really bad lean to port when coming up on plane

L

lime4x4

Member
Jul 24, 2007
341
Palmerton,Pa
Boat Info
1986 268 searay weekender
Engines
5.7 vortec alpha
I have a 1986 searay 268 weekender. I spent the winter replacing the transom,stringers,bulkheads and foam. Now If i give it full throttle the boats starts to lean very hard to the portside. Once up on plane the boat is still leaning extremely hard to port. If i use the trim tabs on that side to correct the lean. Then if i try to make a gentle turn to starboard the boat unsafely leans to starboard right away. The kicker is it never did this before the rebuild and occ when coming up on plane it doesn't lean at all. I moved some stuff around after the rebuild. Here is where everything was prior to the rebuild. The fresh water tank was located on the port side about 18 inches from the transom outer shelf next to the outside of the hull. 2 house batteries were located on the port side next to the engine. On the starboard side i had the hot water heater on the outer shelf next to the outside of the hull. 1 starter battery next to the engine. Here is where the stuff is now. Freshwater tank on the port side outer shelf next to outside of hull and about 48 inches from the transom. The hot water tank is also located on the port side on the outer shelf about 7 inches from the transom. On the star board side i have 2 house batteries located on the out shelf about 48 inches from the transom. 1 starter battery on the outer shelf about 4 inches from the transom. I also have the factory swim platform removed. That swim platform easily weighs around 100 pounds if not more. And i used the outer hull for the transom cut out.
 
Do you think it could be a little bow heavy now? I know it is some times hard to tell but see if you can get some one to video tape you from another boat from the bow and stern taking off might be able to get a better idea of what is going on.
 
That's good possibility. I know i removed alot of weight when i removed all the wet foam and wood. Plus shifting some of the stuff further away from the stern. the first thing i noticed when we took the boat out the first time is i actually have to have alot of the trailer out of the water now when unloading and loading. We use the same ramp at the local lake. My fenders on the trailer are 4 feet long. Before the rebuild i had to back the trailer into the water till the front of the fenders were just under the water. Now i have to have the trailer in till the water comes up about 12 inches from the rear of the fenders. The bow sits lower now
 
Did you blead the trim tabs and make sure they're working properly or could they be hooked up backwards? If you tab down for planing but only the starboard tab goes down it may create the situation you're describing.
 
I have bennet hydrulic trim tabs. They were bleed. I'm only operating the port side tab to control the lean. When getting up on plane both trim tabs are retracted in the up position. I never used the tabs for getting on plane
 
Hmm, one of us is doing it wrong then (probably me :grin:) I always tab down to plane and then slowly bring them up to adjust.
 
Sounds like a weight distribution issue to me. Have you tried shifting known masses around in the cockpit to see how it affects your problem? You could fill a cooler with ice or water and weigh it and use it as a mobile mass. Did your waterline change after the rebuild? Does the boat list at rest or only when planing? I'd try moving some weight around and keep repeating the take offs and see how shifting the weight affects the handling. Keep a log of each run so you can see what is going on.

BTW does the boat chine walk once on plane in a straight line or does it just lay over?
Was it windy the day you did your test runs? Most planing hulls will lean into the wind, though I don't know why, but they do.
 
This what i was taught. Have the tabs fully retracted to get up on plane. Use the tabs to control leaning. Use the tabs to stay on plane at lower speeds. I've found thru trail and error last year. If i use the tabs while getting on plane it actually takes longer for my boat to get up on plane. With a full 100 gallons of fuel and 4 adults with tabs retracted i'm up on plane in around 11 seconds. Which is good for a boat this size with a vortec 350 4bbl. If i have the tabs down and try to plane it takes around 27 seconds before i'm on plane. The tabs create too much drag when trying to plane
 
Doesn't feel like it's chine walking. according to the bottom paint line she is sitting atleast an inch higher in the water now. last year the water line was pretty even with the bottom paint. this year i can c atleast an inch of black bottom paint above the water. She doesn't lean when sitting still
 
This sounds suspiciously like the issue many of us newer 260DA owners experience trying to come up on plane and the correct terminology for what happens to our boats is called bow steer. This happens when too much of your bow is in the water at speed thereby steering it to port or starboard. And once you try and correct it the boat leans even more :wow:. It sounds like the work you did may have shifted a lot more weight to the bow.

In the case of the 260DA the trick is to start trimming the outdrive up as soon as she starts to lean. That allows the nose to come out of the water and the boat to straighten up. Once on plane the problem disappears as the nose is sufficiently out of the water with the drive trimmed up. Trim tabs are not used except to balance side to side because it tends to aggravate the situation when trying to come on plane.

