Are Checkmate Exciters slooooow??? Jallen!

[jallen355]

The exiter will not crack if you walk on the bow.

Haha. No kidding. It also makes for a good bay boat, ocassionaly. I would have taken my shoes off, but we got on a very unexpected bite and I went instantly into "fish mode".

 

[Vandalizer]

Here's what's interesting. He said he's replaced the stator and trigger- fine, sounds great. That's when he told me that he was pushing the XR2 to 7000 rpm cruising at 70 with its 28p prop. Feel free to check this yourself, but a 28p@7000 would put you somewhere around 85mph after slip. So is the stator screwed up, or possibly the wrong part was used and the setting on the tach should have been changed? Weird.

Anyone have a response to this? I thought I read that the XR2's had a recommended redline at 6200. Since he says 70 was 7k and he's been to 80, either something's going on or this is the best motor ever made.

 

[jallen355]

From everything I've ever read/heard about a 2.0 liter, it could live at 7K and more. With oil injection...wouldn't risk it. Pre-mix 40:1 or better (which I do). Not with the stock "attenuator" (air box)...gotta breath. Not with the stock pulsed fuel pump...wouldn't risk it. I would think it would take some exhaust chest/port work to reach 8K and still be pulling. I think he's f.o.s.

 

[83PREDICTOR]

Anyone have a response to this? I thought I read that the XR2's had a recommended redline at 6200. Since he says 70 was 7k and he's been to 80, either something's going on or this is the best motor ever made.

I used to run mine around 6800rpm for a while but then I got a bigger prop. This guy might be giving you water speedo numbers rather then gps numbers. Most engines can spin higher then the reco rpms

 

[TheNerd]

I have read/heard horror stories of the bottoms tearing off those old Streams at speed, even some of the not so old streams. There was one on S&F boat was mint, rotten core, bottom came off at speed. I would be VERY carefull, but thats my opinion.

 

[JW]

This is one of my top 10 favorite boats on the board. LOVE the colors and condition!!

 

[Vandalizer]

This was the first time I've seen it, and MAN does that thing shine!

Is there a fundamental difference in the construction of a Checkmate vs Hydrostream? Or does delaminating refer to layers of glass that start separating?

 

[JW]

Checkmate's were always built heavier with more layers of glass and more time taken during lay-up. Checkmates were also built with a certain 'style', more of a family sport boat.
Hydrostreams were built lighter, and with an aerodynamic style, all in the interest of better top speed. An equivalent model of Hydrostream will be faster with the same motor, but because of the lower quality build, won't last as long.

This does NOT include the 'new' Hydrostreams built in the last few years. Still fast, build quality probably better, time will tell.

 

[Vandalizer]

I just read through a long thread on S&F comparing Checks to Streams, and I'm less certain about what to do. There seems to be a strong consensus that in moderate chop, the Streams are something to worry about. I'm not normally in alot of chop, except for Fathers Day which was really busy. When I was running alone back to the dock, I jumped one large wake, must have had the entire boat out of the water, and slammed into the second. I should have run hard through them, but the dock was a little close. Anyway- it was bone jarring, yet the Enticer came away unscathed. I want to be able to run easily in the mid 60's, but I don't want to have to drive it like it's made of glass. Ideally I'd find a Check that'll ride better in the 60s than my Enticer (prob 17' or 18'?) and has a 175 and a hydraulic jackplate- but I can't fine one!

I think I'll go check this Viking out and THOROUGHLY go through it's transom and hull condition. If that and the engine compression checks out ok, I'll throw an offer down.

 

[ndaniels]

Man, I should have been working less and lurking around here more! I love my slow Exciter.
I don't believe that they are slow at all... for what it is. Mine rides really nice at speed, but I have upgraded to hyd steering and have an 8" manual plate. Easy boat to balance- if you ask me. I just got the correct thrust washer for my 28p rakerII and solid mounts for the jonny, so I should be able to post better numbers pretty soon (need to make a drive up the the Maumee river). The 77.6 was with a worked 25p renegade prop and rubber mounts on St. Mary's lake. I know it couldn't have been that bad, because my mom was riding onboard and she didn't complain.
Mine handles rough stuff pretty good- just ask Needafunboat. He saw it on a pretty rough day on Grand Lake St. Mary's...

