First test run of the Eyra Prototype w/ 250 SHO

[Basscat7]

Copied from Rick Pierce of Bass Cat Boats on testing the new Eyra:

Here is what you all want to know, in detail:

We did manage to run it again today. The winds were howling again and we slipped it into the back of a creek on Bull Shoals. We simulated 130 pounds for trolling batteries, used a 31 series AGM for the cranking battery, had just over half the water in the wells for weight and the fuel load started out at appx. 40 gallons. No real gear has been tossed in yet, though we were at 26 1/4" in engine height and we could have tweaked it up more. Though we quit with a schedule tightening and things closing in on our afternoon at after 1:00 PM.

Our little run in the creek was short and we were developing speed just as we had to get out of the throttle. The max speeds were right at the last couple of hundred yards and we really needed more room. Though the wind was not going to allow that in other areas of the lake. The gusts were still something to deal with in a lighter rig with this much lift. We never even got close to using more than half the trim range also so there is still a set up we have not found and we got cut short. Though we are done with this aspect of testing and we are derigged and back in the shop now.

I had a Yamaha tech rep with me on the ramp. The hull is very impressive! This particular technician has already logged well over 100 hours with an SHO engine. He ran the Puma FTD at the OEM and Dealer Conferences for the week there in TN and is very familiar with our product. The boat is really fun to drive and wedon't want to speak out of turn for him, though he was impressed, as are we. He was continually concerned as we kept raising the engine on this one, though the Eyra continued to have bite.

The boat is not the same as a Puma or Cougar hull. The acceleration to 75 range is very quick. Hole shot is not flat though it intended to generate acceleration and it does. The performance in the 72 to 78 range is very impressive. Plus we are no where near ready to rumble and the rig has more to gain. The engine only has 5 hours on it and we need to put some more time down.

Propeller wise we threw a lot of stuff at it from a turned the new ventless 27T, a Fury and a Tempest, to a Croxton and Lab Finished Mercs. The smallest wheel we ran was a turn up 26 Turbo turned into a 27 range. Ron and I started on Monday late with the Croxton Yamaha wheel and the Croxton was too low and we did not want to base this on the special wheel. So we switched to a 27 Fury, raised the engine over an inch and we twisted it in the 5700 to 5800 range and clicked off a windy 81.8 MPH pass. We tweaked it up some more and we twisted another pass at and engine height of 25 7/8" at 82.4. It is extremely impressive how easy the boat carries to upper 70's.

Fuel performance on the SHO with a GPH burn of around 12.9 to 14.2 GPH at 4500 or so RPM and 55 t0 60 MPH is very impressive. The hull is extremely fuel efficient light. On top end it was pulling just under 23 GPH with the throttle mashed. Overall very good! Hard to say what we would need with a load and gear, though this 29 Tempest might be a touch high. A very nice toy for those who like to play though.

The last solid passed we made were with a 29 Tempest at 5800 RPM and we clicked that pass off at just over 5800 at 83 (83.6 when I looked) and 22.98 GPH with the GPS still gaining ground as I ran out of room and looking was not a good idea there.

We don't really know what the full potential in this hull is, though we estimated it early on to be in the mid 80's possibly, and it seems to be right there. If one watches the set up, the weight and then tweaks the rig to max perf. you could top that, potentially event challenging the 250 Pro XS gear case limits. We are going to wait for warmer weather before we try that. Water temps are still in the mid 40's here.

Originally we termed this boat a bridge hull. Which meant it was intended to bridge many gaps from 200 to 250 "bass-boat" people and the gap from high performance boats to a throaty responsive fishing rig that caters to the "fast-boats" crowd. We never said it would kick in and outrun an A boat or a B boat, though other brands might find themselves looking at this one with a 200 and wondering whether or not it is a 200. And for those A and B boat guys that want a more conventional bass boat, it appeals on two fronts. The responsiveness is really good. The nose is not down like others and rides higher always and the trim range is impressive also.

Overall my opinion remains that it will make a really good boat with a 200 engine. And anything above that will be dependent on the driver. Will we have one ourselves, yes we will. Though we do not want anyone to think this will replace the ride of those 2009 and 2010 Puma and Cougar models we have now. They have been refined to a point in their ride and performance that we don't think others can compare to.

This one reminds me of those many Caracal models I ran myself in the 80's and 90's. It is very nimble. Though the ride is considerably better than one would think for a quick boat. If you want a really nice boat with some responsiveness, this might be worth looking at. If you want that Rolls Royce ride, the Jaguar and if you want the best overall the Puma FTD has to be the choice.

That is our take and we think we hit the mark for the Eyra as a bridge hull that this is intended to be. It is not a Puma or Cougar, though it is nice and extremely efficient.

Later,

Rick Pierce

Props we gave a serious shot this week:

27T Ventless Yamaha by Croxton
27 Fury
27T Factory Yamaha Ventless
29 Tempest
26 Turbo turned to a 27+
We ran out of time, and conditions were not satisfactory to do more.