Water over the stern

[eclark53520]

My new bass boat(1979 Ranger 158V) does something that concerns me

She gets out of the hole great(1977 Johnson 70HP the boat is rated for a 90) and planes out like a champ. Runs on plane like a dream and handles fantastically.

However, this is my first bass boat, and being the nature of a bass boat its very low to the water. So when i come down off plane, it tends to take on water over the stern. Most of the water goes into the area between the transom and the deck(picture included), which is drained out the back no problem. However some of it does make it onto the deck.

Is this normal? Can i do something to stop it?

Best thing i've found to do is to come off plane slowly, and hold throttle right at where it comes off plane, that way when it drops down in, it sort of rides the wake and it doesn't come over the stern as much.

If i just drop it into neutral from on plane, it takes on a lot of water.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Water over the stern

Don't just chop the throttle coming off plane. Do as you do but slower. You might also experiment more with trim as well. If you are trimmed out (up) as you come off plane the bow will go high causing the stern to settle deeper. Slow a bit, trim in, then continue to slow down.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Water over the stern

Don't just chop the throttle coming off plane. Do as you do but slower. You might also experiment more with trim as well. If you are trimmed out (up) as you come off plane the bow will go high causing the stern to settle deeper. Slow a bit, trim in, then continue to slow down.

No power trim I'm 1 hole from trimmed all the way in. Which going to the last hole makes the boat plow too much.


I guess i'm just so used to larger run-abouts where you can just chop the throttle and not even have to worry about it.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Water over the stern

i just got a regular closed bow vhull, i/o. but i never just chop the throttle. my worry is the oncoming wave that pushes water up my exhaust system. different problem. but cured the same way. come off plane slower w/o chopping the throttle, staying ahead of the wave that's overtaking you. so i agree w/silvertip..

 

[JimS123]

Re: Water over the stern

When you drive your car you don't slam on the brakes 50' before the stop sign - the guy behind you might hit you.

When you're in your boat and you do that the wave behind you hits you...LOL. If you don't have power trim then usually the motor will fly up in the air and then slam down on the transom. The little kid in the front seat will probably slide forward off the seat and fall on the floor. Your beer will spill. Lots of reasons for coming to a controlled stop in a boat.

 

[109jb]

Re: Water over the stern

The above comments would keep water from getting on the deck in the first place, but what you describe is common and I would say actually accepted on bass boats. Basically, it is normal. You can keep doing it the way you have been and the water that gets in and doesn't run out can be pumped out using the bilge pump. However the more water you can keep out of the inside of the boat the less your risk of rotting wood components as most older boats still have some wood in them.

 

[109jb]

Re: Water over the stern

BTW, that Johnson tripple is a great engine. I wish I still had mine. Never had to do a thing to it in 10 years of ownership. Not like the Merc I have now.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Water over the stern

When you drive your car you don't slam on the brakes 50' before the stop sign - the guy behind you might hit you.

When you're in your boat and you do that the wave behind you hits you...LOL. If you don't have power trim then usually the motor will fly up in the air and then slam down on the transom. The little kid in the front seat will probably slide forward off the seat and fall on the floor. Your beer will spill. Lots of reasons for coming to a controlled stop in a boat.

Agreed.

I noticed this for the first time when i was on a new lake, and running at cruising speed, i noticed the bottom was coming up extremely quickly even though we were not near the bank yet(new lake to me), i chopped the throttle and a couple drops of water hit me....looked back and realized that the rear deck was quite wet.

I normally come to a stop in a controlled manor however, i didn't have time to do so that particular time.

Even when i come off plane slowly, i still get some water in(what is that area called anyway) the glassed area in front of the transom.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Water over the stern

BTW, that Johnson tripple is a great engine. I wish I still had mine. Never had to do a thing to it in 10 years of ownership. Not like the Merc I have now.

I'm really starting to like this engine as well.

For being as old as it is, it still has fantastic compression and starts up every time no problem. The problems i was having with it at the beginning of owning it, i'm beginning to chalk up to bad gas...as soon as i put new gas in, the problems pretty much went away.

Have no clue how fast it goes, the on board speedo says 30 at WOT and fully loaded, but i know those are optimistic by a long shot so i'm thinking low 20's or so.

