Bow in the air!!!

[bparker1962]

Good morning all,
I just traded boats and I'm very dissapointed after the "Maiden Voyage" yesterday. She is a 20' Renken with a Johnson sea drive something! Says 150 on the cover I've been told 85, 90, and 115? The model# is 2BBXCOM.
I would really like to know the hp.
Anyway it sounds good and strong sitting in the yard. But in the water launching at any speed With motor trimmed all the way down(Easy or WOT) She points straight up,moves very slowly and don't come down for several minutes. When it finally planes out all is well,(Speedo not working,estimate 30mph +-)until I throttle back then up comes the nose and down goes the motor.
I've owned a couple of 17' bowriders in/ob and a 24' toon w/50hp merc. ob. I know very little about outboard motors and have never owned a Cuddy.
Here is what I do know.
It has a 24 gal. tank installed in the floor. Not OEM?? It has no Trim Tabs.
It has 2 batteries and 5gal (spare gas)in the stern and an empty Cuddy Cabin. (It may need a few bags of sac-crete up front)lol.
Thanks for the help everyone,

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

are you sure its trimmed all the way down?
at full trim down the aft end of the propshaft will be lower than the fwd end.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Sorry, no help on the HP of the engine. Does it have trim tabs? Tabs would certainly help with getting it on plane and stabilizing the steering, but they shouldn't be a necessity. If it's under powered, it's underpowered.

It should go bow-up for 3-4 seconds and then level out smoothly. With tabs, that would drop to 1-2 seconds. With a 20' boat, you should be looking for something with a 150 HP (give or take) engine regardless of whether it's a CC, cuddy, or bowrider.

 

[marcortez]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Here is what I do know. It has a "stingray" stabilizer that makes it pull hard to starboard and hard to steer(it's coming off today) Could it be pulling the motor down??

Doubtful the Stingray is making your boat pull hard to either side.
That is more a function of the zinc trim tab as another suggested.

Rodbolt nailed it.....trim your motor all the way down out of the hole and when you reach planing speed.....gradually trim "out" to raise the bow until you feel that "sweet spot"

 

[rs1lollie]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Sounds like the motor is to low, Check out Hwsiii's post on motor height. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=369057

 

[bparker1962]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

No Trim Tabs. Yes motor was down as far as it would go.
Under powered-"Ouch" I was sure not wanting to here that. But suspecting it.

 

[bparker1962]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Down as far as it would go. Thanks

 

[bparker1962]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

No trim tabs and "OUCH" to the under powered statement. I want it not to be that!

 

[bparker1962]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Thanks

 

[marcortez]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Good morning all,
Says 150 on the cover I've been told 85, 90, and 115? The model# is 2BBXCOM.
I would really like to know the hp.
Thanks,

Who told you 85HP/90/115?

What makes you suspect it's less HP that what the cowling says?

An 85 or 90 might be underpowered for a 20' boat....

Look at the full serial number..that should point you to the "real" HP rating.
Look for 150 or 115 or whatever in the numbering sequence.

 

[MyViewGS]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

The serial number you gave would indicate a mid to late 80's 1.6L. They varied from 110-140 hp. They made some in the early 90's that rated 150 hp. They had a lot of issues. If I remember right, the drive would rust bad due to water backflow through the exhaust.

 

[kg5388]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

my bass boat will do that and go all the way across the lake like that.

I don't trim down all the way I found a sweet spot and trim down to there and it will jump upwards then flatten out quickly and then I can trim up for speed.

 

[bparker1962]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Thanks for the help everyone. After getting the plate cleaned up enough to read the serial #J859905 I am assuming it's an 85hp motor and therfore underpowered as some of you suggested. Some of you also suggested that I might not have had the motor trimmed all the way down. So I just went out and dropped it till it stopped, and when I looked at it from the side I could still see rub marks so I tried it again and it dropped another 3",so maybe that along with some weight redistribution I can at least get some enjoyment out of. I don"t expect to be able to pull a skier but I would like to cruise "level" lol. Would TrimTabs help this at all?

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Trim tabs should help some, but a 20' boat usually comes with 120HP engine at a minimum.

For your size boat, you'll be in the 10"-12" plate size for the tabs.

 

[bparker1962]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Thanks, according to the serial# J859905, underpowered is probably the real issue. Do you think Trim tabs would help?

 

[bparker1962]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Thanks, I guess thats the reason for the 150 Sea Drive decals on cowl. After 47 years I should know better but I still trust people to be honest. My Bad.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

85hp and a 20ft boat is an uphill battle.

 

[apaseman]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

Thanks, I guess thats the reason for the 150 Sea Drive decals on cowl. After 47 years I should know better but I still trust people to be honest. My Bad.

Unfortunately, I got screwed on my boat purchase as well. I too am a trusting person, but this experience taught me to not trust people when buying something. It's all so unfortunate that people will screw someone to make a buck. $$ isn't worth leaving my values behind, but I now know that not everyone believes that. Sorry to hear about your experience, but I learned to make the best of what I got and am now able to take my boat on the water (after some time, money and effort) and the silver lining on my cloud is I've learned a ton from it...life lessons and boat repair lessons.

 

[bparker1962]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

I hear ya, and I am going to make it usable because I won't try to sell it as is. However after a little more investigating some greasing and lubing,and contact cleaning on the trim switch I have discover that it probably liked quite a bit being trimmed all the way down (it was sticking). So fingers crossed I am going to try it again in a few days. I may also drain the 24 gal. tank in the floor and try a portable to get some of the weight out of the back.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Bow in the air!!!

I'm probably not being helpful, but to be frank, oif it were me I'd be VERY tempted to back it through the guys living room wall.

"as is" is one thing, completely misrepresenting something is a different story. I'd be beyond pissed. Heck, it's your boat and it makes me mad.

does the bill of sale or paperwork agreement you did with the guy say 150HP?