Bow Heavy Sea Craft - Page 2

PipeDreamsMarine · #11 12-18-2003, 07:59 AM

This is kind of a "redneck" fix for your problem.. but you hate when you wash the boat down and the water runs forward.. . and if you sit on the motor it runs out and your 170 pounds.... Well 170lbs is 85 quarts..I had a boat with the same problem and what I did was to fill my 96 quart bait cooler with water after I washed the boat down.. added some soap and bleach and let it sit till I use the boat again. I put a 18" piece of hose over the drain and moved the plug to the end of the hose. When I used the boat I just pulled the plug and it drained out the scupper and I had a nice clean and good smell'in cooler and a boat that sat nice..

[ December 18, 2003, 07:00 AM: Message edited by: PipeDreamsMarine ]

ScottM · #12 12-18-2003, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lost2a6:
I just hate to add weight to an already heavy ass under powered boat. In a way I hate the idea of twins because of double the maintance and the fear of burning more fuel. I get 2.3 MPG right now at 30 MPH. (4200-4300 RPM).

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">IMO your not underpowered at all. My father's Sceptre runs 30 MPH at 4500 RPM with a 225 Yam turning a 15x15 SS prop on a jack plate. Maybe you don't carry as much fuel or turn a different prop, but it sounds like you're doing well with that single 200.

lost2a6 · #13 12-18-2003, 12:55 PM

Scott, The 200 is strong for a 200. The cruise speed is being full of fuel 144 gal. The less fuel that I have causes the cruise speed and top speed to go down. She'll do 40 on GPS full of fuel. The only reason that I can come up with is the extra fuel in the stearn of the boat is creating more bow lift. I'm swinging a 17 pitch prop, at WOT trimed out just befor cavatation it's turning about 5400. The reason why I say that it is slightly underpowered is when the boat is loaded down with people fishing gear etc. I really have to lean on it to plane off, also I'm just use to a faster boat.

ScottM · #14 12-18-2003, 02:26 PM

Steve,
That's interesting that your cruise and WOT fall when you have less fuel [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] . Our boat has virtually no difference in cruise/WOT regardless of fuel load, which is the opposite of your situation. We've run the boat full with 5 people, 1/2 with 2 people, less than 1/4 with one person - all scenarios produce the same speed, give or take 1/2 MPH. Strange.

Briguy · #15 12-18-2003, 02:31 PM

Another Redneck answer. It seems all of your ideas don't really fix the problem or really diagnose what the problem is. How could the '79 boat sit stern heavy or level and the 82 boat sit bow heavy. The problem must be water somehow trapped foward to which some of you alluded too. To find out if there is, you must first borrow a stethoscope. Even a soup can may work. Put the boat on the trailer. While your buddy drives the truck with the trailer behind it slowly on deserted road or parking lot. Your job is to be in the cabin with the stethoscope listening for sloshing water sounds. When your buddy taps the breaks, you will hear water sloshing around if it's in there. How you get the water out is for you to dream up. [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img] Fixing the problem is much better than compensating the problem.

I could have put 200 pounds of lead shot in my forward anchor locker of my cc for my stern heavy problem but instead I put on a flotation bracket.

gss036 · #16 12-18-2003, 09:06 PM

I bet if you put a new 250HP Suzuki(580#)on it, that would help solve the problem. I have an 89 23WA and I sit greatin the water. I would try a few bags of lead shot just to get it evened out if it bothers you that much.

[ December 18, 2003, 09:57 PM: Message edited by: Gary ]

lost2a6 · #17 12-19-2003, 01:09 AM

Briguy, that’s a great idea I haven't thought of that, however the only place that I could see where water would be trapped is in the strangers. From what I can tell they are full of foam, I guess that they could be water logged. If I do have water trapped somewhere then it seems like it should be a lot of it. [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] I just had the tank out and I looked the best that I could for possible water entrapment.
Gary: I meet a guy from Gulf Shores AL who had an 88 or 89 WA with an old 225 Evinrude, it too sat great. The only thing that I can come up with is the top deck on the WA isn't as heavy as the non-WA models. This is providing that mine doesn't have water trapped. It also appears that the driving station in the WA model is more toward the stern, which could contribute to a better-balanced boat.

[ December 19, 2003, 12:24 AM: Message edited by: lost2a6 ]

Dave Hirshberg · #18 12-19-2003, 11:07 AM

Steve,
Aside form adding another motor or more weight in the stern there isn't much you can do. I doubt very seriously that you have a stringer problem in that boat. The box stringers are built in such a way that they don't trap water and they sit quite a bit higher than the keel line of the boat. Water intrusion just isn't likely. I kept my boat in the water. So, for peace of mind I installed an automatic bilge pump forward under the cabin floor with an access plate (py Plate) above it. Solved the problem. As or your boat running better loaded than empty, got no clue?

gss036 · #19 12-19-2003, 02:15 PM

Steve, I hear you. I had the choice of the WA or cuddy when I bought mine new. I don't think there is that much difference in the seating location. The Cuddy Cabin I looked at had low deck all the way to the cabin door, I have a raised step, about 6-7 inches, with a forward fish box. Lousy Idea, as they drained it into the bilge.
I think the reason you are running better loaded is the fact that the extra weight is toward the stern and it raises the bow up so you are not plowing/pushing so much water.
Maybe the fuel tank is too far forward? Mine sits center deck behind the step, about 115 gallons.
I wish I could offer more, just keep thinking about the problem and you will figure it out. I still like the idea of the 580# suzy [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[ December 19, 2003, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: Gary ]

Scott · #20 12-19-2003, 03:14 PM

I hesitate posting this because I forget the details of how it got wet ....or what they thought caused it ...... But one of the yards up here that does restoration work did have a 23 "full" of water ..... I do remember them saying they had never seen anything like it as they claimed they captured "many" 5 gallon pails full of water...supposedly a lot on the ground also ....Yet at the same time I would agree with 70'sboat that this isn’t a common occurrence...