How did the Pro 7 do that? Cupped Planing Strakes™ That’s How!
The Pro 7 tracked perfectly straight, came out of the water effortlessly, and didn’t produce the slightest tendency to want to slide even during aggressive high speed cornering.
The exclusive “Cupped Planing Stakes” are a big reason why.
Duckworth Pro 7 Cupped Planing Strakes™
A strake is part of the hull of a boat which, in conjunction with the chine, keel and bottom surface, provides essential lift, keeps the boat tracking properly on plane, troll or anchor, and prevents sliding in turns. The Pro 7 has 3 matching pairs of strakes running longitudinally along the vessel’s bottom.
Unlike most aluminum boat builders that simply weld on a stock piece of angled aluminum in the shape of an “L”, Duckworth Cupped Planing Strakes™ are solid, custom extrusions with a special “cupped” radius on the outward side. The “cups” create ‘hydrodynamic’ or water-lift (lift due to forces on and reactions with, the water surface). They act as a tracking channel for the water to be forced smoothly downwards and back towards the aft of the vessel. Compared to the flat angle of most common strakes, the “cupped” design produces greater lift and less drag. The additional benefit of being a solid extrusion aids greatly in hull rigidity and overall impact strength. You’re not to flatten out one of these strakes should they mistakenly find a rock. Additionally, they don’t fill with water like typical hollow strakes, carrying excess weight as the boat is trying to get up on step.
Next up, a long debate over the pros and cons of transom heights.