Excessive Spray from Boat?

[shepherd]

I have a 1990 ProStar 190 with Powerslot. This boat sends out a lot of spray at pretty much all skiing speeds. It doesn't really bother me much except when I'm skiing into a good headwind, but a guy I ski with who skis shortline (32 - 35 off) is getting blinded by the spray. Obviously, he always wants to ski behind his PS 205.

A guy I know has an '89 PS 190, basically same hull but no Powerslot. He says he doesn't have this problem. I'll take his word - I haven't seen it run yet.

My questions are: Any of you with the same or similar boat have this problem? Could the Powerslot be the difference? (I wouldn't think so since I'd expect it to be a hull geometry - not propeller/transmission - issue).

[erkoehler]

By any chance do you have alot of weight in the bow?

[ski_king]

The choppier the water, the more the spray (at least for the older boats). You need to compare both under the same conditions.

[PendO]

Dumb question ... are you running with your back seat in?

[shepherd]

By any chance do you have alot of weight in the bow?
Nope, practically nothing up there.

The choppier the water, the more the spray (at least for the older boats). You need to compare both under the same conditions.
It happens on glass too, just not as bad like you said.

Dumb question ... are you running with your back seat in?
Not dumb... No back seat

[Kevin 89MC]

I have an '89 PS 190 with 1:1 as stated below. I spend most of my time at 15 & 22 off. The only time I've had spray is in a pretty good headwind. Last night I free skied at 28 off, 34 mph, calm evening, absolutely no spray. Haven't tried 32 off or shorter, but I've heard these hulls will spray you pretty good at shorter line lengths. Just from being behind mine vs. a '99 PS 190, I can tell the '99 controls spray much better. I think I notice more spray at shorter speeds (30 & 32), and if there's more weight in the boat. I'd get the 2 side by side and compare draft, wake size, etc to see if there is a problem with yours. Any pics? I'll offer an armchair comparison to mine.
Good luck.

[shepherd]

This is probably the best pic I have handy. It shows the spray coming off the right side of the boat. Like I said, not a problem with long line like in the pic, but shortline is a problem (so I'm told :rolleyes: ) Don't have any shots from outside the boat yet, but if you saw it coming down the lake from a distance, you'd see the spray long before you could see the boat :(

[shepherd]

This is a zoomed shot, so it kind of exaggerates the spray...

[Kevin 89MC]

Hmmm, that does seem excessive. However the wake looks very similar to mine, so it doesn't seem like you're carrying excessive weght. I'll try to remember to pay more attention next time I ski behnd mine.

[erkoehler]

Could it be the placement of people in the boat???? sorry, just guessing.....

[shepherd]

Nope. These shots were taken with driver and observer/cameragirl. But we usually ski without an observer -- same problem.

[BrianM]

That vintage boat has spray no matter if it is a slot or not. Once you get shorter than 32 off it is definitely a factor 22 and 28 can be depending on the wind. Just the nature of the beast. Has a great wake besides the spray though soft as butter.

[pilot02]

Even the 93 Stars and Stripes I ski behind has spray at that length and it does definitely get worse in a headwind.

[shepherd]

Well, this guy (shortliner) has a PS 205 - 1993 model I think - and spray isn't a problem. I really haven't noticed a difference in the wake either - at best, his wake may be only slightly larger than behind my PS190.

[pilot02]

Thinking about this, there is a possibility of a difference based on the prop design (pointed versus rounded tail end of the blades) but I don't think the slot would make a dif. My mind's foggy at the moment but one of the props actually provides more lift than the other and could be driving the bow of the boat down further in the water.

[#47of100TeamMC]

Growing up my folks had an '86 Ski Supreme the spray off the side of that thing was UN-real. I'd say even more than it looks from your picture. We ended up putting power trim tabs on the back of it. Our intention was to stop the boat from bouncing at high speeds since the wooden stringers were rotten and would flex (at least that's what we were told was the problem for the bouncing) Once we installed those tabs the bouncing stopped and we noticed as a side benefit the spray wasn't NEAR as much as before. A BIG difference in our instance. It sure flattened out the wake at slalom speeds too! it was kind of fun to play around with, we could adjust them independently so we could really adjust the attitude in the water. Kind of like the MTS system available on the prostar.

So in short... you could look at some trim tabs as a possible option to counter the spray issue.

[rodltg2]

i'm sure the spray you have is normal.. what about those bolt on winglets like they use on the 98's ? would those help maybe?

[PendO]

You may just have hard water ... add a few bags or rock salt and you are good to go!

