Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

[Stryker23]

Hey Guys i have a 16ft stryker bass boat with a 90HP Johnson Outboard. When cruising slow the nose of the boat lifts up and not only looks goofy, but makes it hard to see sometimes. I see other boats that cruise level. In the back it has the starting battery and 2 deep cycles for the front trolling motor. Is that just too much weight? I mean all other boats run this setup too. When i hammer the throttle the boat stands up pretty tall for a couple seconds before it planes out. It does sit level when it finally planes. I want a smooth transition between planing. Ive read about the smart tabs and such, but so they really work? I love the boat other than this issue. I have tilt up and down on the motor and that is all i believe? Is there any other adjustment that would help me? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

 

[boat1010]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

Not sure what speed you are going when you say "cruising slow" Most boats will hold a nose up posture between idle and getting on plane. Do you have the motor trimmed all the way down?

 

[Alumarine]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

If you're much above idle speed and below planing speed in all likelihood the nose will be up in the air.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

Forcing the bow down puts more hull in the water causing more drag. No matter how you do it, ie: moving weight forward, trim tabs, tucking the motor in, etc. It doesn't matter. More hull in the water, more drag, more power needed, more problems with bow steer, etc. Basically, you need to get the boat up on the designed planing surface to get level. Going a little faster will most likely be a more efficient use of fuel to. IMHO

 

[Stryker23]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

yes i have the motor trimmed all the way down. For example i fish a lot of bass tournament in lakes that are essentially no wake until a certain time of the day, so i have to go slow and cant always get on plane. I just feel like if the nose of the boat was down some it would be a better ride. Maybe it is riding how it should, but it just looks like other boats ride level at these speeds

 

[emoney]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

It's all been pretty much summed up. You have to determine what your slowest planing speed is, and if that's "too fast", then you can make adjustments to either the trim of the motor, moving ballast, or adding trim tabs. However, you've got to know for sure what you're after before you do anything. In order words, if you are trying to go 10mph and be on plane, that may be a tough goal to reach. So, the next time your out, experiment with the boat and THEN you can decide if there needs to be changes made. Again, the design of the hull and trim/placement of the outboard are going to have limits, so keep that in mind. The reason why so many boats have trolling motors or small hp kicker motors, is because of this exact dilemma.

 

[Stryker23]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

i do have a front trolling motor that i use when fishing, but its just getting to where i need to get with the 90hp. All the adjustment i have in the motor is the electric trim up and down right? I see some holes with a pin in them on the base of the outboard, what are these for?

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

To adjust the motor trim at the lowest power trim setting. Put the pin closest to the boat hole if it isn't there already. Might give a little more tuck in.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

Maybe post a side shot so we can see the motor in relation to the transom etc. Is that a 4 stroke 90? That would add additional weight....

 

[Maclin]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

Just from hearsay and testimonials on this site I am of the opinion that SmartTabs work and would help with your "sit"uation. They make a Mobster Tab for bass boats with angled-edge transoms.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

Go slower. If you're bringing the bow up, then you're wallowing, halfway between full displacement and planing. Most planing hulls do this if you're in that in-between spot. The wallowing stage is where you're least efficient, pushing the most water. Some boats just do it better/worse than others.

 

[MrBigStuff]

Re: Front of bass boat is too high when cruising

I doubt tabs are going to help at the speeds your traveling. My bass boat does the same thing at certain speeds no matter where the trim is set. This is when it throws the largest wake so I'm having a hard time understanding how you're moving during no wake speeds with the nose up and not throwing a significant wake. If I trim all the way down and run just above idle, the boat sits flat and does not wake. This is about 2x faster than the fastest speed with the trolling motor. You have very few options for going fast during no wake restrictions. Hopefully, it is as simple as the pin position...