wandering 185 help please

[suits me]

got a problem here, my 185 sport wanders at low throttle when not on plane. Seems to wander about 10 degrees each way but will run a straight course of a long distance. (does it think its a sailboat?) It has a 4.3 mpi with a vengeance 21p prop. On plane at speed the boat is rock solid but the wandering can make docking real messy. It will straighten right up when power is cut so docking is done in neutral with the odd bump to correct any deviations in direction. But it makes a fellah look like a real amateur when docking.
I have noticed that at low speed the prop wash is all over the place, it does not go straight out the back of the boat.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Normal. You just have to get used to and "pre-correct" to keep it straight. There was another recent thread about this. You should be able to find it with the search tool.

 

[suits me]

thanks

 

[STIHLBOLTS]

My 176BR did the same thing, just understeer as you make small corrections and you can track streight. It will drive you crazy if you over correct each time. It is just the nature of small boats and alpha drives. :grin:

 

[Lazy Daze]

Don't worry. Once you get used to it, it'll become second nature and you won't even realize you're doing it.

 

[dcw]

As a recent new owner of the same model, I found exactly the same thing. Gradually getting used to it though.

Dave.

 

[browneye253]

My 205 does the same thing.. I'm also getting better at keeping her straight at idle, but it was a PITA at first.

 

[PMC]

Like everybody says - You will build your auto-pilot correction over time. It is a "Feature" of that boat - not a problem.

Best of luck and welcome!!!

 

[midway]

I put Smart Tabs on my 2004 185, they solved that problem, the only wander for lack of a better term I get now is from the wind change or the river current change, I have turned the steering wheel loose and tracked straight with no problems.

 

[First Born]

The answer is to not correct at all. Point the steering wheel where you want it to go and let it stay there. The boat will move a little to the right and then come back a little to the left but it will end up going straight where you want it....just don't move the steering wheel and give it time to correct itself. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Try it give yourself alot of space where nothing can go wrong and see if it works...once you get use to it you will not think about it again.

 

[Lazy Daze]

The answer is to not correct at all. Point the steering wheel where you want it to go and let it stay there. The boat will move a little to the right and then come back a little to the left but it will end up going straight where you want it....just don't move the steering wheel and give it time to correct itself. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Try it give yourself alot of space where nothing can go wrong and see if it works...once you get use to it you will not think about it again.

Over a short distance, that can work. But it will still end up wandering more one way than the other. Correction is needed.

The reason this happens is due to two thing: 1) The hydrodynamic action of the water wrapping around the stern corners - it actually pulls the boat. 2) Prop walk - the action of the prop spinning. The prop tries to "walk" sideways.

Because of the second reason, that's why the boat will always end up favoring one way or the other.

Bravo III's eliminate (although in reality, not entirely) prop walk.

 

[First Born]

You may be correct as I usually only go idle for short distances (can't comment on going long distances at slow speed)..but from my experience with the boat in question when trying to dock which I am assuming is the situation the poster is asking about...no correction is the answer. Once you correct you have then caused it to go in the other direction (over corrected). I point the steering wheel where I want it to go and hold it, it goes a little left, comes back a little right but ends up going directly where I have it pointed to go.

Again try it where you have alot of room and time to try again if necessary and report results back to us.

Wesley

 

[bighorse]

+1 on the Smart Tabs.

 

[195sport]

Mine does exactly the same thing.....you will get used to it but it is a PITA at first.