[Bruce Carr]

Are the circa 81 through 86 S&S hulls the same as the 1990 PS190 hull? I know the decks changed a couple of times but did the hull stay the same?

[rodltg2]

Are the circa 81 through 86 S&S hulls the same as the 1990 PS190 hull? I know the decks changed a couple of times but did the hull stay the same?

no expert, what i would say no

[east tx skier]

87--90 are the same hull, but not the same as 86 if I recall correctly. After that, as the 190 goes, 91--94, 95--97, 98--2000, 2001--2002, 2002 PT--Present.

In the 205, 92--95, 96--2000 (with deck and interior changes along the way).

[jeverett]

If I recall in 91 when the hull got beamier they added the spray relief pockets because of customer feed back. It did help a lot!

[east tx skier]

It may have been the 93 PT hull that had a further spray mod (in addition to the standard relief pockets) on the hull. I've heard them described, but never seen them up close. Essentially, if I remember correctly, it was a glassed on piece around the relief pocket that knocked the spray down as it came out. I've asked on a couple of ocassions if anyone here has done a spray relief mod to their 91--94 hulls, but never gotten an affirmative answer (just other interested owners).

By 95 (190) spray issues were pretty much a nullity.

As you can see, in the early 90s, it basically went straight up (like Firefox), but not enough to bother most long line skiers absent a headwind.

[rodltg2]

i just dont know how you can ski that mess! :D

[east tx skier]

i just dont know how you can ski that mess! :D

Somehow, I manage in spite of the huge smile on my face. :D

[Bruce Carr]

87--90 are the same hull, but not the same as 86 if I recall correctly. After that, as the 190 goes, 91--94, 95--97, 98--2000, 2001--2002, 2002 PT--Present.

In the 205, 92--95, 96--2000 (with deck and interior changes along the way).

I have an '83 S&S and have compared the hull to other boats up to '89. The shape of the chines and overall width of the transom appears to be the same. Somewhere in those years (later than '84 for sure) on the Power Slot models, MC filled in the "slot" just aft of the rudder which among other things probably adds a little hook to the hull forcing the bow down and lifting the stern. This probably reduced the wake height and for sure cleaned up the turbulence in the table. It "may" have affected the spray, I don't know.

All that said, my purpose in asking the question is this: My '83 has very little spray at 35 off. It does have two hull non standard modifications that surely affect the spray. The aft most 5 feet of the chines (edge where the side of the hull meets the bottom of the hull) has been built up about 1/8- 3/16" and that edge has been made considerably sharper than the stock hull. The additonal material added to the chine actually makes the edges turn downward somewhat. Also, the aft 3" or so of the bottom of the hull where it meets the transom has been built up about 1/4" forming a hook similiar the the mods done on much newer boats. It might be worth while to look into modifying the '90 hull to sharpen the chines in order to reduce spray. I am not sure adding any "hook" to the hull is a good idea as I think the '90 hull has the "slot" filled in. Just some thoughts for discussion.

[east tx skier]

Interesting stuff, Bruce. You got any pictures of your mods?

[Bruce Carr]

Interesting stuff, Bruce. You got any pictures of your mods?

I will take some pictures. By the way, these mods originated at the the MC factory. This boat was used to pull the '82 nationals.

[bbeach]

I have a 90 190 1.1 and do notice the spray at 28 off and shorter... But I just stay outside the wake before the pull out and its not a problem (wait what wake!)... Tell your buddy to pull up his skirt and just ski! haha! Make sure the boat is weighted evenly... If I have a heavy driver and not much gear to level the boat out it can vary on the spray...

[east tx skier]

I will take some pictures. By the way, these mods originated at the the MC factory. This boat was used to pull the '82 nationals.

That was my next question. I'm still curious what they did to the 93 PT boat. Not that I ever get short enough to need this mod, but just interesting to read about.

[Lance]

I have an 87 with powerslot and going into the wind is a problem at 22 off and suspect at anything shorter than that it is a problem with or without wind. My brother has an 89 (same hull) w/o powerslot and same deal. Jeverett has it right in that sometime in the early 90s they specifically put in spray relief cutouts in the aft of the hull on outsides which according to Waterski Magazine's annual boat issue made a huge difference. Seemed like a pretty simple concept and one I wish they had put in the 87 for those windy days.

I guess that is one advantage to not being a slalom god... no spray in the older boats ;)

[bradamerry]

I've had an 87' 190 w/slot and now a 94' 205... 205 has about 1/3 of the spray the 87' does. Period.