Too heavy :(

[BagOFchips3071]

My 19' V-hull ski/fishing boat has a 135 rude o/b. The motor is in great shape and I know the prop is fine, but the boat just seems to be a bit too heavy for it, especially if theres more than 2 people in it. It seems like a motor of that size shouldnt have any trouble getting that boat going. I built up the interior when I got it, so perhaps I built it up too heavy. I've also read stories on here about some guys drilling a hole somewhere to see if there's water inside making the boat weigh too much. How does that work and what are the ramifications?
Thanks,
Josh

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Too heavy

under the deck there is foam floatation. it gets water logged, and can weigh several hundred LBS. i use a hole saw,, and cut a 2 inch hole, the take a 1 inch pvc pipe,, cut some notches in then end, like teeth. then twist it down into the foam, and push the core out. you will know immediately if it is wet. if dry, i use some 3M 5200 and replace the core piece of the hole.

 

[BagOFchips3071]

Re: Too heavy

I am to drill this hole from the inside of the boat going down through the floor?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Too heavy

Yes....

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Too heavy

I am to drill this hole from the inside of the boat going down through the floor?

Oh yea, best way to tell if you have water log problems.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Too heavy

Just off center is your best bet, since you may have a center stringer. Just drill the thickness of your floor. Then take your core sample.
see pic

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Too heavy

That foam in the cut in half boat dosent look that bad. The foam that is. Looks like there is no stringers.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Too heavy

Drill your test hole under an object like a bolted in seat or console flange.
That way if all is good, the component you removed will cover the test hole.

Is this called a perk test on a boat? lol

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Too heavy

Is this called a perk test on a boat? lol

exactly, cause if it's wet, it just like a septic tank.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Too heavy

Have you check for any issues with your engine? What rpms are you getting at WOT?

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Too heavy

What if it's wet? What would you do? As far as I can tell the floor in my boat is made of Fiberglass too. I can't rip it up to remove the foam.

I do seem heavy. My 17 foot I/O boat with the 140 4 cyl weighs 3480 setting on the trailer. (I used a local semi truck scale to weigh it) The trailer is all steel and is built out of heavy channel iron. I wonder what the trailer weighs?

 

[1730V]

Re: Too heavy

Before you go drilling holes in your boat, how is your engine propped? If it is overpropped it will be a slug out of the hole.

That engine needs to be able to turn at least 5500 RPM at wide open, with a light load. If it doesn't, you are overpropped or your engine needs attention.

As a rule, one inch in prop pitch equals 200 RPM, up or down. Most props are stamped on the hub as to diameter and pitch. The second number is pitch.

 

[BagOFchips3071]

Re: Too heavy

What if the foam is wet? What would be the next course of action?

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Too heavy

If water logged foam is the case, your next step is work, or eBay.
Lots of threads in floor/foam and stringer replacement here. lots of pics here

That foam in the cut in half boat dosent look that bad. The foam that is. Looks like there is no stringers.

That has been open for a couple of years before I took the pic. The outside had dried out in the sun.
I just happened to see it at an impound yard.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Too heavy

I don't know guys. This web site says the boat should weigh about 1200 pounds. But, that's for a outboard boat and probley does not even include the engine. I have a 4 cly engine and 15 gallons of gas back there on my boat. I can't find any web sites that tell me what the trailer should weigh. But, it's rated to carry 2950 pounds so it's a heavy duty trailer. The trailer was custom made for this boat when the boat was new. Why would they make it so heavy if the boat was not kinda heavy? I looked at the boat today. Everything is sealed up so tight under there. I hate to rip into it. I think if it's water logged then that's just the way it's going to stay. I can get up on plane at 2300 RPM with my 13 inch 19 pitch prop. I will be in the boat by myself fishing most of the time. I don't think I'm going to do anything with it. Just "run it" as one of my friends would say. Maybe, there is a place in the front under this sort of floor above the floor thing where I can pull up some of the main floor and try to dig out some of the foam. But, I'm not going to mess with most of it. No use messing with what works. We'll see how much ambition I get this winter.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Too heavy

Bag of Chips, A 19 footer with a 135HP outboard should perform pretty well. I will guess that you should se 35+ MPH, and good hole shot. If you have a Merc motor, your prop should be 15-17" pitch and if the motor is Johnnyrude, the picth should be 13-15". If you are overpropped >19 on Merc, > 17 on OMC, the boat will not perform well.

Charlie, in you setup, your I/O may be overpropped. Your engine outdrive weighs about 1000LBS, and would likely be better with a 17" pitch prop

 

[oops!]

Re: Too heavy

bag o chips

welcome

pertaining to the weight of the boat check the hull vin code. if it doesent say, ask here or look on the manufacturers specs on the weight.

if your too heavy, start reading on the forums. you will learn a lot!

if the boat seems ok for weight. read on the engine/drive forums, about engine rpm at W.O.T. (Wide Open Throttle)
then go re test your boat. come back to the appropreate forum and start asking questions.
then you can make an informed educated decision on what to do.
repair... replace ....or like me, lay in the ditch and stick pins in your eyes over the fact you own a boat that may need repair!!

the people here know what they are talking about.
and remember theres no such thing as a stupid question

cheers
oops