Planning plank on hulls

[krazyfisher]

can anyone let me know the advantages and disadvantages to having a hull with a planning plank in regards to ride handling just generally anything you can tell me I have found this on a few boats that I have looked at (southwind, goodwin, galeforce, etc) any info would help thanks

[Big_Kev]

I think that it is mainly a ski boat thing, allowing the hull to plane quicker and staying up at a lower speed. But I could be wrong .
Reel Hard

[Ron_Collins]

Hi Krazyfisher

I'm no boatbuilding guru, but I do know that the right planing plank has several very good characteristics.

It enables you to come "out of the hole" on take-off without the bow rising alarmingly; It allows you to plane at a very low speed; It assists stability at rest; It improves ride when underway; and as a consequence fuel consumption should be better.

They are the main things that I've noticed. In my opinion, Cruise Craft currently has built very good planing planks into their boats. Therefore I recommend you speak personally with Kevin Nichols at the Cruise Craft factory for more "technical" advice on how and why planing planks work, and which work best etc.

Feel free to mention that I said to phone. Try 07 3390 4967. Ron Collins.

Disclosure
Kevin and I have been friends for more than 30 years. I have driven some new Cruise Craft models in very rugged offshore trials in a bid to establish their limits. BNB Fishing receives paid advertising from Cruise Craft and sister business Wynnum Marine. The views expressed in this report are my own. RC.

[Heath]

Planing planks basically work like this. More surface area at the rear of the craft = shallower draft & planing on slower speeds.

My mate owns a 580 Haines & it has a planing plank, fairly impressive with a 130 honda on the back. When I test drove a Cruise Craft 600 Explorer it popped straight up on the plane from the hole shot & also managed to hold the plane doing 2500 rpm in ordinary conditions.
In test driving some boats with out a planing plank, they continually fell off the plane at low speed & you had to give it a bit of a squirt to get it back up.