Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

[nannon94]

Hello Everyone!

I am new to boat ownership and am looking for advice. We are about to pick up (on Friday) a used 1994 Caravelle 1900 SE, 19' bowrider, 5.0 V8 Volvo Penta.

The only point of comparison I have is a 1993 Chaparral 3.0 Mercruiser that we ALMOST bought. BUT it seems that the Caravelle does not trim up very far. Trimmed all the way up, the bottom of the outdrive (dole fin??) does not rise above the bottom of the boat. It looks like it is about even with it. I did not see a "trailer button" on the throttle lever.

Do some boats just not have a trailer button to trim up more? Or is it possible that it is located somewhere else and I need to look for it harder?

I tried to call the Caravelle boats company to see if anyone could look that information up, but no one ever answers the phone.

I'm sure it must be fine for trailering as is, the previous owner did not say he had any problems, I was just wondering if that is normal or not.

Any information would be helpful!!!
THANKS!

 

[Bronc Rider]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

Some don?t have the trailer button or trim controls on the throttle lever. A 1994 Volvo should definitely be able to trim higher than you describe. The trailer control is there, but not looking at the helm I couldn?t tell you where.

 

[nannon94]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

Thanks for your reply. I will have to look for it when we pick the boat up (Friday). I had no idea the button could be located somewhere other than the throttle lever. So you think there definitely should be a trailer button?

 

[Bronc Rider]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

Yes, it will have a trailer button. They are not all set up the same way. Some have the trim controls on the throttle lever and trailer switch somewhere else. Other set ups you may have to push the trim button harder to get into trailer mode (you will hear an extra "click").

 

[tractoman]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

Does the previous owner not know how to do it? How about checking out the manual or getting one from theor website if they have one?

 

[Maclin]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

Need to establish some terminology first. TILT is for trailering. TRIM is for adjusting the drive while cruising to get the optimum prop thrust angle.

There will be a tilt lever switch on the dash. The buttons on the throttle are for trimming only and will not raise it up to full tilt like the dash button will (unless something is bad wrong with the trim limit circuits). The dash may even have another button to go to full tilt by holding it in for just a second or two.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

It will be the "tilt" switch. Press the up or out button until the drive is full up.

 

[nannon94]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

Soory about the terminology.... it trims perfect up/down (in /out) whichever is correct term. But No Tilt. The fin on the bootom of the outdrive is super close to the ground, about 6 inches. at the top of the out drive (when trim is up) there is hardly any space that it would be ablr to raise without hitting the bottom of the swim platform that is above it. I have not seen any dash buttons that say tilt or trailer. There is one button that is not marked, but nothing happens when it is pushed. I will take pictures and post them tonight or tomorrow morning, maybe the visual will help explain what I am trying to say.
I found a post by another member from may who had a pic of his throttle control, which is the same as mine. I will try to attach it.. first time for attchments, so hopefully it will work.
I had read a post somewhwere that said to continue to hold the trim up button and it should go further up, I tried that and did not seem to work.
So my other question is: Is it possible if that is the way it is supposed to tilt (still not sure) that it would trim perfectly but not tilt, if it uses the same button to do both???

 

[Maclin]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

The trim button switches are part of a separate circuit that is limited by mechanical switches in the lift mechanism. It cannot go to trailer position unless something is bad wrong. There just almost has to be a separate trailer tilt lever on the dash if this boat is all original. It will definitely be a spring loaded lever. There should also be a gauge of some kind, probably an LCD display close to the lever. Do you have the key on when you try the "other" lever switches?

The drive is designed to go out as it goes up towards full tilt and the back of the drive is also angled so I bet it will clear the swim platform. If not then the swim platform is improperly installed or the wrong one for the boat and has to come off.

Some boats even have a tilt lever switch mounted remotely at the transom.

In the pic below you can see the trim rocker switch on the side of the top of the throttle. You can see the switch panel for the tilt on the dash just to the right of the bottom of the steering wheel, there is a up/down lever and a full tilt button. Thru the bottom right of the steering wheel you can see the edge of the trim indicator panel.

 

[nannon94]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

there are no additional controls on the dash. here are some pics to show how it sits. The bottom fin is about 6 inches off the ground. it is on a level surface.

 

[nannon94]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

and one more

 

[mattb1974]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

I Have a 1998 Glastron GS 209. It has the VP 5.0 and a SX Cobra drive. I have no tilt switch either as some have stated I must have. I simply have the rocker switch on the throttle lever. When I push down, the drive goes down, when I push up the drive goes up untill it stops. My drive goes up just as high as yours in the picture.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

As Matt B says, they don't all have "trailer" buttons. My 99 Volvo Penta likewise does not have a separate trailer button like my 92 Mercruiser did. You just use the trim button to go all the way up and down. That said, mine goes notably higher than yours does. Of course, my drive has room to do so. Unfortunately, it looks to me like your ability to trim is greatly limited due to the design of the boat. There's simply no room for it to tilt up any farther than it already does without hitting the bottom of the swim platform. Caravelle likely set the trim limit switches rather low to keep the top of the outdrive from hitting the bottom of their integrated swim platform.

Seems to me a bit close to the ground for trailering, so I can understand your concern, but seems to me it is what it is...you're not missing anything. Frankly it looks like kind of a silly design...but I suppose there's another possibility: I'd venture to say the trailer is not appropriately designed or adjusted for this boat. Any chance you can raise the bunks to get more clearance? Though from your pics, they look welded.

It'll probably be just fine in all but the most severe grade changes between parking lots, etc. Many cars have less than 6 inches of clearance in many places and they get around just fine. So I'd just say be aware of the low clearance you have, be careful when trailering, and enjoy your new boat!

 

[nannon94]

Re: Low Trim - No Trailer Button????

Thanks for the replies. At least I feel less crazy, looking for a switch that doesn't exist.

It doesn't make me feel any more comfortable about trailering it, however.

My husband had the same idea about welding another longer piece to the bunk supports to raise the bunks up. Maybe just in the back? So I am glad someone else thinks that is a solution. I think that might be the way we have to go so we both feel more comfortable about it.

Thanks for your help!!! Any additional ideas are welcome!