I'm a dummy and I need your help

[Caveman Charlie]

OK , I got my boat late last year and I had it on the water 4 or 5 times or so. It's a 17 foot sterndrive boat. I felt I was getting purty good at launching and retrieving it. This spring I added some smart tabs. The directions that came with the smart tabs said to not use them with a hydrofoil. So, I removed the little plastic fins that were bolted to each side of the lower drive thinking that what those were. I went to launch it this spring and made several mistakes. First I took the girlfriend along and listened to her. I never should have done that. After getting the boat in the water I went to back away from the dock and I couldn't get the boat to back up very fast and I had no maneuverability. So, with the girlfriend screaming look out and with people watching I hit the prop on the dock and had to get a new prop. My problem is I can't figure out why I couldn't back easily away from the dock like I did last year. The only thing I can figure is that I didn't have the drive low enough and the prop in the water far enough. I mean, there was lots of splashing going on back there so the prop was turning, it just wasn't grabbing anything. Without those plastic fin things on there I have no reference to how low in the water the drive is.

Can I put the plastic fins back on even with the smart tabs? I'm going to try and take the boat out again today or else this weekend (without the girlfriend this time)

I don't see how with the smart tabs on there a person can back up well anyway. After all, there sticking down and dragging in the water when your going back wards.

If I fail embarrassingly again I may just have to give up and sell the boat. Too bad, I thought I was getting the hang of it and was I was having fun until this happened.

I did have a small chip in the old prop repaired this winter. Could they have screwed up the prop somehow? I don't see how.

What else could I have been doing wrong?

Of course if you get the prop to low near the dock you hit bottom with it. Kinda tough to get away from there ain't it.

 

[fishingdan]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

Smart tabs are great when the boat is going forward. In reverse they stick down and can reduce the amount of control you have.

The hydrofoil fins don't have nothing to do with this.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

first you need to go and practice docking and departing. you probably did not have the drive down far enough, no boat is very maneuverable in reverse. unless it is twin engine. go good push off from the dock to get into deeper water will always help. even a boat pole to push off from the dock. you also do not have to back away from a dock. done properly you can go forward.

 

[MikDee]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

Well put, Ditto what tashasdaddy said! ^^^

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

I have a 22' Pathfinder center console and it has no maneuverability in reverse. Its pretty entertaining watching others drive it.... With it trimmed a little and the jack plate up it won't even back up. Trimming your engine down will help you with maneuvering your boat, however, water can get shallow near boat ramps and dock so be aware of how deep it is. I wouldn't give up on boats all together because of one accident. Practice backing your boat in open water. When you get close to obstructions have whoever is on the boat with you prepared to catck the dock. Nothing ticks me off more than a boat full of passengers that will not help at the dock... Good luck and dont give up!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

also ever heard of a PADDLE?

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

also ever heard of a PADDLE?

Yup, that's how I got the bow of the boat back to the dock after I hit it with the prop. Good thing I had one to. The tree that fell in the water is only a few feet from the dock and I was getting close to it. That why there is no pulling forward away from that dock. Or, most of the other docks around here.

As for paddling out back wards a ways I could try it but, I'd be the only one doing it. I'd have to be careful not to paddle over the fishing lines of people fishing from the dock. Same with the push off idea. I could see myself trying to push off with the paddle and knocking people off the dock into the water. Sounds like something Chevy Chase would do.

Everybody else makes it look so simple. The unload the boat from the trailer and go in about 30 seconds. Takes them longer to drive the trailer out of the way. I'm going to a bigger lake next time and hopefully there will be nobody standing there so I can practice,

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

So, can I leave the hydro foil on or not?

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

So, can I leave the hydro foil on or not?

You probably can, but it will serve virtually no purpose. The lack of a hydrofoil is not what is making it difficult to back your boat but rather the trim tabs sticking down and possibly not having your engine lowered enough. I would take it off and leave it off.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

You say that other people just back away from the dock and go. My suggestion is that you go down to the ramp sometime and don't launch your boat at all. Instead, observe the other boaters.

I don't know how deep the water is at the end of the courtesy dock, but at most of the lakes where I launch, the water is between 3 or four feet deep there. Use your paddle or boat hook to check the depth.

Watch the successful launches. How low are their outdrives? You may be using a little extra caution that's unnecessary. If your ramp has more than one lane, check to see if one side is deeper than the other. Also, watch how far other boats back away from the dock before turning their boats around and going forward, and which direction they go.

If the ramp is too shallow, consider launching somewhere else, if that's possible. If you have a kicker, use that for maneuvering into deeper water. On really shallow ramps, I often leave my outboard tipped and use my electric trolling motor to back out into deeper water.

The key is to observe those folks who are successfully launching at your ramp and follow their lead. An hour or two on a busy weekend will give you all the information you need. You'll probably get a laugh or two, as well.

And, while you're there observing, you might as well be fishing, too.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

There are some good ideas here. I have been thinking about a way to tie the trim tabs up too. I suppose I should work on that.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: I'm a dummy and I need your help

I have had the Smart tabs on two boats now and the backing was not hindered at all with either boats after intalling them!

I also have had several boats and each one had different backing issues! Different props also can make a huge difference. Also, sometimes you have to use more throttle than you might want to! Experiment when there are no other boats or people around!

My Stratos backs up perfectly in one direction, but unless I give it more gass the other way it will just crab sideways forever!

Boats are not like cars when it comes to backing up!!!!!!!!!!!