Steering torque tab - A little confused

DaveJ50

Seaman
Joined
Apr 3, 2006
Messages
71
I have a 17ft riveted bass boat with a 50hp outboard and a brand new SS prop. No Tach, No Spedo.

I took my GPS with me and found my top speed is now 38 mph which is up from 34 with the aluminum prop.

I also found that I can get 39 with just an one more click of up trim but at that point the boat begins to lean left and gets hard to steer to the right.

So, I go home thinking I will adjust the torque tab on the outboard to the left (counter clock wise) to make the motor want to steer to the right and here is what I found.


My tab was set on 1.5 which looked to be just a little left of center and would only go left to 0 which was just a little farther left of center. It seems that all the adjustment (1-12) is to the right.

The extra 1MPH is not important but I would like to understand the forces at work here and what I am missing.

Thanks
 

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: Steering torque tab - A little confused

Easiest way for me to remember which way to move it is this: Standing behind the boat, you know which way the motor swings to turn the boat. Rotate the trim tab in such a direction that water pressure against it pushes the motor to swing in the direction that you want in order to assist your manual effort. Remember, it pushes against the AFT end of the motor. This is easier for me than trying to remember all the right vs left stuff which I forget an hour later.
 
D

DJ

Guest
Re: Steering torque tab - A little confused

If you let go of the steering wheel which way does your boat want to go?

In your case, it sounds like it wants to go to the left-correct?

If so, move the trailing edge of the trim tab to the left.

Always move the trailing edge of the trim tab in the direction of the "pull".
 

DaveJ50

Seaman
Joined
Apr 3, 2006
Messages
71
Re: Steering torque tab - A little confused

The steering was hard to the right which may not be the same as a pull to the left. There wasn't any pressure in the wheel to pull left, just hard to turn right.

My tab adjustment is all to the right and none to the left. It stops at 0 with the tab pretty much nuteral. It looks like the tab will only make the boat easier to turn left.

I know from paddling kayaks that a slight roll to the left will make the kayak turn or pull to the right.

I think that would explain why the tab is made to assist in left turns but doesn't explain why my boat became harder to turn right.

Not a big deal, I just hate not getting it.

Thanks
 
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