getting up on plan

[Edward230]

I have a 268 da sundancer and can,t getup on plan,tried every thing,I know know trims tabs are working but not sure if working properly,also tilt control on bravo 1 may not be working proper,how do I check this ,trying to narrow problem if I have one just got boat

 

[Dave S]

How long have you owned your boat? Have you always had this problem or has it just started recently?

 

[chumbley]

I have a 268 da sundancer and can,t getup on plan,tried every thing,I know know trims tabs are working but not sure if working properly,also tilt control on bravo 1 may not be working proper,how do I check this ,trying to narrow problem if I have one just got boat

:smt100:huh:

Allow me to translate...:smt024

I have a 268DA Sundancer that I cannot get up on plane. I have tried everything.

I know the trim tabs are working, but I am not sure if they are working properly. Also, I'm not sure if the trim on the Bravo 1 stern drive is working. How do I check this?

I'm trying to narrow down to what the problem is, or if I even have a problem. I just got the boat.

 

[Lazy Daze]

:smt100:huh:

Allow me to translate...:smt024

I have a 268DA Sundancer that I cannot get up on plane. I have tried everything.

I know the trim tabs are working, but I am not sure if they are working properly. Also, I'm not sure if the trim on the Bravo 1 stern drive is working. How do I check this?

I'm trying to narrow down to what the problem is, or if I even have a problem. I just got the boat.

Ah, that's a bit easier! :smt001

"Checking" it is pretty straight forward. Take a looksee and see if everything is moving. If you're on a trailer, this is pretty easy. If not, someone needs to get wet.

 

[Sundancer]

If it won't get up on plane, there are only a few things that can cause it. Lack of speed is the primary reason! Just go faster!

The good thing is you have the 454 Magnum AND a Bravo drive! When was it tuned up last? How many hours on the motor? Are all cylinders firing? What is the prop size and pitch? How heavily was the boat loaded? Have you replaced the fuel filters recently? Is the fuel fresh or has it been sitting in the tank for a few years? Does it have a lot of growth on the bottom from sitting in the water? What's changed on the boat since the last time it was on plane during the sea trial? You did do a sea trial right? ? ? You did take the trailer off, right? Just kidding! That's an old Bayliner joke.....

 

[Edward230]

owned boat a month,had it tuned,good compression all cylinder,no vibrations and bottom painted,out drive was removed and maint, ,trim tabs work starboard side ops slower than port side,had it up on plan with 4 people on it first time out around 3800rpm ,hard keeping boat level on plan-starboard trim working slow ?latest run 5 people on boat could not plan,?? trim switch on throttle does not bring up out drive at all ,will drop drive if trailer switch used,prop has a 14 1/2 by 18 pitch new

 

[Edward230]

owned boat a month,had it tuned,good compression all cylinder,no vibrations and bottom painted,out drive was removed and maint, ,trim tabs work starboard side ops slower than port side,had it up on plan with 4 people on it first time out around 3800rpm ,hard keeping boat level on plan-starboard trim working slow ?latest run 5 people on boat could not plan,?? trim switch on throttle does not bring up out drive at all ,will drop drive if trailer switch used,prop has a 14 1/2 by 18 pitch new

 

[Edward230]

owned boat a month,had it tuned,good compression all cylinder,no vibrations and bottom painted,out drive was removed and maint, ,trim tabs work starboard side ops slower than port side,had it up on plan with 4 people on it first time out around 3800rpm ,hard keeping boat level on plan-starboard trim working slow ?latest run 5 people on boat could not plan,?? trim switch on throttle does not bring up out drive at all ,will drop drive if trailer switch used,prop has a 14 1/2 by 18 pitch new

 

[Edward230]

owned boat a month,had it tuned,good compression all cylinder,no vibrations and bottom painted,out drive was removed and maint, ,trim tabs work starboard side ops slower than port side,had it up on plan with 4 people on it first time out around 3800rpm ,hard keeping boat level on plan-starboard trim working slow ?latest run 5 people on boat could not plan,?? trim switch on throttle does not bring up out drive at all ,will drop drive if trailer switch used,prop has a 14 1/2 by 18 pitch new

 

[Edward230]

Let me try again,this is my first boat of this size with an I/O and trying to narrow my problem.
Question 1
I have a Bravo 1 drive with a new 14 1/2 x 18 propeller and a 454 330 hp engine with good compression, 450 hrs,fresh water cooled,runs good no vibrations.Took it out and at 3800 rpm it final got up on plane (with 4 people) but needed to use trim tab plate keep boat level.
Question 2
Returned to marina and checked operations of trim tab plates and found starboard side operates slower than port side,I don,t know if this could be a problem with leveling boat when on plane.
I have been told that I do not not need trim tab when on plane,unless heavy loaded.
Our second run(5 people) I could not get boat up on plane at all.I did everything I know to get on plane.

