16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

jhbau1000 · Jul 28, 2007

I have a 16 ft stratos with a 90 hp Nissan. It has a 13.5'' x 16'' prop on it . My problem is when I get over 3200 rpm's at 22 mph the boat starts pulling very hard to the right and dipping over to the left side I have to trottle back to get control of it . Can anyone help me Out.

studlymandingo · Jul 28, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

Are you trimming out?

The boat would certainly benefit from a set of tabs.

kmurray802 · Jul 28, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

Doe's boat have trim-tabs?What H.P is boat rated for?Not familiar with 16 Stratos but 90 HP seems high for 16'.Is this problem something that just started for no apparent reason.Have you made any changes that could be contributing to problem?

Silvertip · Jul 28, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

Does the engine have an aftermarket hydrofoil bolted to the AV plate?

jhbau1000 · Jul 28, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

Just put this motor on this boat I took it off my 14ft bomber scout It was to much motor for it but it handled just fine. The motor has a hydro foil on it no trim tabs on boat. Do not know max hp for the stratos the bomber was 55 hp max I'd say it's some were in 70-100 hp range.

ziggy · Jul 28, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

i don't know anything about a nisson engine. but wondered, and assume it has a trim tab. zinc. if so what's it's position? i think a 90 on a 16' boat is most likely ok. had a mid 70's glastron, 16' rated at 90.........when ya say ya have to throttle back to get control. how are ya out of control?

i had issues with that glastron. rolled and lifted into port turns. i was real young and tried the trim tab at a radical angles. i lost control at speed.......chine walkin......

Does the engine have an aftermarket hydrofoil bolted to the AV plate?

oh no. not the dreaded hydrofoil.......friends don't let friends use hydrofoils....................if ya got one lose it, there's better answers than that...................

jhbau1000 · Jul 28, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

So I need to lose the hydrofoil. I'm not out of control but it feels like it may turn over when it starts dipping over to the left .

ziggy · Jul 28, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

yeah, lose the foil. if ya need low speed planin help, or porpisin help. or what ever reason. at least do smart tabs. i've never had em. but man, there ain't nobody on this board that'll say that aint the way to go to cure them kinda blues. i have had a foil and all it did for me was break my anti vent plate.....

have ya tried trim and different speeds. my aristocraft really rolls into turns (port more than starboard) when at just above planeing speeds, trim down. trim up a bit, speed up a bit and it really flatins out. more speed and the whole attitude of the boat is different. hangs onto and slides into turns. no roll or lift....trimed up and at speed.....try different ways of trim and speed.....

still the question. whats out of control for ya? v hulls lean into turns i think.....specially at lower speeds.......specially to port as thats the torque of the prop spinnin.......

steelespike · Jul 29, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

Where is the anti vent plate in relation to the bottom.Should be about even with the bottom.If the motor is too low it could handle strangely.
With the boat on the trailer sight along the bottom stern to bow and bow to stern.Does the bottom appear straight and true.Look from each side does there appear to be a hook in the bottom? Usually appear near the stern. You may want to check it with a straight edge.Are the transom and floor/bottom sound.

jhbau1000 · Jul 29, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

When removing the hydrofoil this morning I notice that One fin on the prop seems to be bent about a 1\4 '' back towards the boat

Bob_VT · Jul 29, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

Lower the mounting depth of the outboard one hole and give it a try.

jhbau1000 · Jul 29, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

The mounting depth of the outboard is as low as it can go the anti vent plate is about 2'' above the bottom of the boat.

Bob_VT · Jul 29, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

When I did some engine experiments w/my 115 on my Fisher.... I raised it one hole too far and lost steering control after I was on plane..... not to mention the stress on the steering. Dropped the entire enge down a hole and got the best of all worlds.

scrobo · Jul 29, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

I was lurching to port when I hit plane speed.

Added my new set of smart tabs this weekend and went up north.

Handles much nicer. Still feels a little weird so I am fine tuning... You will do that with the tabs... plus weight distribution and engine mouinting etc.

Buy the Smart tabs... go with the SX models.... It couldn't hurt. I had some success.

jhbau1000 · Jul 29, 2007

Re: 16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

Ok after a friend come over and we took another look at the engine we found that we could drop it down now the engine is 1'' up from the bottom of the boat I hope this helps it. Thanks for all the help on this everyone

16 Ft Stratos is hard to handle HELP!!!

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