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I finally got to do some early stage testing of a DIY NSS-type system for my 200V today. Because it isn't available on the 200 (yet? ever?) there isn't much to go off of. I've read through Andrew's NSS thread a million times and spent time reading the other threads with less elaborate set ups to learn what I could from them. Before I get into any AutoCAD designs or laser cutting it seemed best to experiment with different shaped sliders. DFoster's system seemed like a good place to start but I didn't want to cut or drill the boat at all (at least not for the testing phase) and the 200 doesn't have the plastic spacer between the platform mounts and the hull like DFoster used. So here's what I came up with:
The bracket clamps on to the swim platform and the platform brace. The tracks in the backing plate allow me to change the sliding plates to test different shapes (once installed, they can only be in the extended position). I used 4 bolts with washers and wingnuts to hold the plates onto the bracket. You can see in the second photo how the washers fit into recesses so the wingnuts don't need to be very tight. This system worked really well and it was easy to change sliding plates on the lake. I plasti-dipped everything that might scratch the boat and used materials laying around the garage. So far I'd estimate I've spent about $20 total and most of that was on cutting boards to use for the sliding plates.
I tried 3 different plates today. They were all shaped off a simulated 22 degree sliding angle and a 2.25" actuator (taken from Andrew's thread since I had to start somewhere).
The biggest:
Medium:
And one that only extends sidewards:
I tested each plate with several ballast configurations and I have a few more in mind to try tomorrow. It seems to me the boat just doesn't have enough forward weight to make the NSS work perfectly. I was the only person in the boat and I only had about 60% fuel but the bow was too high. I do have about 400lbs of ballast in the ski locker so that helped even out my weight and bring the bow down a bit. The wake was much improved with the hydrogate forward in the slalom position but it was not very good with it in the steep position. I did get back out later with my wife so I could surf a bit and despite looking nice from the boat, the wave seems to have lost some push. The biggest plate and the sideward plate seemed to work the best but none of them are right yet. The sideward plate required off-center ballasting which somewhat defeats the point.
The conclusion from today is I need a lot more testing in this phase of the design. I'm still trying to get the weight distribution right and the shape of the plates obviously needs some refining. I plan on doing some more testing this weekend since it should be over 80 degrees outside.
I welcome all thoughts and ideas. Thanks for reading!
(I did get tons of photos of the waves today but they aren't very good. Here's one just for the sake of it though).
The bracket clamps on to the swim platform and the platform brace. The tracks in the backing plate allow me to change the sliding plates to test different shapes (once installed, they can only be in the extended position). I used 4 bolts with washers and wingnuts to hold the plates onto the bracket. You can see in the second photo how the washers fit into recesses so the wingnuts don't need to be very tight. This system worked really well and it was easy to change sliding plates on the lake. I plasti-dipped everything that might scratch the boat and used materials laying around the garage. So far I'd estimate I've spent about $20 total and most of that was on cutting boards to use for the sliding plates.
I tried 3 different plates today. They were all shaped off a simulated 22 degree sliding angle and a 2.25" actuator (taken from Andrew's thread since I had to start somewhere).
The biggest:
Medium:
And one that only extends sidewards:
I tested each plate with several ballast configurations and I have a few more in mind to try tomorrow. It seems to me the boat just doesn't have enough forward weight to make the NSS work perfectly. I was the only person in the boat and I only had about 60% fuel but the bow was too high. I do have about 400lbs of ballast in the ski locker so that helped even out my weight and bring the bow down a bit. The wake was much improved with the hydrogate forward in the slalom position but it was not very good with it in the steep position. I did get back out later with my wife so I could surf a bit and despite looking nice from the boat, the wave seems to have lost some push. The biggest plate and the sideward plate seemed to work the best but none of them are right yet. The sideward plate required off-center ballasting which somewhat defeats the point.
The conclusion from today is I need a lot more testing in this phase of the design. I'm still trying to get the weight distribution right and the shape of the plates obviously needs some refining. I plan on doing some more testing this weekend since it should be over 80 degrees outside.
I welcome all thoughts and ideas. Thanks for reading!
(I did get tons of photos of the waves today but they aren't very good. Here's one just for the sake of it though).
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