they flipped a Ski Nautique doing one."[/url]

[simplysanj]

Not too long ago I posted something very similar. It was all stock, san 04 with ballast, however they were all empty. It only did it on a left turn, was that the same with you?

I am pretty sure that I was turning right actually but not positive, I'm just picturing the passengers squished up against the left side and not being able to see over the edge on that side.

After thinking about the physics, I realized a couple of things:

- turning S's made the boat pick up momentum and bank deeper each time
- I gave some gas during the apex of the turn just before it bounced, the old prop would have bogged down a lot more, this one bit in and did what it was supposed to do
- I usually keep the center tank full for stability and this time it was empty so while accelerating, the skegs might have lifted

I think the skegs lifted and the boat leaned enough for the rudder to break traction.

It isn't impossible that I hit my own rollers but I don't think that that was the case.

(still sick thinking about it..)

[redelf75]

This is somewhat on the side...

My brother, who is used to his '82 2001, was driving my 216 with Abundiga in the observer's seat and his friend in left rear seat. The friend, adult male, had just come out of the water and was dripping wet as was the whole seat. When my brother's hat flew off, he suddenly pulled a left handed u-turn at around 30mph. Abundiga watched this guy, totally cought off guard, slide across the rear seat, hit the gunwale and topple out of the boat!

He was unharmed and everyone thought it was hilarious. But obviously, these are very powerfull machines and need to driven with respect.

And here's the funny part. My brother immediately went to check on his friend and when he said he was ok, my brother left him there in the water to go get the hat! :???:

[OldFart]

sanj, a python PLUS 300# AND 100 more #s on one side vs the other; THEN the other dude goes port side. Wow! tracking fins &/or rudder could have come out of the water. & maybe the bottom is "searching" for stability. The bouncing, weight disproportionate, & weight shifting = trouble. A problem doesn't sound surprising. OF