won't go straight at low speed

[todd d]

My boat won't hold a straight line while running at low speeds. She wavers back and forth in about a 20 degree arc. I'm not talking about pulling to one side which would be a trim tab adjustment. This is holding the steering wheel in one place, and the boat strays left, then comes back to the right, then repeats.

Any ideas what may be causing this?

Thanks
Todd

 

[Maclin]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

Low speed wander, very typical of I/O boats.

 

[Bondo]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

Any ideas what may be causing this?

Ayuh,... It's a Boat....

 

[ziggy]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

Low speed wander, very typical of I/O boats.

my vhull wanders too. i did a test once just to see what would happen. i set my course across the lake and let go of the wheel. while i wandered to port then to starboard and back and forth. in the end, i was surprised to find that i mostly went where i'd set the course too. i think nature of the beast too..

 

[Bart Sr.]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

Practice making small adjustments and you will be tracking straight in no time.

 

[Bondo]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

i did a test once just to see what would happen.

Ayuh,... Did ya ever notice how it Don't seem to wander, at All in the middle of the lake,....
But wanders to beat the band when in a canal,..??
It's all about perception,...
I Try to use the wander to my advantage when Fishin',...Sorta of a built in lure speed variance...

 

[WizeOne]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

Geeeeeeeeez! When will all you esperts learn????? Get SMART TABS! I guarandamtee that they will eliminate 85-95% of his low speed bow steer problems, and I don't even get any money for them. Grrrr!

They will give you tons of other benefits as well.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

Um,

Smart Tabs don't change low speed wander at all. It's not a function of drag devices hanging off the back of the boat.

My Bennett Sporttabs don't make any difference either....up or down and I can control/adjust them from the cockpit!

It's more a function of the fact that most or all runabout boats have little or no keel. (sail boats don't wander at all.....put a deep fin on the bottom of your boat and the wander will stop!)

Don't let anyone tell you that "duo"/dual prop drives help low speed wander.....They also make no difference.

With increased speed, the deep vee will *begin* to act more like a keel and stabilize the yaw axis.


You just get used to it.......and compensate....



Cheers,


Rick

 

[Don S]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

Don't let anyone tell you that "duo"/dual prop drives help low speed wander.....They also make no difference.

That's what you get for having a Bravo III, Because those DP drives sure help Volvo's track a lot straighter than a single prop. I converted my 27' from VP single to DP. HUGE difference...... HUGE!

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

my 26ft Wellcraft wanders back & forth with DP Bravo3- make small corections as soon as it goes one way - then back the other way...I'm used to it .
Joe

 

[ziggy]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

i'll never have the bread for a real boat with dp, so...

i just do as much boating as possible, and,

You just get used to it.......and compensate....

 

[smartwork]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

Smart Tabs don't change low speed wander at all.

They did on our 19'er.

 

[QC]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

My Bennett Sporttabs don't make any difference either....up or down and I can control/adjust them from the cockpit!

Give that another try Rick . . . I have sort of K-plane knock offs (big surface and long) and they make a huge difference with low speed wander. I also had Bennett tabs on the previous boat, but it was only 20.5 ft. They helped with her too.

I have tested up and down over and over, very noticeable to the point of almost not having to correct at all . . .

 

[coastalcruiser]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

Don S
That's what you get for having a Bravo III, Because those DP drives sure help Volvo's track a lot straighter than a single prop. I converted my 27' from VP single to DP. HUGE difference...... HUGE!

Yup + 1

I have bennet trim tabs, adjust them all the way down, it works. if ya run the motor a little faster, 1000 rpms that seems to help

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

my 26ft Wellcraft wanders back & forth with DP Bravo3- make small corections as soon as it goes one way - then back the other way...I'm used to it .
Joe

Low speed wander in any boat, deep-v or otherwise, is not due to the brand of drive, that pushes the hull thru the water, how much drag you symmetrically apply at the stern, how many sea anchors you drag, or the whether the moon is in vernal equinox with Mars.....

Boats (with no keel) are longitudinally unstable at slow speed...They're still unstable at higher speed just not as bad...... All it takes is a little roll from side to side to change the drag from one side to the other to get it started wandering....

Every boat I have had from outboards to I/O's has done it, My brothers newest (Nautique inboard) ski boat does it.

I don't even notice it anymore....

 

[alumi numb]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

you can't even walk or run a straight line for any given distance.
your going to ask a boat to do that?

 

[todd d]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

I figured out the solution, don't go slow!!

Thanks for all the comments and discussion.

 

[Big Boat Bay Buster]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

I thought all boats wander.
Smart tabs don't help with anything on my 21' Horizon. I'm not saying they are no good, just use them on a boat no bigger than 19'

 

[Apollo75]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

I always thought it was because of the beer

The other day in fact mine wallered all the way back to the dock --- we get a lot of wind with those long 2 foot rollers that break white on top --- they always seem to be parallel to the direction I'm going --- the bow goes up the roller rolls under the stern and the boat wallers ---- my wifes eyes started looking like this

I could have changed my angle of attack ---


Enough said:

OFM

 

[WELLCRAFT707]

Re: won't go straight at low speed

If U Are A True Boater U Kno About The Low Speed Wonder So Man Up And Pull Ur Panties Out Ur Bottom And Just Deal With It...... I Been Driving Boats So Long And Everyone I Had Has Done This Im Just Used To It And I Know How To Drive Them Even With Hundreds Of Other Boats Around Me...... "lake Havasu"