How do you trim?

[Pmt133]

Let me preface this by saying I'm very bored and mostly just curious as I found it odd... and I'm not asking how to trim a boat nor am I going to go in depth on procedure... just a general outline: I've always done it the same way and it's how my boat responds best. Drive full down, hammer down, once the boat is out of the hole (bow levels out) trim up to best performance. Any boat I've ever run that always was the best way to do it... then 2 weeks ago I was talking to a friend and he said his plows if you do that and doesn't react well... curious I asked him his procedure and he said he trims to his running angle then hammers down and it just pops up. He then leaves it alone...

I didn't think anything of it until I was talking to a few other people and they said they do the same thing. Both those boats are quite large by comparison to mine and both have a ton more power than I do as well as weight. I know if I do that on mine I get a lot of bow rise. Does come up on plane albeit slower. I know this because I've slowed down below planing speed testing props to see how they react if you dump then try to come back on and they all did the same thing. Some more than others but all did it. I am going to assume a heavier nose may also effect it.

 

[bajaman123]

To each his own I suppose, but the MECHANICS of it demand full tuck in/trim down, hole-shot then gradually trim up and throttle back...generally speaking. Some hulls may react differently obviously.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I don't not possible on the mastercraft and I run my pontoon like a pontoon was made to be used at a leisurely pace.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Drive / motor full down
If there are trim tabs, leave them down slightly
Mash the throttle, as the boat starts coming out of the hole, thumb up on the trim.
The boat should be out of the hole and the bow should start raising
Once it starts porpoising, tap the down trim twice with your thumb

As you pull back on throttle.... Thumb down on the trim for the next holeshot

 

[airshot]

Every boat will be different, also how weight is distributed and boat size. Neighbor's 22' Sylvan alum needs barely any trim adjustment, it just jumps up and shoots out on plane. A slight touch adjusts the bow to match wave heights. My 16' Sylvan alum, reacts very well to small inputs, gotta be careful so the prop doesn't vent. I typically watch my tach, trim up until a slight vent then bump it down a click. Typically gain 3-400 rpm and 3-4 mph with just trim adjustment.

 

[ratdude747]

Depends on the boat.

I'm lucky... my Starcraft Montego (with a 302 mercruiser and a whale tail on the outdrive) doesn't need trimmed when running- just leave it down and run. The only time I trim it is when in shallow dock water. I'm told before the previous owner put the whale tail on it was always bow-in-the-air and very hard to get on plane (especially with the original high-speed low-torque prop)... how much those changes had to do with the lack-of-porpoising with trim all the way down I couldn't say.

 

[Chris1956]

Some boats will ventilate if you trim them at idle and then accelerate. This is especially true for boats where their outboard motors are mounted high for less drag/higher speed.

When my Merc 135V6 was mounted high on the jackplate, it needed to be trimmed all the way down to accelerate at all. Once on plane, you could trim her a lot, for top performance.

 

[jlh3rd]

pontoon boat: I trim for max speed/rpm/ neutral wheel feel at whatever rpm I'm running.

 

[Kosmofreeze]

This works for me ... Starting off w/ engine full DOWN and hull tabs full UP. Hammer down - as the the speed stabilizes and the hull is on plane, I begin trimming the engine UP while watching the bow rise. At max pitch the bow begins to porpoise and I can feel a rumble under my feet (cavitation?) at the helm - then I back DOWN on the engine trim just until the rumble stops and the bow settles. At this point I use the hull tabs to level the bow (roll attitude) depending on where people are sitting and depending on fresh water (port side) and black water (starboard side) tank levels.

 

[Pmt133]

Seems everyone is mor or less confirming that how my friends boats behave is... odd. So my exact process... I have the older MR transom that has the older style trim rams with less negative trim than what was later offered on the alpha. Anyway...

1. full down hammer down.
2. Bow pops up and then boat rises up out of the hole.
3. Soon as the ass rises trim up. It doesn't take much. I pick up same as others, about 4-500 rpm with just a tap or two up.
4. Adjust for speed. I drop off speed on the GPS way before I start to porpoise. The steering loosens up, the whole boat rises up and out when you're in the sweet spot and the spray and wake off the boat flatten out.

Obviously trim needs adjusting depending on speed. What's good at 28 mph isn't ideal for 35 and wot it runs best just before blow out... you can actually hear the blades slapping the water at wide open when just right.

 

[dingbat]

Outboard......
Set motor to neutral trim, put tabs down for 3 seconds and hammer throttle.

Once on plane, adjust tabs counter tide lean and go.

Normally, don't need to touch trim settings the rest of the day.
Adjust tabs as needed throughout the day to counter conditions

 

[redneck joe]

Depends on the boat.

I'm lucky... my Starcraft Montego (with a 302 mercruiser and a whale tail on the outdrive) doesn't need trimmed when running- just leave it down and run. The only time I trim it is when in shallow dock water. I'm told before the previous owner put the whale tail on it was always bow-in-the-air and very hard to get on plane (especially with the original high-speed low-torque prop)... how much those changes had to do with the lack-of-porpoising with trim all the way down I couldn't say.

That sure sounds like too much stern weight.

 

[1985 Century Mustang]

I'm trim down till I'm out of the hole, then I adjust the trim upwards till the waves break near the steering wheel where I have a good plane.

 

[jimmbo]

I have never understood why so many People have Trouble with Trim Settings. Heck I learned how to do it before I was 14, and it took all of a couple of Hole Shots

 

[tphoyt]

I think a lot people over think some things and make them more complicated than they need to be.

 

[Pmt133]

I think the thought of over trimming scares people too. I think there is a pretty large sum of boaters out there that just tilt down and drive around all day and thats it. Never even touching it.

 

[airshot]

Most boat owners are not using their boats every day, so it becomes a new experience every time they use it.

 

[Pmt133]

Thats like me walking into work after the "A team" worked a weekend. Never ceases to amaze me the different ways someone can find to screw up what is a pretty simple process. So I guess none of this should surprise me.

 

[ratdude747]

That sure sounds like too much stern weight.

Nothing much added from stock in terms of weight. That's a 302 in a 16' boat... the biggest engine Starcraft offered for this model and length. I'm told the whale tail helped a lot as it did have issues getting on plane originally.

In current form, I wouldn't say it handles "bad"... although since it's my first boat, I can't compare to anything else.

 

[redneck joe]

Nothing much added from stock in terms of weight. That's a 302 in a 16' boat... the biggest engine Starcraft offered for this model and length. I'm told the whale tail helped a lot as it did have issues getting on plane originally.

In current form, I wouldn't say it handles "bad"... although since it's my first boat, I can't compare to anything else.

I was thinking wet foam. And to not have to trim up after on plane? Not sure starcraft would put something out there like that.