You may want to Google "bow steer" for a better understanding of this phenomenon.

Dave
 
Hey Lime: My 268 lays to port too just as you describe. My sales guy told me it was prop torque. My first thoughts were "BS".... I now think he may have been right.

My boat still did it with just me in the boat on starboard and only the weight of two batts on port. I've gotten allot of info here on CSR and my conclusion so far is for 268's, this phenomenon just may be the "Nature of the Beast"...

The narrow beam, deep "V", single engine and the placement of the lift thingy's on the side of the hull, makes her act the way she does. (someone correct me on the "Lift Thingy's!)

Perhaps now that you have lightened her as, she ride's up on plane the way she should! You should be able now to trim her up till she starts to porpos, then set the bow down a bit and your cruising. I'm also wondering if this is all true, a 268 that doesn’t lay over to port may not be normal, as was yours!... A friend of mine has a 87-268 W/5.7L. His doesn’t lay to port on plane, but his sets deeper in the water than mine W/7.4L. We noticed this last year. His is slipped, mine is trailered.

Just my .02. Very interesting subject. Glad you brought this up.
 
Well to me it's not normal...lol It's down right unsafe. I never had this problem in the last 3 years that we have owned it. I knew when we first got it it was stern heavy. I'm looking into the bow steer thing And i'm going to try adding more weight in the stern.
 
I had the same problem with the 250 DA. I wouldn't say that it's unsafe, just uncomfortable. Well, actually my wife would start beating on me, so I guess that was unsafe!! If it is bow steer, try trimming the prop up a bit before hitting the throttle. See if you can find a spot with the trim where it isn't as bad. The other thing that I would try is to set the trim tabs all the way down and then bump them up a couple of clicks. the objective is to get them even with the bottom of the boat and not up or down. I know that's impossible, but try it. It will give you extra lift without the extra drag. I think everyone starts out on plane with the drive tucked all the way in and in your case, it may not be needed. Try it and see what happens.
 
Lime: It would be great if you could figure this one out. I covered a lot of easy stuff on mine like balance and I even thought my dirty bottom might have something to do with it. My trim tabs are perfectly mounted. My drive is tight and true. I did have a broken scag, after I had it fixed… no difference.

I’ve learned to use my trim tabs. I can’t image a bigger boat with out them.

Keep us posted.

BTW: you could fix it like Sundancer did… A 300!
 
:grin:
 
I'm putting my money on the bow steering explanation. My other boat is a mid 70's sportfisher that I removed the I/Os and added outboards to the back. This shed several hundred pounds off the stern. One day while going with several people on the bow (bow heavy and stern light) it did the same thing you are talking about when crossing a wake. It rolled to the right and stayed there and handled sluggishly. I thought I had a major leak and had a bilge full of water that was now laying to one side. I ran immediately back to the slip, put it in the lift and found a dry bilge. I now realize it was the boat being bow heavy with the deep v front now carrying more weight. I dont let too many on front now while traveling and it hasn't happened again
 
Last edited:
Just my experience but i agree with the prop toque i have a 270 with a single 7.4 and a 20 inch prop while mine isnt as bad as yours due to the wider beam with the engine weight and power were it is and the size of prop mine will list to port when the 4 barrels are open. My guess is with the weight of the 268 and the small block you have when parts were water logged there wasnt enough power for the problem now that it is better than original the engine can move the boat as it should much like the way a lightened race car will lift the drivers front tire on take off unless modified not to.
 
I'll keep you posted. I also replaced my outer transom plate and gimble ring assembly. My old one had alot of play in the steering shaft area. With the drive down i could lift up on the drive and it would lift up 1/2 an inch. So that's why i replaced it. I now i have no movement at all. So that makes me wonder a little about trimming the drive slightly while coming up on plane.
 
The bow steer can drive you to drink if you don't have the good advice you get on this site. IMHO, the best way to counter this is by having the engine in the full down position. Give it the throttle and has you start up on plane start raising the engine. You will find the sweet spot from the tach. As you start increasing your rpm's that is about all you can do. My guess is that it will be about 5-7% if you have the smart craft instruments.

After a little practice you will have smooth running. If done right you will almost never use your trim tabs that only provide unnecessary drag.

If your trim tabs seem really touchy this is another sign that you have bow steer and need to get the boat riding on the stern and get the bow up.

Good luck.
 
Finally got to play with the boat tonight. Having the trim tabs flush with the bottom of the hull doesn't help. Triming up the drive even to it's limit doesn't help either. Would having a flat trim tab cause this? Would putting a finned trim tab on help?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,208
Messages
1,428,608
Members
61,109
Latest member
Minnervos
Back
Top