constant boat drift from side to side

[QC]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

trog,<br /><br />I have had three I/Os and they all steered well in neutral with some headway. Not sure why yours doesn't. My ventilation plates have all been conservative i.e. near the bottom . . .

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

Pocoloco. You are describing my boat perfectly. No trim or weight shifts helps. I will post after the Mercruiser talk.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

I had a 17 cajun bass boat with a 1500 merc on the back that wandered like a homeless bum in no wake zones. like trog I just had to learn how not to over correct. usually if left alone it would correct itself then wander the other way. its called bow steer. it happens. its when the V at the bow has a varying water pressure on one side or the other and tries to steer like a rudder. seeing how boats are not designed to steer by the bow it causes it to wander left and right. other than trying to play with the trim tab and shifting weight around there is not much else to do. the prop is actually trying to go sideways as well as fwd when in gear and can make the stern move with it at low speeds. but aggrevating as it is some hulls just do it and its not usually a powerpackage problem.

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

Ok guys. Here is what I get from Mercruiser and a Chaparral boat dealer. 1. the I/O's are part of the problem. 2. The modern deep V hull with all of the bow cut away to about 2/3's of the length causes low speed wandering. 3. The latest go fast gimmick, a planning pad, makes the wandering still worse. --------Cure is to sell the boat and buy one that has a full length hull, a shaft, a prop and a rudder under it.-------- I am cutting up the frames, keel, stringers right now. Constant 28 degree deep V with a vertical bow and a 2 square foot area rudder. Yeah, it is a shaft drive. Any dissenting opinions?

 

[QC]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

Originally posted by cyclops2:<br /> Yeah, it is a shaft drive. Any dissenting opinions?

Yes, shaft drives use way more fuel and are way slower for the same power. Just simply learn how to pilot the boat properly. My .02 . . .

 

[trog100]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

horses for courses really aint it..<br /><br />last year i took my boat to the sea.. i wanted to explore the coast and whiz about without river speeds limits..<br /><br />50 miles as the crow flies.. two day journey by river and canal at five or six mph.. on the way my boat wandered all over the place as it does at these speeds..<br /><br />when i got to the sea.. hmmm. i opened the boat up and started to wiz.. hmmm.. crash bang.. jeesh is this boat gonna fall to pieces.. covered in spray and half scared to death i slowed back down to the same five ot six miles per hour i had been doing for the past two days..<br /><br />i now know the pros and cons of my type of boat..<br /><br />going fast is a pro.. but going fast in anything other than dead calm water or going straight at low speeds certainly dont belong in the pro section.. <br /><br />for that u need just such a boat as cylops describes..<br /><br />trog

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

Shaft drives go STRAIGHT, with the engine in the middle, in any condition. They do burn 3 X as much gas as a sterndrive. Because they ARE a pleasure to ride in wind and choppy water. Modern boat designs, my foot. Go fast with no control. Speed kills. Good handling does not.

 

[tommays]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

i cant say in every case but in smaller boats for sking like a correct craft <br /><br />the shaft drive boat is so MUCH BETTER ON FUEL USE its not even close <br /><br /> not to mention better sking much faster time on plane and you dont need trim tabs because the boat left the factory blanced<br /> <br />

<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

What is the purpose of the pole setup on the left utility boat?

 

[rodbolt]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

thats a ski pole<br /> it better distributes the weight of the tow.<br /> it is also used for trick sking<br /> one of the wildest I ever saw was on the nolan river near lake whitney. the guy would cut the boat and the skier would cross behind the boat picking up speed. then the helmsman would chop the throttle and sling the skier past the bow. as the skier passed the bow the helmsman got hard in the throttle and cut the boat the other way a bit and the skier continued around. I almost fell out my boat the first time I watched it. but I never had the skill or nerve to attempt it. <br /> and it looks like a ski nautique more than a utility boat

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

Rodbolt. Some skiboats have what I call "turn fin or fins " in the front 1/2 of the hull. Do they make a big difference in keeping a boat straight whe approaching the dock in winds? I am thinking of putting 2 of them in the front of my Chaparral to try to stop most of the slow speed wander. Yes, no? Thanks.

 

[QC]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

Those fins are skegs that are there to keep the boat on track when a skier is pulling hard from side to side. I don't believe they will help you.<br /><br />Trust me, the thing that will help you is trim tabs. Either SmartTabs or some adjustable type and set in the full down position. It DOES make a difference. You can do a search of these forums and you will see that for low speed wander trim tabs are pretty much the only solution.

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

How much down force is there at idle in foward gear as you approach the dock? You are conning me and I don't buy it.------Edit, no professional in Mercruiser or Chaparral said anything would make a noticable difference on boats under 20'. And they own the same type of hulls.

 

[QC]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

Why would I be "conning" you? Look above at the original replies from rodbolt. Do a search like I said. Actually, earlier in the year I disputed the effect. It flippin' works!!! It is not about down force, but there is drag from two vertical planes that seems to counteract SOME of the wander issues. Fact is that it is gonna help some, but probably not enough for you. Works on my boat and a lot of other guys who have posted here. You're a funny guy, nobody can tell you anything, but you post a lot of questions . . . <br /><br />P.S. If I was a "professional in Mercruiser or Chapparal" there is no way I would mention that to a customer like you as you would then demand I install them for nothing . . . BTW, you just might like some of the other benefits of trim tabs too, but who the flip am I to tell you? I have only owned three boats with them . . .

 

[rodbolt]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

trim tabs help about anyboat. if ya dont believe it look at any marina at how many boats run them, they are even standard on 17ft shamrocks. if you install tabs for the resons you state make sure you install auto tab retractors to prevent incidents with forklifts and trailers. you will be amazed how much drag the tabs,at full down, will place on a hull. plus they are great for the times ya have to bring it up on plane in shallow water .

 

[Bondo]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

You're a funny guy, nobody can tell you anything, but you post a lot of questions . . . <br />

Ayuh,...........<br />Kinda like My Love's 15 year old Son,.........<br /><br />Full of Questions,...........<br />Knows All the Answers...........<br /><br />And,.... Still Doesn't Understand when things Don't go the way He Says they should..............

 

[trog100]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

now here a boat that goes straight at all speeds.. he he..<br /><br />shaft driven.. a couple of thousand horse power catapilla diesels.. not much of a planing hull just relies on brute horse power.. allowed to totally ignore speed limits.. govermment pays for the fuel..<br /><br />

<br /><br />when u are doing six mph and that thing blasts past doing 25 knots u know its there.. he he..<br /><br />he was taking pity on me and going slow in that pic i recon..<br /><br />i cant help but admire that kinda boat..<br /><br />trog

 

[tommays]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

<br /><br /><br />the pole is so you dont have to make as many trips to ER when your kids knock them selfs out trying flips <br /><br />but after the big crash and cucussion last summer we seem to have cured them <br /><br />tommays

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

Thanks everybody. Even Kitty has done his best. I know that selling the Chap is the right way to go for me. The great otherwise boat it is and for someone else who will enjoy her. I do not take to many prisoners. Thanks again to all of you.

 

[QC]

Re: constant boat drift from side to side

My best? Well thank you for the honor of serving you <br /><br />BTW, how much you want for that perfectly good boat? I am serious.