Harry Krause wrote in message
news:1101130176.uzrdBXuEidsC/CCUbMhMLQ@teranews...

When, exactly, is a boat on plane and how can you tell, precisely, when
this happens?

It certainly is easy enough to tell in small boat, but it's not always
so easy to tell on a larger one. My Parker, for example, breaks onto
plane at around 17-19 mph, but seems to remain on plane down to about 13
mph...in that the bow is still raised a bit, the wake still is fairly
flat, and if there is any chop, the spray is tossed off in the usual
manner. But that exact moment of being on or off plane seems difficult
to determine...


I don't know what the exact definition of being on plane is. In my mind,
it's when the boat speed is sufficient to "climb" up and over the bow wake
and the hull section that meets the water shifts significantly aft. I'd be
interested in other, more accurate definitions. On my boats, it's more of a
"feel" thing.

Eisboch