Bass boat leans

D

D. Andrews

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2005 Nitro 170LX with 05 mercury 90, boat is new to me.

So you start easing the throttle forward with the trim all the way down, about the time it starts to plane, it leans starboard a lot, even with trimming the motor up. Each time this happened I would back off the throttle since it was quite um scary when this happened. Not today, today I pushed the throttle past where I had been letting off, trimmed to mid position and it leveled off and was fine after until I backed off the throttle again, and it leaned again, a lot, just at a much higher speed.

It does this even with people sitting on the port side, still leans starboard but I never pushed through it for the sake of risking the passengers.

Current boat stats are the motor trim tab at the 0 degree position, fuel tank is aft and runs the width of the boat with 3/4 tank, live wells were empty, driver on starboard side weighing 230lbs, other weight distributed evenly.

Is this just this boats quirk or is something wrong? I have never had a boat act this way. I have even considered adding trim tabs to help combat this but in my mind it shouldn't do this............D...........
 
Could be quite a few issues there. I don't know where you are in Miserablesippi but there are a LOT of bass fishermen around that can help you out. Find a local bass club or check with a dealer in your area for some bass boaters in your area. They should be able to take a look at it, maybe a ride, and help you straighten it out. Good luck with it. I know there are a lot of Bass boaters in the West Point/Starkeville/Columbus area. That's my Mom's home area.
 
quote:
Originally posted by D. Andrews

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That's scary! My fish/ski combo with a 150 Evinrude will porpoise if I trim out too much, too soon, but it doesn't lean. When you say "lean" is it a roll to stbd or more of a yaw? Do you have a skeg anode on your lower unit? Is it tight?

ETA: Here's a link to a discussion board that says what I'm trying to ask much better...and it has pics! Check out post 14 for pics.
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gene...03-boat-leaning-to-port-while-at-plane-speeds
 
That shouldn't be happening. Certainly not enough to be concerning. Did you ask the previous owner about this issue? Have you or did he, change the prop? I have a 1997 Nitro with a 120 merc and have fished on several bass boats over the years. Bow rise is common but not leaning. Let us know what you find out.
 
quote:
Originally posted by speedo

quote:
Originally posted by D. Andrews

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That's scary! My fish/ski combo with a 150 Evinrude will porpoise if I trim out too much, too soon, but it doesn't lean. When you say "lean" is it a roll to stbd or more of a yaw? Do you have a skeg anode on your lower unit? Is it tight?

ETA: Here's a link to a discussion board that says what I'm trying to ask much better...and it has pics! Check out post 14 for pics.
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gene...03-boat-leaning-to-port-while-at-plane-speeds

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Thanks Speedo, I read every post and sounds like the same problem just opposite side. Mine is currently in the 0 degree position so next time out will move it slightly starboard and see if that helps.

The prop is the original or at least an oem replacement, the part number matches what it calls for.

Cant ask the previous owner about it, boat was barley used and garage kept until his passing.

quote:


Could be quite a few issues there. I don't know where you are in Miserablesippi but there are a LOT of bass fishermen around that can help you out. Find a local bass club or check with a dealer in your area for some bass boaters in your area. They should be able to take a look at it, maybe a ride, and help you straighten it out. Good luck with it. I know there are a lot of Bass boaters in the West Point/Starkeville/Columbus area. That's my Mom's home area.

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I did not know you were familiar with this area, had no idea. My BIL has the same engine on a deep V and his doesn't do this. I have asked other bass boaters about it and none of them have ever herd of this or see it.

As far as concerning, If you back the throttle off you can touch the water from the drivers seat with you arm straight out, it leans a lot.

So sounds like the plan is to adjust the trim tab to starboard and see if that effects it any. If I cant get that out then I just buy a set of trim tabs for it.............D.......
 
Second thing that came to mind: Is the Motor mounted Squarely and Tight?

First thing: I pray there isn't a weak stringer in the hull, transom flexing enough to form a "hook" (hollow) in one side of the boat bottom. A "hook bottom" pulls the bow down, so I can only thing a "hook" in one side would pull one side down. Worse under hard acceleration or full throttle... Again, pray not!
 
My bass boat is the same size as yours, just 16 years older with a 115 Yamaha 2-stroke. Do you have a sonar transducer mounted on the port side of the transom. I bought a new Lowrance Elite 7Ti with a BIG totalscan transducer (broadband/downscan/and sidescan all in one) last spring. This transducer is about 10" long and 2.5" wide. The mounting bolts that hold the transducer plate to the transom plate come loose and allow the transducer to drop its angle down acting like a trim tab on that side. When it does this, it really upsets the balance of the boat much like you describe.

I'd also check the transom itself to make sure its sound and not rotten and flexing. Trim the motor up and push up and down on the lower unit. If the transom flexes with the motor bracket, you've got an expensive problem.

Also, unless your boat has hydraulic steering, your trim fin on the motor should have the rear of it pointed a little to the starboard, but I wouldn't think this would cause the boat to lean, just make it harder to steer. It wouldn't cost anything to try it though.
 
Where are the batteries stored? If stbd side , can you move them well to port?
As others suggest, next time the boat is out of the water, take a really good look at each side of the hull bottom shape, particularly where the trailer's supports push against it, and anything mounted there. And look for any dents or difference in any chines, strakes.

Note, fuel tanks with long side beamwise/perpendicular to the keel/centerline can allow fuel to have substantial changing affect on side trim as the liquid moves downhill . Some tanks don't even have baffles to slow that effect. What is the the tank capacity? Gas weighs very roughly 6 lbs/gal.
Next time it happens, you might try a long turn to port to get the port side lower for long enough to see if the transfer of fuel to that side makes a noticeable difference in beamwise trim, at least temporarily.
Is it possible the tank is not presently mounted level side to side, or loose or closer to one side than the other?

Any chance there are underdeck compartment(s) which are holding water , not pumping out?

What you described could easily be caused by liquid transfer underway.

I wouldn't think having the O/B's trim anode set at 0* would normally be appropriate for a single motor installation. But it has been a long time since I've dealt with those. Is it a lot easier to turn the wheel in one direction than the other?
 
Thanks for the responses!!

The motor is square and straight, and the transom is solid. I haven't had the boat back in the water yet due to weather/health issues so I haven't had a chance to play with the tab yet, it is sitting at 0 though.

I have the factory original transducer on the rear starboard side, and not very big either. Batteries are all aft, and 2 port, one starboard placement. Fuel tank is across the centerline, not sure if it has baffles or not. Only liquid is the live wells and I plugged them off last time out just to see, didn't make any difference.

Slow fuel flow to one side seems to be the most likely, will have to look into that a bit more closely next time out. I think it is a 25 gallon tank but not positive...........D.........
 
Transducer should be port side to operate best, but that has no bearing on your issues. Something not right but I don't have a clue without actually seeing the boat. Best of luck.
 
quote:
Originally posted by gaineso

Transducer should be port side to operate best, but that has no bearing on your issues. Something not right but I don't have a clue without actually seeing the boat. Best of luck.

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Don't you mean stbd. side is preferred if it is a T/M T/D installed on a single engine boat w/ R/H prop?

http://www.gemeco.com/custom/docs/P66Install.pdf ( Identical to the Airmar installation guide.)
 
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