traveler comet cant plane

martin1038

Recruit
Joined
Aug 19, 2011
Messages
5
Bought 64 comet last year with a late 60's merc 50hp outboard. Had it out last year and again this summer, motor tested great - compresion good, throttle cable positioned well, carbs functioning well - Motor runs great but no matter the trim position i cant seem to get the boat to plane with more than one person in it. Last mechanic i had it to suggested i may have a hull hook. After researching and testing there doesnt seem to be a noticeable hook anywhere. I have seen models with a stern drive but switching isnt really an option. The 50 horse should zip this boat along but cant seem to figure it out. Im pushing water and barely getting 5mph out of it. First time on the forum and any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

martin1038

Recruit
Joined
Aug 19, 2011
Messages
5
Re: traveler comet cant plane

ok - so im off the hull hook idea... took the boat out by myself and it struggled at first to get on plane but when it did - boat took off to over 20mph, which is the fastest ive ever had the boat travel.
with 2 people it felt like the boat wanted to get up but just couldnt rock over the edge.
so now two things to try -
1 - going to try putting some weight in the bow of the boat to see if that may help. dont know the wisdom of this but the pure physics of it might just work. besides, pretty easy to try. going to start with 2 sand bags.
2 - been investigating "smart tabs" - trim tabs (http://www.nauticusinc.com/smart_tabsSX.htm). May be a $150 + one hour fix for the problem. anybody needed or tried trim tabs on their traveler?

any input, from anybody would be appreciated.
will give the sandbags a shot and keep you posted!
happy boating!
 

TOY BOAT

Seaman
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
50
Re: traveler comet cant plane

I have similar issues. Too much weight in the stern is my guess. You would have engine, fuel, battery and troller if equipped, and You.
I have a 15' with a 15 hp, and with my wife and I, we hit 23mph.
I am trying moving the wife forward, and adding a 50 lb bag of sand this coming weekend.
SSPX0232.jpg
 

martin1038

Recruit
Joined
Aug 19, 2011
Messages
5
Re: traveler comet cant plane

toy boat - love the pic and thanks for your response!!!
Well - out to try it again this morning but no luck so far. I too have put sand bags in the front - about 50lbs - as far forward as i can go. There is a noticeable difference with the sand bags, but it seems that it is plowing (more or less) rather than getting up on plane. Have adjusted the fixed trim settings up and down to see if that would make a difference but all it seems to change is the magnitude of squatting rather than whether or not it will plane. I think i am going to put the trim tabs on it in the coming weeks to see if i can get the stern lifted and give it a go in late fall and if that doesnt work - up for sale she goes and i chalk this one up to a learning experience.
 

martin1038

Recruit
Joined
Aug 19, 2011
Messages
5
Re: traveler comet cant plane

got it to plane once. its like it has one burst of energy the first time 'round and then doesnt have enough spunk to get up successive times. trim tabs it is.
 
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