Deck boat wonders at slow speed 21'

[v12mac]

I just ran buddies 21' Hurricane deck boat with a 115 Yamaha 4 stroke and it is just about impossible to make this thing track straight at any speeds off plane. To keep it going straight you have to work the wheel back and forth way too much.

Is there any way to make this thing track in a straight line? Dole fin? Trim tabs? Giant skeg?

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Deck boat wonders at slow speed 21'

it is called hull wander. due to the V Hull. if you figure out how to fix it. the boat manufacturers will make you rich. it is the nature of the beast.

 

[capquest]

Re: Deck boat wonders at slow speed 21'

It may be a steering gear problem.

Does your steering gear have any play?

Is it hydraulic or mechanical?

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Deck boat wonders at slow speed 21'

I have a 19' Hurricane, and it only wanders at no-wake speed. I've considered smart tabs for getting on plane quicker, but they are also supposed to help cure wander.

 

[bekosh]

Re: Deck boat wonders at slow speed 21'

Trim tabs help alot. Mine wanders unless I have the tabs (hydraulic K-planes) down at least half way, then it tracks straight as an arrow.

 

[v12mac]

Re: Deck boat wonders at slow speed 21'

Steering is mechanical and in top shape, this boat has done this since new. I kinda figured it was due to the fact that the "boat" is a rectangle. But I noticed lots of stern drive boats do this too.

I am thinking about a huge dole fin and a set of tabs that are turned down on the outside like a downward facing letter C

This never bothered anyone enugh to try to fix it? Now that the boat is on a verrrrry narow canal. it is a fight to keep from smacking other boats at their docks!

Hummm....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Deck boat wonders at slow speed 21'

never use fins and tabs together. fins usually cause more problems than they cure, go with smart tabs, or hydrolics. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=267075

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Deck boat wonders at slow speed 21'

My 24 footer does the same at minimum wake speeds or slower. Don't use my tabs much since they run so slow and I don't have an indicator for their positions. My brother-in-law 2 CC did also wondered at slow speeds. One had twine O/B and his current 27' CC single does the same.


All boats are in top notch shape. Must be part of the hull design as stated above.