Have two same boats but different ride quality

[adam98]

I had two 1978 17.5 ranger bass boats... Same hual same motor one might be 200lb + if that, and that one does not really plane out and skim the water. It goes 40mph but even trimming it out and just sits in the water more. The lighter one with 4 people on board really planes out drramaticly at 15mph and the faster I got the smoother the ride...Considering trim tabs

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Have two same boats but different ride quality

Put them both on a scale - one of them is probabally waterlogged.

 

[adam98]

Re: Have two same boats but different ride quality

That would make sense as one feels very heavy in front as last owner said every year he left it on the water for 2 weeks on a trip.. Even my diesel truck feels it towing... I thought it was the trailor.
how do you cure this

 

[adam98]

Re: Have two same boats but different ride quality

I can't find a drop of water but would the foam hold it long term

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Have two same boats but different ride quality

Yup the foam would hold it long term. You probably wouldn't see the water on the surface of the foam.
Pushing a dry dowel rod into the foam and if it comes out wet then there is water there.

Are you using the same prop on both.

My boat rides drastically different with different props. with an aluminum prop I do not need to use the tabs it does not give as much bow lift as my S.S. prop. and it feels like it is plowing through the water more.

With the S.S. prop it gets a lot more bow lift and planes faster, and rides with less of the hull in contact with the water. even with the tabs being used to lower the bow a little I get about 3-5 mph gain in speed(depending on conditions) over the aluminum.

 

[adam98]

Re: Have two same boats but different ride quality

thank you for the great info.
the good boat (that i sold)has 17 pitch alum. prop and poor boat has stainless with no # on it i looks like 19ish but much smaller blade.... i have a evinrude 21 pitch with large blades. should i give that a try...?

are automatic trim tabs a must have on a fiberglass bass boat

also if it is water logged how would t remove the water?

 

[pmillar]

Re: Have two same boats but different ride quality

If the foam is waterlogged, the only way to remove the water is to remove the foam (and replace with new floatation of some sort)

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Have two same boats but different ride quality

If the foam is waterlogged, the only way to remove the water is to remove the foam (and replace with new floatation of some sort)

Do you have any soft spots in your floor?

As for the prop you could wait till you figure out if you are waterlogged or not.
But you could start a new thread in the prop section for that and get better answers there.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Have two same boats but different ride quality

thank you for the great info.
the good boat (that i sold)has 17 pitch alum. prop and poor boat has stainless with no # on it i looks like 19ish but much smaller blade.... i have a evinrude 21 pitch with large blades. should i give that a try...?

are automatic trim tabs a must have on a fiberglass bass boat

No.

also if it is water logged how would t remove the water?

You can not get the water out of waterlogged foam. You can replace it but that may be a huge job unless you can get to it easily.