The hatch gives you more time to react if you dunk it. Helps if your running with other boats from their wash the boat is so narrow of hatch opening that carb ends up kind of tucked inside good anyways even without hatch on carb is protected pretty good. .

For flat out running even Andy will tell u it's faster with 3\4 flat top I run 26 with a hatch and. 30.5 with 3\4 flat top
you will not see huge difference either way with hatch - to me hatch just looks better and sleeker. Will see slight diff with flat top.

Fastest runs with come flat top and getting boat to "ride the tabs". - hanging the prop back bit with HOR drive or M&D (or expended mono strut blade - 6" rudder bracket & long tabs). Best all round playing with come from shorter drive like Speed master or Mono std strut and 5" rudder bracket - long tabs

I run single set tabs (narrow and 2 3\4" long) (I tried 5 sets now)
A 5" Rudder bracket with std straight blade is less twitchy than 6" long bracket
I run short R turn fin only. (I don't have need for lots left turns). (Think I tried 6 or 7)
My turn fin on both boats are made from thin very sharp cut down knife blades (Andy's idea)

Strut or Stinger both work well your choice
Boat is sensitive to side to side balance and very sharp props must be used

Loves calm water with a dust of ripples

Great fun "pocket rocket.

Randy

The 20cc boat has my surface drive and rudder on it, it puts the prop in the same basic location as the M&D and the rudder is 6" back. The "new" boat was already drilled for speedmaster so I'm considering plugging and redrilling.

Both our hulls are set up identical with the prop back 4" and the Speed Master 6" straight rudder, being 5 1/2" back. The blades are shortened 1/2". The handling is perfect at any speed.

Is it possible to run the speedmaster drive with square drive? How do you grease the cable with out taking the drive off the transom?
My drive its simple ,loosen the pinch bolt and put out the bearing cartridge.

I don't care for stinger drives. We use one bolt struts. Peter's uses round, and mine square drive; no difference at all.

Have any video ? Maybe something where its running on water with another boat

Randy

I've never used struts, always surface drives and always mine.If I could make the speedmaster work with square drive I'd try it but it doesn't look like it will work.
I use a collet on the engine and square ferrule on the prop shaft , no chance of losing prop and I get cables dirt cheap.