Trouble planing with 4HP Tohatsu 4-Stroke - new to this and need help!

[MattFL]

Re: Trouble planing with 4HP Tohatsu 4-Stroke - new to this and need help!

You say you have to be up front to be on plane. I will bet when it planes with weight forward, the hull shape is causing the stern to rise, lifting the motor higher. Have a buddy boat follow you and see if the back is touching the water when you're on plane.

 

[MattFL]

Re: Trouble planing with 4HP Tohatsu 4-Stroke - new to this and need help!

In the picture it look like the inflatable part extends below the hard bottom. This could be what's lifting it up, like its on skis.

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: Trouble planing with 4HP Tohatsu 4-Stroke - new to this and need help!

By your hull bottom not being rigid, you are pushing a great big bubble of water under the boat. The position of that bubble moves as you move weight forward or aft.

The engine can climb it for a moment and then it can't keep up. The boat falls off plane and the prop blows out.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Trouble planing with 4HP Tohatsu 4-Stroke - new to this and need help!

Last chance, float sib, trim engine to be perpendicularl (90 deg) to sea level, move yourself towards middle sib, full wot. BTW, what's the transom/keel distance ?

Happy. Boating.

 

[lancew]

Re: Trouble planing with 4HP Tohatsu 4-Stroke - new to this and need help!

Alright, per advice on here I made a wooden floor. And then that wooden floor made a world of difference! I'll post a pic this evening. It isn't the most elegant thing in the world, but it works.

Took it out last night for an hour or so before sunset. Waters were very calm and flat, only suffered from the prop issue once, under 75% throttle. Gets on plane noticeably quicker, and is more stable. If I throttle to get it up to plane and then back off a little bit, I can plane comfortably around 10mph. I have yet to test with less stable waters but I have high hopes.

Thanks for all the insight!