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ZT 330 power ???

J

jetmech

New member
Hi Guys ... I am new to this site and thinking about purchasing a 98 ZT 330.
I want to swap out my 600 plus hp engines from my current boat to the 330.How will this hull handle ? I called the CheckMate factory today ... nice people but ... no real help . I currently have a 26 Wellcraft ST with twin 600's runs 91.6 gps ... a true drivers boat . Would like to not have this with larger hull. I realize set-up is key to handling .
How will the 330 perform?Chine walk ?

thanks

Bob
 
jetmech said:
Hi Guys ... I am new to this site and thinking about purchasing a 98 ZT 330.
I want to swap out my 600 plus hp engines from my current boat to the 330.How will this hull handle ? I called the CheckMate factory today ... nice people but ... no real help . I currently have a 26 Wellcraft ST with twin 600's runs 91.6 gps ... a true drivers boat . Would like to not have this with larger hull. I realize set-up is key to handling .
How will the 330 perform?Chine walk ?

thanks

Bob
Click to expand...

Its not a problem being you are already running 1200 hp in a 26 foot boat
 
I think the boat will handle better no doubt, speed wise..the checkmate hull is faster size for size, but with added weight ?
 
CONTACT Kunkles Marine. They have alot of experience setting up big Checkmates with Big power. I think the boat will handle the hp just fine. Checkmate built quite a few with twin HP 500's/Bravos. The Hp 500's were 470 hp each.
 
Thanks for the info ... I looked at the boat today ... single step with several smaller steps on the strakes. Also appears to have a pad. The boats got 330's or 310 efi engines .The lifting strakes run full length.I don't think the current power would be able to run on the pad. Very interesting. If you could get the boat on the pad it should be fast with my engines.
Anyone know what speeds the boat runs with the hp 500's?

My 26 Nova ST is glued to the water and chine walks badly ... still runs 90. 6500 lbs ... the 330 is 7000 lbs ... has to be faster hull !Time will tell...


Bob
 
Hey Jetmech!!!!

The 330 will handle those engine just fine!!! Did you talk to Mike Combs at the factory? If not, he is hte man to talk too!


If you call Kunkles, talk to Jason. If you saw that little Mate i just picked up this past fall, Jason is who I got it from. They are good people.

Bill (Shameless)

Thanks again for the props last year!!!!
 
jetmech said:
Thanks for the info ... I looked at the boat today ... single step with several smaller steps on the strakes. Also appears to have a pad. The boats got 330's or 310 efi engines .The lifting strakes run full length.I don't think the current power would be able to run on the pad. Very interesting. If you could get the boat on the pad it should be fast with my engines.
Anyone know what speeds the boat runs with the hp 500's?

My 26 Nova ST is glued to the water and chine walks badly ... still runs 90. 6500 lbs ... the 330 is 7000 lbs ... has to be faster hull !Time will tell...


Bob
Click to expand...

This is news to me, I didnt know the checkmates had any boats with steps
 
ammaddon said:
This is news to me, I didnt know the checkmates had any boats with steps
Click to expand...

Easy cowboy the ZT does have a step.

1998-04.jpg
 
Yes, the ZT's have steps. They are very small steps in the scheme of things..Checkmate stayed very conservative with their step boats. Even the 21' Starflite has small steps!!....long before step boats became the rage!!
 
ammaddon said:
No, I didn't mean it like you were BSing, I am by far an expert all things Checkmate. I really didnt know Checkmates had anything with a true step.....I learn something new everyday
Click to expand...

:thumb:Don't beat yourself up - I've had a Checkmate since '74 and didn't know either. The '89 I have doesn't have any steps, but a deeper v than the '74. Anybody have a link to any hull history/designs/comparisons? It would be an interesting read...
 
ammaddon said:
No, I didn't mean it like you were BSing, I am by far an expert all things Checkmate. I really didnt know Checkmates had anything with a true step.....I learn something new everyday
Click to expand...

No worrys ,
I don't know much about the Checkmate boat line ... just trying to pick some brains on this site.My current boat is over powered ... you can't hold it pinned for much more than a couple seconds before it starts dancing on the transom. Tabs help but not much before killing bow lif
It would be nice to really let em eat for a mile or so ... to see what they could do.

Ammaddon ,
I think we crossed paths last summer ... we were heading to still pond and you were just leaving. Red & white 25 or 26 ???
 
Shameless said:
Hey Jetmech!!!!

The 330 will handle those engine just fine!!! Did you talk to Mike Combs at the factory? If not, he is hte man to talk too!


If you call Kunkles, talk to Jason. If you saw that little Mate i just picked up this past fall, Jason is who I got it from. They are good people.

Bill (Shameless)

Thanks again for the props last year!!!!
Click to expand...

Heck Bill ,
Thanks for buying them ... glad they worked for ya.
 
jetmech said:
No worrys ,
I don't know much about the Checkmate boat line ... just trying to pick some brains on this site.My current boat is over powered ... you can't hold it pinned for much more than a couple seconds before it starts dancing on the transom. Tabs help but not much before killing bow lif
It would be nice to really let em eat for a mile or so ... to see what they could do.

Ammaddon ,
I think we crossed paths last summer ... we were heading to still pond and you were just leaving. Red & white 25 or 26 ???
Click to expand...
Yess sir, that's me. I had to leave cause my son went to the ER back in PA. You'll see more of me this year...
 
removed the step on the 2000 model???

Well I missed the online bid on the 98 zt 330 . Now I have an eye on a 2000 model. Checkmate removed the step in the hull. Why ? was there a handling problem? Lawsuit? I did notice a placard warning the driver about high speed turns over 55 mph.

Any thoughts ???
 
That placard goes in all of them.

Not sure why they changed the bottom, I can see where they did it in the mold. Talk to Mike out there he should be able to tell you.
 
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