Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

OK, so I'm a new boater and sure I have some things to learn but I have an issue with my boat that is scaring the heck out of me.

When underway, the boat leans to starboard. I haven't noticed it as much when I have a passenger and since I'm 275lb, I kind of guess it's due to my fat ***** and no counterweight on the port side when I'm solo.

It feels like I could flip whenever I make a turn to starboard. I usually go out of my way to make a big circle to port instead of a right turn. It just doesn't feel stable - particularly at high speed.

The prop is right hand rotation and the boat does not list empty.

Am I being paranoid or is this just normal and I don't have to worry so much about it flipping over? Would smart tabs help? Also, the PO really dinged up the prop. I am planning on getting a new one as soon as funds are available. Could this be contributing to the problem?

Thanks in advance. I really hope to get this solved because I ain't having no fun when I'm worried about flipping over the whole time!!

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

Your signiture says there's lots of rot. Could there be some saturated foam under the deck that's perhaps worse on the starboard side? Trim tabs could certainly help and your beat up prop certainly isn't.

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

ezmobee said:

Your signiture says there's lots of rot. Could there be some saturated foam under the deck that's perhaps worse on the starboard side? Trim tabs could certainly help and your beat up prop certainly isn't.

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Ditto!!!

Have the boat weighed.

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

are you running a hydrofoil on the motor? have you tried adjusting the try, to raise the bow?

maybe you need a center console.

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

all the above + moving what ever you can move to port to counter balance

battery and if you use the 6 gal fuel tanks are a easy place to start.

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

Thanks guys for the replies. No water in the foam that I can tell. It does sit level without me in it. No hydrofoil either. TD - a center console would certainly be better but this is what I have to work with. Would smart tabs help?

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

yes smart tabs would help but i would do all you can do with the trim and hight of your OB first as TD mintioned

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

The prop may be a factor. Does the motor have a fin/hydroil installed? Those can affect turning.

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

You need some kind of trim tabs, Smart or Bennett or whatever. You're a big guy in a smallish boat, try standing in the middle as you steer see if that corrects alot of your issues.

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

try adjusting the trim to bring the bow up, because when it is down, it cuts into the waves and sort or bogs there, causing more of a tilt. smart tabs are not going to solve the problem, adjustables like bennetts may help. as said also counter your weight the best you can. move battery to port if not already there. sit side ways, with your legs to center. i have a side console 14 foot fishing boat, i have to shift to center in the seat. not the most comfortable, but it rides much better.

Re: Leaning to starboard - scaring the He77 out of me!!

The rot suggests the bottom could be distorted or weak it is not normal to lean to starboard. Prop torque tends to create a port lean.Distortion can cause it to lean or force the bow down creating a lean to one side or the other.Bottom could appear normal and be weak enough to distort underway.