How much spray do you get?

[FH alumni]

Last weekend tried out the new 25 HP Yamaha 2 stroke. Still breaking it in but man did it haul butt when I gunned it. Boat is an older Hypalon Zodiac Mark II Grand Raid. This is the 2nd time I have used the boat.

Question I have is about spray and water in the boat. I got quite a bit of water in the bottom of the boat by the end of the day. running flat it was below the floor boards but when I gunned it it would pool at the back and then flow forward and spout out the keel hole when I let off the throttle. (daughter said it looked like a whales blowhole) Figure 2+ gallons were in boat by the end of the day.

I took a hose and filled the boat up with water to test for leaks-none. It has to be from spray over the transom. What puzzles me is I really didn't see more than a few drops at a time coming over the stern but I guess it can add up. Anyone have something similar?

My boat has 2- 45 degree splash guards on it. and the valves in the plugs make me think a lot of folks have to use the drains- so I am wondering if this is just typical for an inflatable and the nature of the beasts.

Someone suggested running with the plugs out but I don't know if that is very wise. I guess there are flapper valves in the plugs but that makes me nervous as does leaning over the stern to pull plugs in the middle of the water if I get big swells or worse trying to put them back in if the flap valve has issues.

So, just curious how much water if any do you get in the boat when running?

Is this something I need to work on or look for or do I need to just relax as everything is normal?

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: How much spray do you get?

Put a 1" X 2" piece of wood on top of the transom and then mount the engine on top of that. Your engine is a little too long for the boat's transom height and is probably kicking a wee bit of water in over the transom.

 

[FH alumni]

Re: How much spray do you get?

Thanks GURU.

I was wondering about the length of the motor. It is a short shaft but the plate sits 2-3" below the transom. The transom is not straight across but dips down an inch in the center where the motor mounts. Makes me wonder if short shafts in Europe at one time were shorter than they are now.

Raising the motor an inch or two won't put too much stress on the boat will it? I have seen lots of posts where folks want to put a long shaft on the boat with dire warnings.

I will try the 1x2 tip this weekend, weather is supposed to be beautiful.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: How much spray do you get?

Transom height standards and engine height standards have drifted apart over the years. Japanese engines run one to two inches longer than the 15", 20" and 25" common transom heights. Basically, the U.S. manufacturers don't build small engines anymore and the boat manufacturers have never bothered to adapt. No harm to the boat, but make sure the engine is properly secured to the transom as you will be at the limit of how high you can go.

 

[nobrainsd]

Re: How much spray do you get?

You don't say anything about your tilt set up. A lot of boaters run with the outboard tilted forward a lot to help keep the bow down when accelerating. When you are up on a plane it will promote splashing. If you have power tilt it is easy to adjust the outboard back when you get on a plane so the splashing is reduced. If you have manual tilt it is a bit of a problem. If this is part of your problem moving weight forward can help you control bow rise without having the outboard trimmed as far forward as it will go and smart tabs work great to lessen the need for trimming the outboard altogether.

I haven't got that much water in the boat without a leak or having people get in and out of the boat (that really can add up). When I wakeboard and foil behind my zodiac we leave one drain unplugged. The flapper valve works pretty well to keep water from flowing back in. If the boat is going to be stationary for a longer period of time I put the plug back in.

I do have the parts to install an elephants trunk (drain tube), but haven't gotten around to it. That is more for when you take a lot of water into the boat, but they do empty a moving vessel really quick.

Have fun!