Returned to marina and raise the outdrive using trailer switch high enough to check outdrive and propeller,the trim switch on the throttle/shift lowers it completely down to it normal operating setting.This is the normal procedure.
Question 3
Checking operations of this trim switch on the throttle/shift control will lower the outdrive but it will not raise the outdrive at all.I would assume this switch should raise the angle of the outdrive but to what level for better operation?
Question 4
Does any of this have to do with the boat not getting up on plane, and leveling if not any idea what I should try next.

 

[Sundancer]

As long as the drive goes ALL the way down, it shouldn't affect getting on plane. Regarding the one tab moving slower, as long as it moves I don't see that being an issue either. It's a set and forget item based on the conditions to level the boat or assist getting it on plane. Once on plane, what is your wide open throttle rpm range?

 

[Edward230]

As long as the drive goes ALL the way down, it shouldn't affect getting on plane. Regarding the one tab moving slower, as long as it moves I don't see that being an issue either. It's a set and forget item based on the conditions to level the boat or assist getting it on plane. Once on plane, what is your wide open throttle rpm range?

If I understand the question after I was on plane at 3800 I could have pushed it to 4400 rpm

 

[Sundancer]

The reason I'm asking is because if you can only hit 4,200 rpm instead of 4,400 to 4,600 ( I think this is the recommended WOT for the 454) then you may be over propped and that would describe some of the symptoms you are having. Tack on a a few other symptoms like bottom paint if it didn't have it before and it's hard to tell them apart. If you are running a 14.5 by 18, that MAY be too much prop. I'd guess the recommended prop is a 14 by 17. I believe that's what I ran on my 250 DA with the same engine. I'd guess the Bravo has a different gear ratio and it can probably handle a larger prop with a different pitch.

 

[Edward230]

The reason I'm asking is because if you can only hit 4,200 rpm instead of 4,400 to 4,600 ( I think this is the recommended WOT for the 454) then you may be over propped and that would describe some of the symptoms you are having. Tack on a a few other symptoms like bottom paint if it didn't have it before and it's hard to tell them apart. If you are running a 14.5 by 18, that MAY be too much prop. I'd guess the recommended prop is a 14 by 17. I believe that's what I ran on my 250 DA with the same engine. I'd guess the Bravo has a different gear ratio and it can probably handle a larger prop with a different pitch.

Ok I,ll start looking at the remended propeller pitch Thanks any other idea,s on my problem would be great

 

[Edward230]

I'm away from my maintenance manuals right now, but I suspect 4400 RPM is about where you should be for WOT (Wide Open Throttle). I'll look it up for you when I get back home, assuming no one beats me to it.

As for the trim, you should be able to raise the drive with the switch as well as lower it. It's good that the trailer switch raises the drive, but be very careful using it while the engine is running. The switch on your throttle will automatically stop the drive at the upper limit for engine operation, where as the trailer switch will not. If you trim the drive too high you run the risk of trashing your gimbal bearings, and bellows.

The problem with your throttle switch could be something simple like a loose contact at the switch itself (most likely) or possibily a solenoid back at the pump....but I don't know if the trailer function and up trim use the same solenoid. If they do, then obviously the solenoid is fine.

As for the planing situation, the 268 is a pretty heavy boat so it will not perform like a runabout. Most of the larger single engine boats that I have run required full tab to get them out of the hole and plane out. As the bow comes down, raise the drive as much as you can without porposing and reduce the amount of tabs. I would assume you tried that, but just in case, that's how I have found success.

Do you normally keep the boat on a trailer? If not, it doesn't take much slime on a marginally powered boat to keep it from getting on plane. When the water is warm enough to swim, scrub the bottom regularly, this will help out a lot.

Thanks, BTW, for the revised post, it was much easier on the eyes, have a great week and good luck.

Next time out I will try with trim tabs down and bring them up as needed.You speak of raising the drive, is this the switch on the throttle/shift control that raises and lower drive unit to adjust for angle of the boat?