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Thanks for the update- looks like its doing VERY well for its 1st outing!! Im sure a little fine tuning, trying few props, probably 2in spacers like ya mentioned and you'll have her set up perfect for your needs! Id put money on you loving a 4blade, im sure the acceleration and extra bow lift(maybe stern lift too?) would be much improved...

The yami drag(PP copy 3blade 26") props have run and handled amazingly on every boat I've tried them on, though they were a bit lighter hulls-- but im thinking the 4blade yami drag copy should do well, like the 4blade powertech 26" I have now(it really ran and handled great on the vector copy I've got though only had an old 2.0liter for power and never strung it out all out), but I've always enjoyed the acceleration more then going for every last MPH (im getting older too, Lol).. The old 3blade precision propeller 26" drag copy hit mid teens gps but 0 to 100mph completely pinned to the seat was the best part, esp as it was my all around everyday setup..

Sorry for the book-- I LOVE the pics, cant wait to see more and hear about any other props ya try and just anything Virage related!!! If I get mine done enough to take it for a test run i don't care if its 10°f out- ill be dropping it in the water! !!
Again, your "last" Virage looks amazing and since im out by St Louis maybe I can make it to a get together this year so we can run them side by side! Great job, sure looks like all your hard work really paid off big time! !!

[ Post made via Android ]

Check out this guys Virage in Sweden catching some SICK hangtime. View My Video

Bring on this summer. Good read. Can't wait for some cruizen

[ Post made via iPhone ]

alaskastreamin wrote:Check out this guys Virage in Sweden catching some SICK hangtime. View My Video

That Virage driver's an idiot. He's piloting a boat, not a SeaDoo. Completely reckless.

alaskastreamin wrote:Check out this guys Virage in Sweden catching some SICK hangtime. View My Video

Stupid TinyPic... I can't view videos on that site in my phone. Why can't people just use YouTube for videos already. LoL That works on every platform. TinyPic relys on Java and nobody really uses that anymore. Oh well... Haha

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Kevin,... Just for you...

https://youtu.be/sZuQslj9T3Y

alaskastreamin wrote:Kevin,... Just for you...

Dang! That looks like it was a rough ride. Wasn't you was it?

[ Post made via Android ]

Nope. The wake we hit felt like the first jump in the video.

Well it's been 11 months and we have been thru quite a lot since the last outing.

Oct 15 2016 while running in Minnesota on the "frost your nuts off run", we hit a freak ripple at the wrong angle and spun out at 90 mph. The bow came up, and when it landed , stuck and the stern came out, swapped ends and stopped!!

The GPS speedo was stopped at 87 mph!!

My wife came out of her seat and ended up between the steering wheel and the shifter. She got to spend 9 days in the Mayo clinic with a broke scapula (took out the steering wheel and bent the sea star pro helm 1" shaft), broke 8 ribs (5 ribs had multiple breaks) and punctured a lung.

I broke 3 ribs and my fibula (small bone in right calf). The motor was diagonal on the transom, Jack plate was twisted, Drivers seat mangled, crack in the bow at waterline, and the inner side panel was split. The race trim ram was ripped apart as well.

WE kept this accident pretty quiet as it wasn't one of my prouder moments in life.

We WERE wearing our life jackets and the kill switch was attached. You can see where the kill switch was mounted in the side panel right where the split went.
This is what killed the motor and turned off the fuel pump.








After our 24 hr drive back, I had a couple weeks to start putting the boat back together. Caprice couldn't fly for a month and I had tons of sick leave to attend to her while she was healing up at our Washington place.

I was hobbling around in a "boot" to keep my leg stable unrigging the boat.

I took the seat out and made a new frame (Thank goodness I made templates). Ran over to the upholster and had it repaired.

The motor was pulled and put on a stand. I looked it over very carefully and other than the ram, there was no damage. I had picked up a new ram while in Minnesota so that was replaced.

First thing was to run a jig saw thru the split to remove the splinters and get the panel aligned back.. The split went from the floor to the top of the windscreen then along that edge towards the stern 24".

I ground and glassed the backside then beveled out the front side and glassed that up.




The crack in the bow was right where the foam core ended. This created a weak transition area. This was ground down until no further fractures were seen then glassed up.




After all was ground smooth, I spread some microballoon putty.







A little gelcoat , and polish and it was like it never happened.



Waiting on the new steering wheel. Had a new shaft put in the helm.

Here's the hull repaired..



And the side of the wind screen



11 months later and 3 visits to the property, finally got the jack plate repaired and the boat back together for some late summer running.