Top Gun Changes thru the years and ??'s

That's right Tank :cheers2:

One boat that I remember showing a HUGE difference in performance, was Pudges Top Gun. I'm pretty sure that thing ran like close to 80mph with 500's, with the bagged hull? PM owned the boat as well, and could tell us.

I know RWD was one of the first bagged boats too. 99 Top Gun 1000 Pfaffs and 6's. Ran like a raped ape!!!
 

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Top Guns were originally designed to run TRS/speedmaster drives, both of which obviously use a transmission. When Bravo's came out, the initial transfer didn't work as well, because without the transmission, the boat porposed quite a bit.

Props weren't where they are today, so the problem wasn't easily corrected in the following years without having to do a fairly significant amount of re-rigging.

These days you can prop those boats to eliminate much of the imbalance, without having to do a major refit. The years that SOME BOATS had imbalance issues, were typically 1993-1996. I had a girlfriend that had a 1995 Top Gun with bravos', 500's, and was the worst running Cigarette I've driven. Another friend bought a 96, that had 600's & Bravo's, which had its' share of balance issues as well.

These are just two examples, which does not mean that there weren't great boats built during those years. The main thing to pay attention to, are the years that the Bravo drive was simply rigged to a TRS balanced Top Gun.

Interesting... I noticed the same thing on my buddy's TG.... We ran the ocean in some 4-5's, about 1.5 hrs each way... He drove down, I drove back... For some reason I just couldn't find a comfortable trim setting at cruise speed... It porpoised if out too much and plowed if in too much... The solution, mash the sticks forward and run 70 mph....

Anyway, I was pretty beat up from that trip so when we got back to the dock I turned to my father and said; "Let's take the Apache out and see what it does."

I was shocked when my Apache rode better than the Cig.... My father has been out of boating for a good 15 years and even he noticed the difference...

thanks for the info!
 
Interesting Thread....

I just purchased a 2000 TS Top Gun/ Cover girl cabin. I have 500's to drop in slightly bumped up to about 550hp. Bravo drives and Stellings boxes. Can you guys tell me what I should expect handling and speed wise? My first Cig

Thx
 
Interesting Thread....

I just purchased a 2000 TS Top Gun/ Cover girl cabin. I have 500's to drop in slightly bumped up to about 550hp. Bravo drives and Stellings boxes. Can you guys tell me what I should expect handling and speed wise? My first Cig

Thx

Which boat did you buy?
 
Straight bottom until 2000, then six single step boats in 2000 and then the 1st T/S was in 2000

2001+ are all T/S
 
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2001+ are all T/S


Actually, there was one straight bottom 2002 custom built by Cig . Its a 575/ ITS full cabin boat with enclosed head!! Its for sale for $159K.
 

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