Bow plowing at high speed.

[JimS123]

Yeah, I'm more than happy with the speed. It's a little too fast I think, I'll have to get used to it. I'm just concerned with the safety of plowing at high speeds..

Plowing at high speed is UNsafe.

 

[Stinnett21]

Prop gurus are always talking about bow lifting vs stern lifting props. Can't tell exactly what yours is but you might post it on the prop forum and ask what it's characteristics are. It may be that a prop noted for its bow lifting properties could help. Just a thought.

 

[sms986]

It's a quicksilver laser 2. Didn't get the S/n, too dark out..

 

[Captain Caveman]

Keep the trim all the way in when getting on plane. Once the boat is on plane, trim the motor out/up until you can hear the prop breaking the surface, then trim it back in a little. The steering will be swirly and a just of wind can blow you off course, but it should pull the bow up.

My 2008 Alumacraft has similar scrapes and dents from hitting rocks and/or ice breaking. I don't see anything on the hull that would affect how it rides except for just slightly reducing your top end speed.

 

[sms986]

Going back out of town this weekend. Will post an update when I take it out next.

 

[sms986]

Hooked!

 

[QBhoy]

Hi. Likely someone has mentioned before me...but it’s very obvious from the picture of the hull, that you have hooks in the rear of the hull. Very typical of some boats like this. What you described is exactly what a hooked hull does. Typically they hit a wall of performance at around 3/4 throttle and won’t go much past that beyond it. In fact, the more throttle beyond that point, their very design means they will push the bow further down into the water with more throttle. Up side is that they plane much quicker with moderate power.

 

[LundAngler1650]

I'm not a boat performance expert by any means, but if it was me, run it at about 3/4 throttle, trim up and up till it starts to porpoise mildly, then trim back down a little bit. Just listening to the engine you should be able to hear the rpm picking up as you trim up, because the hull is getting freer from the water, and the boat is picking up speed, letting the engine rpm rise to. About as loose as you can get before it porpoises is a good place to cruise. A 90 on that boat should be plenty of power, and in an ideal world, you don't want to cruise at 100% throttle anyway. Cruising at 75% is awesome, enjoy it, and the less stress on the engine, and reduced fuel burn from running wide open.

 

[sms986]

@LundAngler1650 I agree. 3/4 may actually be too much for me. However, it is evident from that picture that the hook is pretty bad, and it's got a steep grade. That's going to even further drive the low to high pressure transition at the transom. I can cruise at 3/4 throttle all day long. The issue is that I don't think it's safe. It really doesn't feel right. The steering is pretty wompy on it. Straight line at 3/4 is fine, but the boat feels like it digs during a turn then it will all of the sudden kick out and slide. I do not like that at all and I can contribute that to the hook in the transom although there are no strakes on this hull, just the keel. I trimmed up and up until it cavitates, but when it's trimmed up enough to plane the steering is very tough to handle.

Not sure what to do here, thinking of ways to get the hook out or at least under control.

 

[LundAngler1650]

This may be considered off topic, although I actually feel it isn't in this case. But have you considered adjusting the trailer so your boat sits further ahead, and the bunk boards are actually out past the stern slightly. Every boat and Jetski I've purchased, left me disappointed with how they sat on their trailer. All 4 were adjusted by me, till their bunk boards extended out behind the stern, which to my thinking offers support for the back. I simply loosened the winch tower, and the bunk board pivots, so they can self adjust to the hull angle, pushed the boat or jetski ahead till I had about a half Inch of the boards behind the hull, then tightened up everything I had loosened, and tied them back down. They spend so much time sitting on their trailers, or bouncing down the road, with all that weight hanging off the back, it makes me cringe to not support the part of the boat that needs it most in my opinion.
I've done the same to many friends and relatives trailers over the years.

 

[JimS123]

@LundAngler1650 I trimmed up and up until it cavitates, but when it's trimmed up enough to plane the steering is very tough to handle.

Not sure what to do here, thinking of ways to get the hook out or at least under control.

Adjust the trim tab on the engine so that you have neutral steering when trimmed up. That's the normal practice for optimizing a rig anyway.

If the hook was caused by improper loading on the trailer, fix that so it doesn't get any worse.

Fixing the hook won't be an easy task. Maybe left to a professional. It's going to be costly i expect.

 

[Bondo]

Hooked!

Ayuh,..... Generally speakin', this is a sign of failed stringers,.....

 

[JimS123]

Ayuh,..... Generally speakin', this is a sign of failed stringers,.....

Not usually associated with an aluminum boat though.

 

[sms986]

I think you are absolutely correct. I had that suspicion when I was looking at it yesterday. Looks like the motor bouncing up and down when trailering and the transom hanging over the bunks caused this over time. I'll extend the bunks. I just have to figure the best way to get the hook out

 

[LundAngler1650]

I think you are absolutely correct. I had that suspicion when I was looking at it yesterday. Looks like the motor bouncing up and down when trailering and the transom hanging over the bunks caused this over time. I'll extend the bunks. I just have to figure the best way to get the hook out

Is the floor easily removable?
If so pull it up and have a look inside, something is going on. Sad but true, too bad you didn't have a closer look underneath before you purchased it.

With the amount of problems I see, and hear about with people buying used boats, I don't think I'll ever buy anything that isn't new. Well i did buy a used Achilles inflatable long ago, came with a used Honda 9.9 both were fine, but also only 3 years old when I purchased them.

 

[sms986]

Yeah it's an unfortunate situation. Hard to tell if the people knew about it before selling it but not much I can do about it. From the shape of the hook, I can probably put some epoxy putty underneath and fill the hook/smooth it out. That wouldn't be too hard but I'd like to pull the hook out first. The floor doesn't go all the way back so it is pretty easily accessible.

 

[JimS123]

I think you are absolutely correct. I had that suspicion when I was looking at it yesterday. Looks like the motor bouncing up and down when trailering and the transom hanging over the bunks caused this over time. I'll extend the bunks. I just have to figure the best way to get the hook out

First of all, a motor should never bounce up and down. It should be securely fastened in the down position, or tilted part way up and secured with a transom saver if there isn't enough road clearance. If a PO drove around with it tilted up that was not good.

Secondly, how far beyond the aft end of the bunks was the transom?

 

[sms986]

Bouncing up and down referring to the trailer going over bumps and everything bouncing... It's unavoidable.

I only trim it up enough to get decent road clearance. Transom hangs over about 3"-just enough that the entire transom is over the edge of the bunks.

I'll definitely be changing out the bunks (2x4) with 2x6 or 2x8 bunks since I have no strakes to worry about. I'll probably put additional support under the bunks at the transom too. Pretty simple.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Your bunks should extend to just aft of the transom.

Maybe move your winch post forward.

May be impossible to get the hook out

 

[JimS123]

Upgrading your bunks is certainly a good idea, but IMHO a 3" overhang isn't enough to have caused the hook.

Not having strakes seems odd to me, but then again I'm not an expert on aluminum boats. Every V-hull tinny I ever owned had them. I would guess that they do add some structural integrity to the bottom. If that's the case, maybe a hook was inevitable.