Ive got the pix but they are on my old computer. If you have pix of yours post em up. I am intimately familiar with the bottom of my boat. Ill try to get the pics up tonight otherwise.
no noticeable change to handling. The mod is done to increase pump loading efficiency at high speeds.
Example:
Take a knife or spatula and hold it vertically under running water, notice how the water runs off in a sheet. Next hold the backside of a spoon under the water vertically, notice how the water follows the shape of the spoon.
The knife example is the delta pad, the spoon example is of the modified entry. Im not saying the delta pad wont work, my boat ran fine without it(before the big power came). The goal was to go as fast as possible with my power though. The spooned entry loads harder than the delta pad does. Perhaps a pump with a delta pad entry could be loaded as hard, but it would have more shoe & loader which would create drag and scrub speed and potentially cause ill handling.
Also, if you dont know who Jeff Bennett is, he is a long time jet racer and happens to be a Rocket Scientist for Boeing as a day job. He knows the Hondo Pantera hull and I trust his word when he tells me to go fast it will require the removal of the delta pad.
As for handling, it handles great. It doesn't have a turn fin so I never got crazy with it, however the hull was used as a circle racer back in the day and did a good job. Most notably the Hurry Round Hondo was of the same design. That boat won lots of races. Its a safe hull.