Either way you go, sounds like you're looking at fun boats!
Good luck!

 

[ndaniels]

Also with the 8" plate and dual cable steering the best I could do with a strong merc 2.4L 175 was 66.5 on gps. I know there was a bit more left in her with bigger setback, but I had plans on going to a bigger mota.

 

[Vandalizer]

The Exciter I'm looking at has an '85 high performance 235 w/ a V8 lower- any comments on that. It was supposedly rebuilt last season. The only thing I've heard about them is their nickname - two THIRSTY five.

 

[Vandalizer]

The compression on the 'two thirsty five' is 110-112 across the board. Does that sound right for something that's just been completely rebuilt?

I'm not familiar with Rudes, but I would expect a Merc to be right at 120 or so.

 

[Water Bug]

If a 3 liter Rude is above 110 she is good to go.. Thats what it should be

 

[Vandalizer]

But is that what you would expect on a motor that was just rebuilt?

 

[Mark]

As mentioned Hydrostreams are faster than Checkmates because of the light glass layup. A Viking is probably 500 pounds light than an Exciter.
Some had so little resin that you could see through the hull. Water seeps through the glass and into the wood where it rots the stringers and core and is at risk of seperating. Still, they have a cult-like following and many guys rebuild them and from the hull up. They are not quite as fast then because it adds weight but they last longer. Here's a good post on a rebuild. http://www.hydrostream.org/ArticleArchives/DWR's Hydrostream part 2.pdf

 

[Vandalizer]

Well, I did go and check out the Viking but I'm certainly not buying it. As far as I could tell, there isn't any delamination yet, but there were two cracks on the bottom right edge of the transom where you could actually see into a black material, not sure what it is. That, and the jackplate was S L O W! Probably took 5 or 6 seconds to move an inch. Once I saw that I didn't even want to take a ride, and told the guy I wasn't interested at any price. He was a bit surprised, but oh well. So back to the continuing MATE search!

I would still love to hear any comments on the rude 235 Exciter combo! It is unknown whether the finish is gel or paint - is there a simple way to figure this out?

 

[84checkafterburner]

Hey buddy Im new to this board dont know any these guys however I do know one thing I have an 84 exciter boat it is original never been redone not even interior its not perfect but in very good shape all the way around it has stood up real good and I get compliments everywhere I go with it. I talked with chris costello from this board as he emailed me and reconized the boat as once being his and owned it for 10yrs after selling it in year 2000 and said it look as good as when he owned it. He was able to point out some details about the boat which were very helpful. Anyways he claimes when the 200 merc was fresh they could get 83 to 84mph out of it consistancly sounds high to me? however I do know that my buddy has a 84 hydrostream voyager 20' with same 87 200 2.4L merc and I go by him at 74mph on his gps so being in a smaller and lighter lighter boat it has to be faster his pad is alot wider and my exciter has a pad just not as wide.The vkings are nice but Checkmate up here in Canada has always been known as one of the best built boats. Buy the checkmate you wont be dissapointed with it especially with a 235 on the back of it. Goodluck

 

[83PREDICTOR]

The Exciter with the built 235 sound s like a very fun ride but whats the deal with the V8 gear case? Most guys want the smaller V6 gear case on there v8's to create less drag and go faster.

 

[Mark]

Hey buddy Im new to this board dont know any these guys however I do know one thing I have an 84 exciter boat it is original never been redone not even interior its not perfect but in very good shape all the way around it has stood up real good and I get compliments everywhere I go with it.

The boat in your avatar is an Enticer. An Enticer and Exciter are two different boat. The Exciter is 2' longer.