Throttle Control Advise

[red_chaser]

Hey guys,

I tryed to pull my brother for the first time on my boat. It has a 70hp 1977 Johnson which I just recently tuned up from water pump to carburators. It runs great. I've got a used 13.5" x 17" stilleto s/s prop.

It takes a little while to get him up, but once he is up the boat takes off without giving it more throttle.

My question is how exactly do you work the throttle when pulling someone to make it easier for him to get up and quicker? Once going, how do slow the boat down in such a way you don't make him fall?

Thanks for all your advise!

 

[RAT Attack]

Re: Throttle Control Advise

This is what I do;
I go full throttle out of the hole, to get on plan quicker and in return have more torque for pulling, keep it full until on plan, and ever so gently back off the throttle a little and get to about 18 to 22 and feather the throttle ( gently ) in between those mph's, or whatever the rider wants. Most important thing is not speed up to quickly, or decrease speed to quickly, but just slight adjustments with the throttle.
I am still trying to get my wife to learn this one, so maybe I am not the best person in the world to try and explaine this.

 

[sharps45]

Re: Throttle Control Advise

Without the new throttle control stuff out there it's tough! My wakeboarders love 15-18 mph, but my boat, like yours, jumps onto plane right there. It's probably going to be trial and error.

 

[SeanT]

Re: Throttle Control Advise

Speed changes underway with a rider should be slow and gentle. My wife is learning to pull me very well, but once in a while she panics and adjusts too quickly, or turns too sharp and speed drops right off. She's getting the hang of it.

Aside from that vague advice, the throttle is whatever the rider wants, and you'll need to talk to them.

For new riders that don't know, I feel that more is better than less. If riders are falling forward it's not always because you gave it too much. Sometimes it's because you've not given enough and they are putting forward pressure too soon.

Main thing is to talk to the rider and ask them how it feels.

 

[shaneb0422]

Re: Throttle Control Advise

I like being pulled out with full throttle. Pop me up asap.
But I have tought several and it seems if it is their FIRST time, rolling into the throttle just a bit at first helps them feel the board plane then I throw it down. They tend to lose their "thought process" when I slam it right away.
After they have mastered getting up, I might go full throttle to see if they like it, or how they do.
Just try both and ask which they prefer.

After rider is up and boat planes off, I taper down very gently, not as slow as I can but you want to feel the boat slow down very subtly.
If you have ridden, just imagine you are riding and how you would like the driver to slow down. You don't want to drop speed so much that the rope slacks up quickly and you dont want to speed up to where it surprises the rider and jerks them or anything.

Also, in turns, remember to take super gradual turns, or give it more throttle in turns. Cause there is nothing more annoying than fighting the plow when your driver doesn't speed up in turns.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Throttle Control Advise

I disagree with going right to full throttle (but that might depend on the boat and engine to some degree). I've got a 15 ft boat with 90 hp, so it's not like I've got tons of power. I only ever get to about 3/4 throttle before I have to back off to maintain speed, and from a standstill to 3/4 throttle is a smooth motion which takes about 1 second. I used to do the immediate full throttle routine and riders said it felt like I was yanking their arms off. I've watched my son in the mirror and with the smooth motion to around 3/4 throttle he's out of the water before moving more than just a few feet.

Throttle control is a never ending series of very small adjustments, and you have to be thinking ahead. For instance, if your rider likes 22 mph and you're accelerating quickly through 19 .. 20 .. 21 - well you'd better think about easing out of the throttle now instead of waiting 'till you're already too fast. And it's not so much "moving" the throttle to make small adjustments as applying pressure to it.

 

[shaneb0422]

Re: Throttle Control Advise

I would mostly agree with that ^

 

[tgell001]

Re: Throttle Control Advise

I slam it full throttle up to about 18mph the feather it back til i'm at about 22 and trim it up all in 10-15 seconds and my riders love it. Wouldnt you know that its my boat so i'm the best driver and also the best wakeboarder? And the girlfriend doesn't take critisizm very well haha.

and also as far as turning, we go out to a river that is fairly winding so i actually take semi sharp turns while giving it a little more gas the make the straight sections as long as possible.