boat leaning to one side??

[stackz]

was reading on here about how you can tilt the little fin shaped lead electrolyte thingy on the engine in the opposite direction of your boat lean and it will help so I dont know if this will help my situation or not?

basically, even when the water is glass and two people are on the boat. once up to speed it will lean to the starboard side...I dont mean drift to that side, I mean the whole boat is cocked to that side with the starboard side farther down in the water?

I've got other issues with the boat I have to address (such as a rotted floor and most likely water logged foam) but the boat has always had this issue.

its a little 15' bowrider runabout if that helps.

 

[rjwoodrome]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

What is it doing while sitting still... listing the same? weight balance is important. battery, gas can. all on the port side? waterlogged floor seems would soak up evenly all around... do what I did, trade seats with the wife Lol..

 

[QC]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

We need a little more info. I believe it is weight balance too, but the fact is that most single screw boats lean to port because of propeller torque. A list underway to Starboard is not typical, but it is possible that you have an opposite rotation setup, but I doubt it. I am guessing yours is a small OB and that should have a right hand prop on it.

 

[Bondo]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

Ayuh,... Have you tried changing the Trim settings on the motor,..??

 

[stackz]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

Ayuh,... Have you tried changing the Trim settings on the motor,..??

such as?? if you mean by turning the little trim tab/electrode under the anti cavitation plate...no, havent tried that yet. only just read about it the other day.

15' runabout with a M90 mercury engine. how do I tell as far as prop rotation, never really looked at it and in the past just figured it was torque related.

even when I'm just in the boat, the battery is the only thing on my side and I only weight 170lb and the gas tank is at the stern on the port side. at idle or just sitting, the boat is level. It only lists to starboard under full or half throttle on plane. gets really squirrely when I'm turning lol. I have to let off the throttle to turn starboard or the boat dips REAL low in the water.

never had another runabout do this. my neighbor keeps telling me trim tabs would solve this but I want to try rotating the electrode first once I get the engine issues sorted back out.

 

[stackz]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

oh yeah, figure while I've got an open thread going might as well ask another question or two instead of just filling up the forum with separate threads...

question #1
what is the technical term for the black plastic conduit you cover the engine harnesses with so it looks nice and pretty instead of seeing all the individual wires, etc?? I wanna pretty it up back there but cant find what I'm looking for in the iboat store and know I cant find it only cause I dont know the "nautical" term for plastic wire looming lol.

question #2
boat has rack/pinion steering and I need to replace it. the proper way to measure is to measure the cable itself without measuring the metal rod on the engine end of the cable right??

also, is it possible to bang the rod out with the engine on the boat or do I have to cut the cable and remove the engine to get leverage to bang out the rod??

here's what it looks like sorta (only pic I have while at work). In the back left you can start to see the ramp up in the transom and it also comes forward, I have that much room on the other side as well and dont think I'll be able to hit it hard enough. If you look good you can see the score marks on the rod from where we had a LARGE pipe wrench on it with a nice 6' metal pole trying to break it free...ugh...

 

[Splat]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

Wire loom.

trim tabs may help with the listing, but you would have to use powered ones, like those from bennets. I would mess more with the engine trim while underway, and I would especially take a look at the water logged floor issue. Water is very heavy and will easily cause a list. Normally this would be evident while the boat is stationary too tho.

Bill

 

[stackz]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

Wire loom.



Bill

already searched wire loom on here and the biggest they have is 1" but I know they have to sell something to replace those huge ones that are being put on all the newer outboard boats when they crack, etc...

 

[Bondo]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bond-o
Ayuh,... Have you tried changing the Trim settings on the motor,..??
__________________________________________________________________

such as?? if you mean by turning the little trim tab/electrode under the anti cavitation plate...no, havent tried that yet. only just read about it the other day.

Nope,.... As in Trimming the motor,... Up, or Down....

 

[stackz]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

yeah, I've goofed with that and it helps momentarily the farther down I trim it (which I understand why) but even when its trimmed really low it tilts.

I do have the factory hydrofoil on the engine and its this hard black plastic but it is sagging from age.

could this be affecting it??

oh yeah, and its officially water logged lol. I pulled out the cupholder inserts and the foam underneath is just a big water factory. I can vaccum it out and the cavity just fills back up with water out of the foam. pulled up the carpet at the back where the wood is rotted and picked at the wood until I got to the foam...same there. I pulled a piece out and squeezed it and water just gooshed out like a sponge.

time to pull up the floor I guess after getting the engine problems sorted.

