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Mini Vee Race Boat Plans
Page Five-A
Fixing the Turn

What I Learned Later

V-bottom race boats typically have a slight "hook" at the transom -- not at the pad, but farther outboard. This part of the bottom is pressed down against the water in a turn, and the hook pushes the bow down to help control the boat.

I added this wedge to the port-side bottom of my Mini Vee to simulate this effect. Although at first I did not think it worked, I am now convinced that this is the key to the Mini Vee's turning performance. I need only trim down enough to bring down the bow, then aggressively make my turn, at wide open throttle.

This wedge is 12 inches wide, 16 inches long, and 5/8 inch thick at the transom.

Since I only applied this fix to the port side, it is only in effect in a left turn. I am still unable to execute a controlled right turn, even at full negative trim.

HOWEVER, I bring all this up at this point to suggest another way to go about this "fix."

Before applying the bottom plywood, add a pair of wedges to the framework -- one to the transom, and the other to the sheer clamp. This will create a drooping corner which should serve the same purpose as the wide wedges I added to the bottom of my boat.

Make the wedges with a concave surface so that the bottom plywood will smoothly transition into the regular framing.

Both wedges should be about 3/4 inch thick at the thick end, maybe even a little bit more. Make the transom wedge 12 inches long, the other 16-18 inches long.

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