New To me boat - Formula 28’- Trim Questions

[blamtro]

2000 Formula BR 280, twin 350 Mag with Bravo 3s.

first season to me. Previously had a 20’ with single MCM 260 5.7 V8.

Question is what should expect when trimming up?

ive never had a boat this large and props will ventilate quite quickly with little bow rise in comparison to my previous 20’ single.

with my previous boat, i could nearly stand it on the transom by triming up. With the new 28’, very little bow rise.

when the drive is all the way down, runs normal.

Is this the new normal with a larger boat?

 

[alldodge]

So long as its at the right angle from cruise to WOT there should be no issue. If you plowing water then this would be different. When you get more folks riding in the bow, you might need a bit more

 

[blamtro]

No plowing and gets up to WOT at 53 mph at 4600 rpm. In what seems like a normal time. Just didnt have any experience with a boat this size.

 

[Sea Rider]

Are those 350 Mag inboard or outboard engines ? With well deck weight evenly distributed start hole shot trimmed bit downwards, when out of the hole trim to run neutral, check if betters.

Running any boat fully trimmed out will experience bow rising, lowering and banging badly on other than non calm flat water including nervous handling specially on tight close turns due to having too much hull out of water..

Happy Boating

 

[Maclin]

Does this boat have trim tabs?

 

[tpenfield]

I have the 330 SS, but I imagine the 280 BR is similar in terms of trim settings. Basically, the Formula Sun Sports and Bowriders like the trim to be 'in' (down) more so than a typical single engine cuddy.

Keep in mind that with a twin engine setup the outdrives are a bit higher than the keel, so that may contribute to the ventilation sensitivity.

I have found my boat runs best with the outdrives lifted a very slight amount from their full down setting. Maybe only about 25% of the available trim range. Above 3/4 throttle, you may be able to trim up a little bit more, but not much.

In choppy seas the props will tend to ventilate, unless you have the outdrives trimmed in most of the way. I usually try to find a trim setting that avoids ventilation coming over the top of waves, but not so much 'in' trim that the boat wants to nose dive into the next wave (I hate it when that happens)

So, it sounds like your boat is doing what it should., just a matter of getting used to the trim settings that work the best.

 

[garbageguy]

+1 on the above. I've been running a bigger, heavier boat in the last 6 years, and echo the above findings

 

[JoLin]

+1 on the above. I've been running a bigger, heavier boat in the last 6 years, and echo the above findings

+2.

Your boat's a 'tail dragger'. Your 28'er is carrying a lot of weight in the stern relative to its length. Mine also likes trim in and tabs down because it helps lift the stern. Trimming out usually results in higher revs with no increase in speed.

My .02

 

[blamtro]

Thanks everyone for the reinforcement. Confirms nothing wrong, just the new, larger normal.

Ted, I didnt concider the fact that the drive center is higher since the twin engines are pushed out from the dividing line of the center between port and starboard and the effect that has on bow up or down based on trim angle.