Weighing the bow down
 

Something I have found with my new boat is the bow wanting to ride high when trying to run around 15 to 20 mph, even with the trim down. Has anyone ever tried putting some weight in the front to help keep the nose down ? I mean it planes nicely, but I don't want to have to run 25-30 mph all the time.. any suggestions ?

Store your heavy stuff up front if possible. All boats level off at different speeds and trim settings. I wouldn’t add weight to change things.

At 17' 7" long, I'd of thought the boat would be long enough to keep the nose down. When I say high, I mean a good 45 deg or more. I wonder if a whale tail would help ? The BT salesman told me I wouldn't need one as have a big enough motor and it will plain out quickly, which it does, but I don't want to run around 3/4 throttle all the time if you know what I mean

Move your batteries as far forward as possible. Gas tanks can be moved too. Both are assuming that your motor doesn't need shimmed and you have fine tuned your prop (4-blade is often better than 3-blade for keeping the bow down).

If you want to run less than 3/4 throttle just go ahead and punch the throttle as to plane out. After you've planed out Then you throttle back and you should stay on plane without your nose being too high.

You may want to give this a little time, I hated my current rig when I first got it nearly 15 yrs ago. I had an old ProCraft and you could about stay plane level at 20 mph up, but when I got my current one it took me at least a month to adjust. Now I don't notice anything.

Like Tex said get on plane and then back down. First you have to run it with as minimum gear and then with gear to see if weight distribution is the problem. May need to drop the engine one hole, Stainless Props give better performance. Play with your trim more, but defiantly get on plane first then drop down as slow as you want to stay on plane.


I always run a Hydrofoil for low and high speed performance.


http://www.cobramarine.com/cobra_mar...ro_series.html

Bennett Marine® - Trim Tab Kit

Put trim tabs on it.
My 20ft Hydra Sport would wallow trying to get out of the hole with a full tank of gas and five big peoplease on board.
Put the trim tabs on and now it planes out quickly and stays flat while running.

Texas rig has a great suggestion. I would get more familiar with the boat and learning how it likes to be driven before moving or adding things. Like Texas said mine likes you to hit the hole and get up on plane and then back down. After that it will cruise at 30-40 with no problem.

You could kill two birds with one stone by taking Salmon Dazes advice from the "Launch" thread. Just get a fat bum to both help launch AND to ride in the bow.

Alternatively, if you cant find a fat bum, just launch at Bryants Grove at Priest, you could get 2 skinny illegal bums for the same sausage biscuit.

Hahahahaha......... Now that's funny :D


Well if that's the case, how about a lil fat gal... she could have a dual purpose... ballast during the ride and hold the umbrella for shade during those warm days :p

Mmmmm <'TK><
 

Something just doesn't sound right..... Texas-Rig's method is the norm " and I quote:

"If you want to run less than 3/4 throttle just go ahead and punch the throttle as to plane out. After you've planed out Then you throttle back and you should stay on plane without your nose being too high."

Trim buttons and Tachs play a very important part in correct boat response ..My procedure is you tuck the motor down to the transom, then go full open throttle ... This makes the bow to want to actually plow the water at top end...

Then start tapping the trim button up, the bow will rise, watch your tach increase in RPM'S. If you raise it to high the prop will blow out, then tap the down button until the prop bites and this should bring your RPM'S back into the appropriate power curve for your rigs setup.

To run at a slower speed back your throttle off but you will need to start at the same time trimming down by just tapping the button. (do everything in slow increments until you get use to your boat) If it is trimmed to high at a reduced speed it will start to porpoise . So trim down until you take the porpoise motion out of it.

There are number of variables here, Driver and passenger weight, Haven't learned all of the ends and outs of your trim system. The trim system itself... make sure when you are trimmed down that the motor is tucked in and parallel with the transom,(Transoms are usually 16 to 20 degrees and so should the motor, check this on dry land.

In my dealings with boats over many years I have found very few rigs need whale tails especially if you have the HP. But for sure weight should not ever be needed to correct this type of problem.But Jeff's Idea isn't bad LOL..

Flatline, a question, It sounds like maybe your slowing down to a point that the boat is falling off plane... But I really can't understand a 45 deg, angle, trimmed in (down) unless you have your RPM'S to low where you are plowing.

Here is my assumption: you have Hyd. trim, so there is no tilt pin. If it does remove it.

A three blade prop is not causing your problem, four blades are used for applications usually for High HP top end performance they reduce starboard lift do to High torque

Both Merv (Aglesssone) and I use trim tabs in conjunction with our trim system of our motors do to the size and payload of our guide boats, your bass boat should not require these. Look above this post to Sticky: "Memories" and look at pic's of how these were applied.

Flatline, There are some great suggestions listed in this thread. By the way I was thinking the same about the fat bottom gals LOL ... I think what was mentioned earlier in the thread you may need to learn and get use to your new boat, now not to say that some of the fore-mentioned ideas may need to be applied ... Try this method and give us more info, RPM'S, Speed, Trim position etc... We are here to help... TK

I was on JPP the other day and the wind was blowing so hard I had to trim my motor up so my bow was way up in the air. Lol. That's the only way I could stay dry.

Then you better buy 2 sausage biscuits (at least).

Been there and done that ..