 

[Bondo]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

I do have the factory hydrofoil on the engine and its this hard black plastic but it is sagging from age.

Ahhh,.. No you Don't,....

Hydrofoils are Not factory items.....

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

yeah, I've goofed with that and it helps momentarily the farther down I trim it (which I understand why) but even when its trimmed really low it tilts.

I do have the factory hydrofoil on the engine and its this hard black plastic but it is sagging from age.

could this be affecting it??

oh yeah, and its officially water logged lol. I pulled out the cupholder inserts and the foam underneath is just a big water factory. I can vaccum it out and the cavity just fills back up with water out of the foam. pulled up the carpet at the back where the wood is rotted and picked at the wood until I got to the foam...same there. I pulled a piece out and squeezed it and water just gooshed out like a sponge.

time to pull up the floor I guess after getting the engine problems sorted.

Fix the boat first..... then see what it does. You do realize how much water weighs and you might actually have an overloaded boat due to the foam being soaked.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

STackz;

Listen to Bondo - the motor trim is either electric (tilt and trim) on the throttle control and/or a steel rod where the motor rests when dropped down for use. The rod would be inserted through one set of a series of hole. The hole closest to the transom would allow the motor to drop down farther which is called negative trim. This tilts the prop under the boat more which help push the stern up to get the boat on plane quicker. Electric trim on the throttle allows you to adjust this angle as required while the boat is moving.
The adverse affects of Negative Trim are exactly what you are experiencing. However the lean is usually to the left (port) side. What Bondo is trying to tell you is to trim the motor out more so that when on plane and cruising you are not pushing the bow down. This bow down attitude makes the boat ride too much on the front "V" / keel and makes the boat more sensitive to list or leaning.

The NON factory hydrofoil is also causing too much lift while cruising and helping drive the bow down. This will cause the same results. Keep in mind that these devices are in essence a fixed trim tab. They are designed to lift, and do so at an increasing rate as the boat speed increases. The problem with this is that the boat receives the most lift when it needs it the least (at higher speeds). This creates bow steering, listing, and heavy leaning in turns.

Trim tabs were suggested, and that is a much better solution for overall improvements in performance. You can purchase helm controlled trim tabs which will allow you to adjust the boat attitude while in route, or and active system which are self regulated by boat speed and water pressure. It was suggest that the self regulating would not correct a list, and that is not the case as they can be adjusted upon or after installation to compensate for permanent lists.

Dump the Hydrofoil, and trim out, but do one at a time. Then re-evaluate the boat and think about trim tabs.

 

[steelespike]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

Motor height X demension is important too.The antivent plate (just above the prop)even with the bottom of the transom is considered a starting point for motor height. usually about an inch above the bottom is normal.Varies with boats design.Leaning to starboard is abnormal unless you have a counter rotating motor.Prop should rotate clockwise viewed from behind the boat.Blades would be angled so that they push water rearward.
Waterlogged foam could add hundreds of pounds possibly more on one side.
Also could indicate rotten stringers and a deformed bottom.Is the floor soft,
spongy?

 

[stackz]

Re: boat leaning to one side??

I'll be honest. I feel like I'm back at ground zero. I can tear a mustang apart and weld in a 4-link rear like nobody's business but I'm just now getting into boats and I feel like a 3rd grader raising his hand all the time in class haha.

but still, lots of great info you guys have given me so far.

basically, just pull off the hydrofoil as well as tear up the flooring and redo the underfloor area and then take it out and see whats up? sounds simple enough.

oh the floor feels solid everywhere except the very back by the transom. basically, I knew the floor needed addressing when I had to pull out the gas tank last year and the screws pulled the wood with it.

looks like this will be my first boat project and my "learning curve" with boats lol.

quick question while I've got people reading this...I've been looking through the restoration forum section at all the floor replacements. I see a bunch of guys glassing the plywood before installation. I'm assuming this is on top and bottom?? after glassing, the floor is GLUED to the stringers or glued as well as screwed to them?? I'm assuming all wood is glassed over including stringers before being installed.

I've just got a million questions in my head right now but dont want to get ahead of myself as I'm still waiting on a few parts for the engine right now. wanna get the engine running again before I tear the boat apart as I'm going to swapping up some of the wiring to the gauges, etc.