216 WT - trolling motor in, now the boat lists to port under throttle

[will2kz]

So I installed my Terrova 80 which is a 24V system, and two Group 27's in the mounting location provided by Tahoe. That's a total of about 180 pounds before tax. With a passenger in the other spot behind the windshield the boat lists to port a couple of degrees.
The same weekend as I added this I also added Smart tabs, but I am not thinking they are to blame as I couldn't have possibly botched that install job because I never make mistakes....

My next move is to adjust the left trim tab to push the boat back up on the left. I don't really want to move the batteries around, and I'm not putting the troller on the starboard side, my mounting requires the OEM spot as the boat came with the aluminum pucks already on the front deck.

I'll try to update my progress as I sort this out.

I'll also try to get some pics of the trolling install as I think it will help someone else in time.

 

[CO_FOX]

Re: 216 WT - trolling motor in, now the boat lists to port under throttle

I have a 195 Tahoe with the same type of setup. I adjusted the port Smart Tab down one more adjustment than the starboard. It did help. Enjoy your new trolling motor.

 

[AgentJ]

Re: 216 WT - trolling motor in, now the boat lists to port under throttle

What I gather from what the title says, your boat is fine until you give it a little throttle. That means something on your boat is in the water is giving your boat some drag. It could be a bent skeg, or lower unit, smart tabs not adjusted correctly. If the boat list to one side while still, then you just have the boat unbalanced. The faster you go the more drag it will create causing steering problems and very dangerous boat instability.

 

[whmoore18]

Re: 216 WT - trolling motor in, now the boat lists to port under throttle

I think your unbalanced....180lbs to one side of that boat will cause her to tilt...Try counter balancing it on the other side with say a passenger of similar weight and see if she corrects herself if not something else is wrong causing drag

 

[will2kz]

Re: 216 WT - trolling motor in, now the boat lists to port under throttle

I dont think its a bent skeg or too much drag. The skeg is new. As the boat comes out of the water it has less bouyant weight to hold it up so it become more susceptible to center of gravity problems. If you picked your boat out of the water it would likely always fall to one side, the heavier one, but if half submerged in water, it wouldn't necessarily tilt as it has bouyant weight holding it up which distributes the load. I guess the real question is will ~360 new pounds on one side of a boat that is planning out of a water cause it to list? That's my hunch but not too hard to test. I would prefer not to adjust trim tabs permanently, as balancing the boat seems like a better solution. I worry that if I fill the water tank it will just make it worse. Toying with idea of putting troller batteries under the driver dash, or finding a way to add weight to the starboard. Will play around with these ideas and report back. If others have had a lean after installing a big trolling motor and batteries let me know.....

 

[will2kz]

Re: 216 WT - trolling motor in, now the boat lists to port under throttle

So this weekend I move the port trim tab from 3 to 4. With no one in the boat but the full complement of trolling accessories it would get to plane pretty level. With the family on board it tips to port again. If I moved my 60 pound son to starboard it helps some. So maybe it is just me, but are your boats susceptible to a lot of leaning depending on how you have it loaded with people? The 216WT is a great layout but behind the windshield you can only get one person on starboard and about 4-5 on the port side, which makes it hard to balance. I am planning to upgrade my cranking battery to a group 31 to add a little weight back to the starboard and added my monster 3 bank charger to that side this weekend as well.
I will also try a weekend without the trim tabs to see if they are causing this somehow. They look symmetrical by all accounts, and all the things said about getting to plane and slow water handling are true.

Maybe I just need to eat more to keep up with my family on the other side of the boat.....:facepalm:

 

[AgentJ]

Re: 216 WT - trolling motor in, now the boat lists to port under throttle

I think you solved your own problem. having too many passengers on one side will definatly tilt the boat.

 

[will2kz]

Re: 216 WT - trolling motor in, now the boat lists to port under throttle

This issue is more with the fact that after setting it up with a trolling motor, as laid out by the factory, one person on the left causes the boat to tilt to the left. I can't say how I would design it better but the port side (behind the windshield) has the water tank, room for 3 passengers, and the two trolling motor batteries. The starboard side just has the driver and the cranking battery. I know they don't assume everyone will want a 24V trolling setup, and drive around with a full tank of water, and a couple of passengers, but when you really do plan to use the boat for all it was intended you might encounter these balancing issues. If it drives me crazy, I might put the two troller batteries under the driver console and keep the water tank full to give the boat a sense of balance at all times....