Boat leaning left

[ctf58]

I just got a 1996 16? Stratos 258 with a Evinrude 70hp motor.
This boat came with a Sting Ray hydrofoil on it. I think the reason was because the previous owner and his son were both well over 275lbs each. I like the way I get on plane fast now, but, the boat leans to the left so bad on take off that it scares the crap out of my wife. When on plane it gets better as I trim up. When I get to the point of trimming up and it starts to porpoise I'll trim down to calm things down but there is still a noticeable lean to the left and the boat pulls to the right. If i allow the boat to turn to the right it levels out. I've really tried to make sure the boat is balanced. Same battery on each side, gas tank in center 2 people within 30 lbs one on each side. Could it be the hydrofoil? I measured it last night and it is dead cantered on the vent plate. The trim tab was move over so the rear of the tab was to the right a little so I move it to center and the boat pulled more to the right with the same lean issue.
The foil has a nick on the right tip and is missing about 1 inch along the trailing edge about 1/2 inch deep into the foil. I read about the smart tab but the money is not in my pocket right now and probably will not be until spring, plus i think my speedo and transducers are going to be in the spots for the tabs.
What do you guys think??

 

[licketdsplit756]

Re: Boat leaning left

take that darn hydrofoil off of there there a accident waiting to happen. stress on your lower unit. steering problems. they should be outlawed. get rid of it. then try again. i believe you will find a noticable difference right off. unless your boat for some reason has sat in the water where it filled up with water and was left that way to wear it saturated the wood inside causeing a hugh weight difference to the port or starburt. there really is no other reason seeing how you have balanced out all your componenets. and that the engine is centered...i see no other reason for the leaning problem. leave the boat out in the dirrect sun for a week to dry the wood if nessasary. then try again. been there done that.

 

[ctf58]

Re: Boat leaning left

boat has not set in the water. Last owner garaged it and it sets outside under a cover for 3 weeks. I am going to try it without the foil, but, I do like the holeshot. It is nice to get up on plane quickly so I can see where I am going.

 

[pmat1]

Re: Boat leaning left

I gained 15 mph when i took my hydrofoil off, and my motor steered MUCH better.

 

[Splat]

Re: Boat leaning left

Sounds like prop torque.

Is there a list while the boat is just floating and not underway?

Bill

 

[ctf58]

Re: Boat leaning left

no list while just floating. Do you think the foil is exaggerating the prop torque? I can not believe that this is except-able and the boat always did it. It has got to be something added or changed since the boat was built. Or am I being naive. I do not see anything really wrong with the skeeg, but it does have a bent end. I mean maybe 1/2" of bend to the left at the bottom where I'm guessing the other owner dinged it on a ramp or something.

 

[nitsuj]

Re: Boat leaning left

I'm shocked the hydrofoils are getting such a bad rap here. I thought there were pretty accepted. They seem pretty popular. So, for the benefit of people like me who have never used one, can you guys explain what they are supposed to do, and why they are so bad? I'm not trying to hijack the thread, I think it goes right along with the OP's question. I was considering using one on my boat. I may rethink that.

 

[bondomerchant]

Re: Boat leaning left

i think there sorta a bandaid myself had one on my old larson an took it off it just sorta screwed it all up but know other people that swear up an down on theres i guess it just depends on the boatgave the ol larson a nice hole shot but....made it hard ta steer an slowed it down quiet a bit not worth it to me

 

[Splat]

Re: Boat leaning left

Foils or DoleFins do get a bad wrap. However they do have their place. I believe there use on small tinnys is acceptable, however not on high speed boats(like bass boats) or even boats like 16 ft bow riders.

Foils place lots of stress on the lower unit and especially on the ventilation plate. This has been known to cause stress fractues on the leg.

Some people have reported speed loos due to additional grag caused by them, however some argue that the performance increase with a holeshot off sets this.

Finally the biggest complaint is handling safety. These things act like wings under water. When you get the boat up on plane the amount of the hull that is touching water is very small, this is referred to as the "pad". Combine the small hull surface on the pad, plus a big underwater wing and things like turning, moderate chop, and chine walking can quickly go from a nuiscance to uncontrollable.

On a final note to be fair. Many members here including myself recommend smart tabs. They work much better than any foil out there with out the side effects minus one, beaching on sand needs some care. The product is manufactured right here in Ohio. Also they have SUPERB customer service, with the company owner a regular member on these forums. Its hard to find these qualities in a product in thiis day and age so we tend to lean towards them. Did I mention they work.

Bill

 

[Mel Taylor]

Re: Boat leaning left

I had something of the same problem for years on my 14 ft Mirrocraft W/30 HP Evinrude. Sounds like it was set up about the way yours is. Always had a hard pull to the right and leaned. I tried moving batteries around, tried adjusting the trim tab, all kinds of stuff. Nothing helped. Still did the same thing. Didn't seem to matter how many people I had in the boat.

In fact, now that I think of it, I believe it did the same thing with the 25 horse Johnson I originally had on the boat and ran for ten years.

I always had the gas tank (six gallon portable) centered more or less about a third of the boat length forward of the transom. When I was carrying two tanks on one of the bigger lakes I fish, the fullest one was always in that place.

One day I needed room in the middle of the boat for something I was transporting for someone else. I moved the tank to the very back of the boat, behind the rear bench seat, and turned it sideways instead of longways. That cured everything. No more hard pulling and no more leaning. Like having a different boat. I couldn't believe the difference.

I'm not suggesting you have the exact same problem but I am saying it may be something that you wouldn't ordinarily suspect. Like moving something forward or aft instead of side to side.

 

[ctf58]

Re: Boat leaning left

Mel, My tank is 12 gallons fixed in place in the compartment just in front of my transom. It has a battery holder fixed in place on either side. So I can not move any of that stuff.

I'm going to measure today to make sure the motor is centered and square. It has never been moved from the original location(NO extra holes in Transom), but, rough measurements last night looked like the motor's transom mount was over 1" to the right of center. I doubt this would cause my boat to lean to the left, but I do not understand why a motor would be mounted off center.

This is just a small fiberglass Bass boat

ctf58

 

[LIQUID PROZAC]

Re: Boat leaning left

boat has not set in the water. Last owner garaged it and it sets outside under a cover for 3 weeks. I am going to try it without the foil, but, I do like the holeshot. It is nice to get up on plane quickly so I can see where I am going.

get some smart tabs to help with getting up on plane and get rid of the hydrofoil

 

[rbh]

Re: Boat leaning left

what would happen if you moved your fuel tank (if you can) as well as anything thats heavy to the centre?
sort of balance out the weight.
rob

 

[ctf58]

Re: Boat leaning left

what would happen if you moved your fuel tank (if you can) as well as anything thats heavy to the centre?
sort of balance out the weight.
rob

?I've really tried to make sure the boat is balanced. Same battery on each side, gas tank in center 2 people within 30 lbs one on each side.? ? My tank is 12 gallons fixed in place in the compartment just in front of my transom. It has a battery holder fixed in place on either side. So I can not move any of that stuff.?

 

[ctf58]

Re: Boat leaning left

get some smart tabs to help with getting up on plane and get rid of the hydrofoil

"I read about the smart tab but the money is not in my pocket right now and probably will not be until spring, plus i think my speedo and transducers are going to be in the spots for the tabs."