Gets me where i want to go, i'm in no hurry while relaxing and fishing.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Water over the stern

Maybe fabricate a section of plywood, fiberglass, whatever, to go across that open area to help keep the water from coming in? You could make something that would just slip down on that cross piece and be easily removable for cleaning or servicing that area. Might make you feel better not having that Tsunami coming in the back of your boat when you slow down. Good Luck!

 

[cwhite6]

Re: Water over the stern

Agreed. Even when i come off plane slowly, i still get some water in(what is that area called anyway) the glassed area in front of the transom.

I believe it is called the splashwell, and for good reason.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Water over the stern

Eclark, I think that is unusual for a boat with that low HP and low weight motor. Is the transom area of the boat floating at the correct height, or do you have extra weight or waterlogged foam in the stern?

Hey Ziggy, MerCruiser I/O have exhaust shutters to keep water from entering the manifold when cutting the throttle. They also have risers to keep the water out as well.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Water over the stern

Maybe fabricate a section of plywood, fiberglass, whatever, to go across that open area to help keep the water from coming in? You could make something that would just slip down on that cross piece and be easily removable for cleaning or servicing that area. Might make you feel better not having that Tsunami coming in the back of your boat when you slow down. Good Luck!

I don't mind water getting into that area at all. I believe thats why its there, is to catch any water that happens to come over the stern and keep it off the deck. Covering that area would cause all the water to end up on the deck.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Water over the stern

Eclark, I think that is unusual for a boat with that low HP and low weight motor. Is the transom area of the boat floating at the correct height, or do you have extra weight or waterlogged foam in the stern?

The boat sits pretty level in the water while at rest.

I'm pretty sure the foam int he back of the boat is sealed in fiberglass, so if it is wet, i would have to remove a lot of structural glass to figure it out.

There is quite a bit of weight in the rear of the boat. Both batteries, the gas tank, a storage area as well as the live well. The cockpit seats are further up, but still behind the centerline of the boat....

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Water over the stern

I see bass boats with clear plastic spashguards imnstalled . They are great for backtrolling also. Iam not quite sure how they are installed but they come up and angle back a little bit.

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Water over the stern

We have a 15ft bass boat that does that also. Never been of any concern to me, we just dont get off plane so quickly. Ease off the throttle and it will not do it. If Im on plane and go straight to N water will come all the way up to my back, just an annoyance more than anything.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Water over the stern

Google these for ideas.... Wavewacker backtroller splashguards or Whitecap Do a research on = Backtrolling splashguards I think you can come up w sumtn

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Water over the stern

I see bass boats with clear plastic spashguards imnstalled . They are great for backtrolling also. Iam not quite sure how they are installed but they come up and angle back a little bit.

http://www.wavewackers.com/

This product is designed to prevent water from breaching the stern. Walleye fishermen that backtroll use these to prevent splashing, but they also solve your problem for the most part. Still best to throttle down slowly.

If you don't want to ever experience this phenomenon, buy a Starcraft aluminum boat, biggest splashwells known to mankind. I have yet to get any water in the boat from decceleration, and I've tried

 

[Freddybnj_2004]

Re: Water over the stern

What I've been doing for years is as you come off plane and cut the throttle turn your head backward and watch the wave as it gets close I usally give the throttle a quick flip foward then shutdown... it will launch the boat forward a little and avoid the crest of the wave... (Don't gun it.. just a quick little burst of throttle enough to propel the boat maybe 2 - 4 feet... and that should be enough to disperse the wave enough where it wont come over the stern.. I along with most of my friends and family have been doing this for as long as I've owned boats and it works perfectly... (It will take a couple of times to get used to how much throttle but you'll pick it up quick!)

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Water over the stern

http://www.wavewackers.com/

This product is designed to prevent water from breaching the stern. Walleye fishermen that backtroll use these to prevent splashing, but they also solve your problem for the most part. Still best to throttle down slowly.

If you don't want to ever experience this phenomenon, buy a Starcraft aluminum boat, biggest splashwells known to mankind. I have yet to get any water in the boat from decceleration, and I've tried

Have a starcraft Holiday I/O, thats why this kinda surprised me. I've always gone from on plane to neutral and the boat just sits and no problems.

Thanks for all the help everyone! If it gets to be a problem i'll look into those splash guards (apparently this is a common issue), otherwise i'll just continue to throttle down slowly and that should alleviate most of the problem.