VaGent
Petty Officer 1st Class
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2008
- Messages
- 221
I really need some advice guys. I took my 1986 Riveria Cruiser with a 1987 Johnson 70 hp VRO out on the lake yesterday for a little while.
The engine started & ran just fine so I headed out past the no wake bouy. Once beyond that I gave it a little throttle & then advance it up to about 1/4 & just started cruising. I noticed I had to hold the steering wheel to the left but didn't think much about it UNTIL I happened to turn the wheel loose to light a smoke. When I did, the boat immediatly started a right hand turn that was pretty sudden. After getting it back on course, I advanced the throttle to maybe 3/4 & in doing so I had to hold a LOT or left pressure on the wheel to get it going straight. What gives??
This engine is not the original one that came on the boat & I have no idea if it was ever set up correctly or anything else about it other then it starts & runs really good & seems to have lots of power. Is there a way I can check this problem out with the boat sitting on dry land? I know there is a trim tab on the botom of the skeg & my experience flying planes tells me I need to move the trim to the left to help correct this problem. CAn I "shim" the motor?Is there anything else I can check out as far as the transom or if the motor is sitting "square" to the transom? I have no idea where to actually start as this is the first pontoon I've ever had. Any help or advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks
The engine started & ran just fine so I headed out past the no wake bouy. Once beyond that I gave it a little throttle & then advance it up to about 1/4 & just started cruising. I noticed I had to hold the steering wheel to the left but didn't think much about it UNTIL I happened to turn the wheel loose to light a smoke. When I did, the boat immediatly started a right hand turn that was pretty sudden. After getting it back on course, I advanced the throttle to maybe 3/4 & in doing so I had to hold a LOT or left pressure on the wheel to get it going straight. What gives??
This engine is not the original one that came on the boat & I have no idea if it was ever set up correctly or anything else about it other then it starts & runs really good & seems to have lots of power. Is there a way I can check this problem out with the boat sitting on dry land? I know there is a trim tab on the botom of the skeg & my experience flying planes tells me I need to move the trim to the left to help correct this problem. CAn I "shim" the motor?Is there anything else I can check out as far as the transom or if the motor is sitting "square" to the transom? I have no idea where to actually start as this is the first pontoon I've ever had. Any help or advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks