PARMENTIER123

I purchased a 90' 26 nova st w/stepped hull. I haven't seen many of these in the stepped hull version. Why 2 versions?.... I have twin 350 mags. the boat runs 64 all day. anyone have any info or experience on this boat. Any tricks or things to watch out for. thanks

Jnewton

If you're talking about a Wellcraft, I had a 1985 Nova II 26 foot with twin 350 Chevy small blocks.

It is an awesome hull. Mine ran with any 30+ foot boat in any water. Very heavy and excellent ride.

I just finally sold it in showroom condition to step into a 42 Fountain. There are still days when I miss the old girl!

JON

fund razor

The steps are for speed. I haven't seen a stepped Nova. Used to have a regular Nova.

I can only imagine that if they are like any other stepped hull, you want to be careful learning your limits of drive and tab trim. The biggest risk with a stepped hull is a spinout and hook caused by too tight of a turn at high speed. Maybe 64 isn't fast enough to be dangerous, but maybe it is.

Don't make any sharp turns at 64mph all trimmed out until you slowly learn the boat's handling characteristics.

Hydrocruiser

I always wondered why Wellcraft bothered with adding steps onto the Nova ST??

Whereas a 1990 Nova with steps and 350 mags will run 64mph... a non-stepped version with 21 pitch props would run 61 mph all day long. The design of the steps was not able to overcome the weight. It is 6,000 lb boat with fuel and a couple passengers. But that having been said the boat was a true 26'er.... by todays standards... a 30'er LOA. Even with a 23 degree dead-rise it could run in 3' chop all day long...it is a legendary boat as were the Scarabs.

PARMENTIER123

thanks for the reply. It is a nice handling boat when trimmed down. It sits low in the rear. when trimmed up , it has some yaw characteristics, but i also have stock steering. it planes fast , but feels loose when trimmed up. I wondered if they quit this design because of instability at high speeds. aneighbor has a 91' w/regular hull. hmmm........it is odd.....i'm running 23 pitch x 14dia 3 blade mirages. .....on a side note, i was told to keep it out of the water because it sat so low.....transom is 3/4 under water..........eversince this guy told me that i've been paranoid.........you think this overkill?......may sound like a dumb question, but if i keep in fresh water for a month at a time, would this create possible blisters or high moisture in transom.......i don't have a hoist, it stays on the trailor ...i put in a atke out every two weeks or so........

thanks for the info......i love the boat for an older one and runs with newer ones...

fund razor

Leaving that boat in the water could promote blisters because those hulls were laid up traditionally. (Non bagged, etc.) I have so many blisters on my 87 Stinger that I don't care. It's a cheap boat. Eventually if I keep it I will do a bottom job. It's already heavy and it doesn't matter.
But water in the transom would be due to infiltration of some kind. Bad transom assy seal, leaky boot that drips into transom in the cutout, etc. If water is not leaking into your boat at the transom, and you cover it and take care of it, in my opinion, just being in the water (if everything is ok) will not increase transom rot.

Find a buddy with a hydrometer and get some piece of mind.

PARMENTIER123

Don't mean to ask so many questions but, I do keep it dry as a bone when in the water. The only water that gets in is from rain when sitting if any... I shopvac that out. I have noticed after running for a day that i will have a little water in the bottom, but not much. .....could something be flexing to allow water in while running?...when i purchased the boat ..i had it surveyed with a thermographer. I showed some small areas of 20% moisture -only in a couple small patches, but the odd thing is that it was above the water line......around the bellows was fine. although percussion sounding with mallot was good..no blisters on transom and hull only had a few.....no stress cracks in transom.....Well, this worried me so i had a core taken from inside inbetween the drives, and it was at least solid. not black or wet I had the swim platform rebuilt, re-layed up and used balsa instead of the stock plywood. also , to be sure, i pulled all screws out and resealed them with silicone. I had to add supports to the new platform. when i drilled the holes in the lower corners of the transom near the chines, the wood was wet, the owner before me replaced the plug housing and mentioned to me, that i may want to keep out of water, but he seemed pretty anal,....the boat was always racked before me..........I'm aware that there is some moisture in the transom already, but like you said, its older and didn't cost too much.................Does transom wetness normally come from bilge or outside..........I 'm just trying not to add to the problem if i can and i'm carefull with it....don't beat it too bad......maybe i worry too much, .............what telltale signs should i look for before failure...god forbid.?.................people say that the wood was just something to lay-up to when building..is this true to some degree?...............any ways of drying out?..........before i start a novel..haha, isn't kind of common to have some moisture in transom.......i bought the problem, but how big of a problem could i make it do to lack of knowledge.....

I appreciate any input, knowledge, or history.......
thanks,
the worry wart

Hydrocruiser

I had a Nova ST for 10 years. I found it to plane very fast and run best with the drives out just a tad...it does get loose if you trim it way out...the back end is heavy...probably a good boat for a single 600HP engine.

Get a tie bar for the drives...and yes keep it out of the water...it is a layup that is known to be susceptible to blistering. Rack it or trailer it.

On the positive side...it runs great in everything up to about 4-maybe 5'ers. But then again I am a fair weather sailer.

If I go out in 4'+ it's in a 38 Gun.

PARMENTIER123

I've heard about the blistering prob with these wellcrafts. I typically put the boat in for about a week or 10 days, then take it out to dry..for about a week....in a perfect world i would drop it in on friday and take it out on sunday, but ther goes afterwork rides during the week...depending on michigan weather. you think these short periods of time will also add substantially to blistering or does the boat need to sit in water for long periods of time......i ask because i'm killing my truck and i don't have a hoist. i'm another broke boater trying to take best care i can.......

someday I hope to have a 38 top gun.....maybe after the lottery

thanks

Hydrocruiser

I think the 23' and 26' Nova were some of the best boats made in the 70's and 80's and they were reasonably priced..and did a solid 60-65 mpg on a 23 degree dead-rise heavy traditional V-hull.