Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

[elark7]

After reading several other posts I am not sure which would be better, Hydrofoil or Trim Tabs (no specific brand is important, since opinions vary). On full Throttle the front of my boat comes out of the water about 2-3 feet. This is with me, my two sons, and tackle, in the seats. The top of my transom is just out of the water. It never planes except at half throttle. Before anyone asks neither I nor my sons are over weight, about 300 pounds total. I moved my eldest to the bow but that made little difference. If it is tabs should they be adjustable or fixed?

 

[elark7]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

Sorry it is a tri hull.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

After youhave tried to distribute the weight and adjust the trim.If it still has problems go with something like Smart Tabs many have had excellent results.
You might consider the possibility your boat has absorbed water possibly in the flotation foam or even in the fiberglass.You could try weighing it to see if it seems especially heavy.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

You have something bad wrong dude. A 40 should run a 14' boat 30 to 35 mph with that load. Water absorption is a good candidate especially if it is an older boat using an air chamber for floatation.....lot of those old chambers were WATER chambers after a few years. BTDT.

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

Been thinking about this and if you had an air chamber for flotation and it filled with water, it would all run to the stern upon hole shot and cause the "On full Throttle the front of my boat comes out of the water about 2-3 feet."

Also the added weight would cause low WOT speeds.

And at 7 lbs per gallon you can run up the weight fast.

Think about it.

Mark

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

the easiest way to find out if you are carring extra weight is to have to boat weighed at a public scale. you can go to NADA, boats and find the weight of your boat and motor, this is dry weight, no gas, or accessories or gear. weigh the boat, motor and trailer, then launch the boat, and have the trailer weighed. subtract the trailer weight and you know what your rigs actual weight is. i would do this before spending money on tabs. to me a foils screams i have a problem, and didn't want to take the time to find out what is was, and they are ugly.

 

[elark7]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

I guess I should have added the weight of two gas cans (full) and about 50 pounds of tackle, two anchors, and a full live and bait well. So about 480 pounds. The boat is rated for 960 pounds and is a 1983 Aeroglass. There was a hole in the floor for a seat that allowed me to peak in last year. There was a brown substance in it. It appeared dry last year when I went to replace the carpet, substance crumbled when I picked at it. Where should I check for water entering the Hull. The bottom has no holes or cracks, I buffed it and waxed it in June and checked to make sure I did not punch any holes in it last year. The sides also look ok. The only bad spot I have found is the top corner on the transom. It came with a piece of the glass missing on this corner (above the water line). If it is water logged how do I fix it?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

well nada doesn't list and aeroglass so that ideas shot. is this a new problem or has the boat always been this way since you have owned it. the hole leads me to think you have other problems. wet floatation, made even rotted stringers. how has it been stored uncovered outside, covered outside, inside?

 

[elark7]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

Covered outside storage in the summer(boat cover and parked in a 10 x 20 canopy) and inside during winters, since I have had it. It has always done this. The spot on the corner is only about 1/4 inch by 1/8 inch which is why I never gave it much thought.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

I never could find where mine was getting in but it sure got in there. Sounds like you are doing the right things in keeping the boat out of the weather.

So if it is waterlogged (which we are not sure of), it either gets in when you wash it, which shouldn't be all that much at a time, or when you use it. There could be some condensation caused by weather changes.

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

Re reading this thread. So now I think I see 300# of people and 480 lbs of gear for a total of 780# plus another 500 or so # worth of boat being pushed by a 40 hp engine.

It never planes except at half throttle. Does this mean that it takes half throttle to get it to plane out? If so it doesn't surprise me.

You may just be power starved after all and tabs or the like may help you keep the bow down. Is this your only desire, or do you have other aspirations? They could help you to plane out faster and remain on plane at a lower speed/power setting.

I remember the Arrowglas trihulls. Looked like several other makes of the time but being a trihull it may be heavier than my estimate.

Never saw one built but by then ('83) they were probably using sprayed in floatation and encased the stringers in f/g.....which could still leak......as that was the way they did it then.

Mark

 

[ezeke]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

Check [colour=null]fiberglassics.com[/colour]. They probably have a few owners of boats like yours in their membership.

 

[G DANE]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

If the motor is running right, I think ANY 14,5 foot will plane out with a 40. I once worked on a 16 that had a hard time to plane with a 35 on the back. Rear air chamber was filled with 300 lbs of water, from the boat was sunk once. The water will stay in there, in the foam or chamber till you get it emptied. It acted exactly as you describe, nose in the sky, the more power the higher. If your motor runs fine, start checking boat.

 

[G DANE]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

Forgot to add. Water will seek to buttom of foam and even waterlogged foam can seem dry on top. Push a sharpened thin wooden pin to the buttom, leave it for a moment, and see if it is damp when pulled up.

 

[cougar1985]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

you dont happen to have a long shaft motor on a short shaft transom??

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

good point, cougar 1985, seeing it has done this since you have owned it, i'm leaning toward waterlogged. as cougar pointed out. does your a/v plate lineup with or just a little higher than the bottom of the boat.

 

[elark7]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

Texasmark-sorry for the confusion the 480 is total, me, my sons, gas and equipment. Not 780. I am only interested in getting on plane at wot when we are going across the lake to and from our fishing spots.

So if it is waterlogged and I find that the wood pin comes out wet how do I alleviate the moisture. Short of drilling holes in the hull is there any way to remove it?

I am guessing that it is a long shaft since there is an extension plate. The prop is just below the lowest point of the hull.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

www.old-omc.de.html has a lot of pics of old omc's and you can get a super idea from there what a 25, 30, 33, or 40 can do on a small, light boat. (de is for Germany where the owner lives d )

Only way I'd know is to cut a hole in the deck, in front of the engine between the stringers would be a good place. May have to go outboard of the two main stringers and cut an additional hole on each side.....if the stringer(s) is sealed and holding the water that may be caught in the sides.

Then remove the foam and with the boat tilted way up in front, just wait for the water to puddle and dip it out. May get tired of waiting on this.

You you may or may not want to replace the deck once out. May want to leave the openings there for access later. Could make a piece of plywood to slide over them so that you could put your battery and fuel tanks on the plywood.

On the location of the prop, if you are talking about the tip of the prop you are good to go on height.

HTH,

Mark

 

[fireman57]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

I agree that there could b some serious water weight issues here but I never read where he ever tried adjusting the trim in or out.

 

[tiller7104]

Re: Planing a 14 1/2 foot with 40Hp

You have something bad wrong dude. A 40 should run a 14' boat 30 to 35 mph with that load.
Re reading this thread. So now I think I see 300# of people and 480 lbs of gear for a total of 780# plus another 500 or so # worth of boat being pushed by a 40 hp engine.

It never planes except at half throttle. Does this mean that it takes half throttle to get it to plane out? If so it doesn't surprise me.