leaning to starboard at higher speeds

[mike64]

So today I took out my '71 Saf-t-Mate I recently bought. She floats! Seems to sit in the water just fine. No listing at rest.

One thing that concerned me though-- when I open her up, get going pretty fast, not even WOT but maybe 2/3, there's a pronounced lean to starboard. Now I could lose 20 lbs but I'm around 190, not 390. Other than me, the weight in the boat is distibuted pretty well.

My prop spins right going forward (that is, clockwise looking at it from the stern). One thing I noticed, the way the motor is mounted, it's tilted just slightly looking at it from the stern-- the cowling tilted toward port, the lower toward starboard. If the motor wanted to level itself at speed so it was perpendicular to earth, it would lean the boat to starboard.

I did some searching for boats leaning or listing at speed and read about trim tabs, or smart tabs to control this issue. What are they and could they be easily retrofitted to an old glass boat if that would solve this issue?

 

[ziggy]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

so how big is yer saf-t-mate? vhull, trihull?

my aristocraft is pretty weight sensitive. i need to have it distributed even or i list one way or the other. even just me in it and i list to starboard a bit..... i'm 170 in a 19' vhull....

maybe try a run with yer friend with ya to balance it out a bit. see how that conter effects your weight.... see if it strightens up....?

 

[mike64]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

Ziggy, it's a 16' vhull.

I think it's more than just me weighing down the starboard side-- the lean is not too bad until I get up to speed.

 

[crb478]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

Is there a reason that your motor is tilted? It should be perpendicular to the top of the transom and straight with the center line of the boat. I guess it is possible that the boat had a torque thrust problem which would make it tilt to the port so someone tilted the motor to try to correct that. I think that I would try to ensure that may engine was set up at the right angle and height first and see how it runs. If there is still a tilting problem I would see if redistributing weight would help or but some smart tabs and set them up to help with the problem. I would probably buy the smart tabs anyway, but I would dial in the boat as well as I could before I put them on.

 

[mike64]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

crb478, I bought her that way. Don't know if it was set up tilted for a reason. Seems to be mounted flush to the transom. I attached a pic showing the tilt of the motor.

 

[crb478]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

I would try to remount the motor and make sure it is at a 90 degree angle to the transom and that the anticavitation plate is even with or just slightly above the bottom of the boat. Then test how she runs and handles before you spend any money on any other fixes. You may not need trim tabs, but even if you do you want everything else to be set up right first.

 

[mike64]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

crb478-- ok, will do, thanks.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

I'm assuming there is no power trim but you may want to just raise the tilt of the motor by raising the tilt pin one notch and try it, could be sitting low in the bow causing it fall over to the one side that's heavier (the side where the extra 190 lbs is )

 

[QC]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

I totally agree with crb, that cain't be right. Get her setup correctly and then start with tweaks etc. But as it is you're starting out messed up . . .

 

[mike64]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

Thanks QC, yeah, I'll be working on her Saturday then weather permitting maybe I can take her out Sunday and try again.

 

[JCF350]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

I just looked at the pic- Holy cow!!!

 

[mike64]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

Is the tilt on the motor THAT bad? I'm new to this boating thing. I did notice it, but I figured first things first-- let's get her in the water, see if she floats and goes forward and backward (the forward and backward part is another issue I posted on in the Johnson forum).

 

[F_R]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

I can't see anybody accidently getting it that lopsided. They were probably trying to correct the tilt to one side. Didn't work, did it? There must be some irregularity to the bottom of your boat. If anything, it should be trying to tilt the other way from engine torque.

 

[JCF350]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

I can't see anybody accidently getting it that lopsided.

Could be a reflection of how much beer was involved though. Hang out around Citra and you can see plenty examples of differences between a six pack job and one that took a case or two.

 

[QC]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

Having some previous service experience, I don't underestimate how badlly anybody can mess up anything . . .

 

[ziggy]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

well, that does look like a 2 case of beer job to me too.... my goodness.
i'll certainly go along with everyone else. set that ob up proper.... then recheck for yer list.....

 

[mike64]

Re: leaning to starboard at higher speeds

Thanks for all the replies...I'll work on getting it straightened out this weekend.