If yer boat leans to one side ???

[id. painter]

I have a 20 ft hewes creaft sea runner . It has a 150 merc out board on it .
The little thing under the cavitation plate that rotates and has a fin on the motor ???????
I was told that I can help correct the boats tendancy to lean to one side buy changing the position of (the little fin thing ).
The little fin thing is already at a slight angle.
Which way do you move the fin in relation to the listing ?????. Help!!!! id. p.

[fish_on]

That is to correct torque steer, sounds like you need trim tabs.

[id. painter]

It feels like it is not compensating enough. In no wind and on a fast plane it always leans slightly to the port side. id. p.

[DriftR]

You need/should get trim tabs.

[USCGBoating]

Before you run out and buy somthing take a look at what you have in the boat. There could be somthing, or a combination of things that you have stowed in the boat that causes it to list. Look at it static, dead in the water, in calm water and look for any little list that it may have to that side. Move tanks, batteries, or any thing else around to attempt to correct the list. Then get undeway and slowly bring the RPM up and watch for more listing once you are at speed. Is there the possibility that you have water in a void or flotation? SOmetimes even a poorly mounted transducer plate can cause a list at speed. I would also discuss it with the manufacturer, they may know somthing you can try.

To me trim tabs are a last resort. The cause may be somthing much simpler than you think and you don't have to go through the expence and then drill holes in your transom. The dynamic properties of the boats hull should be consistant with all the others of its model. There has to be some outside force causing it to do what it does.

The torque plate on the outboard only adjusts to prevent the engine from turning to one side from the propellers torque if you take your hands off the wheel. Kind of like getting a front end alignment on your car.

[Keta]

Move the fat guy to the other side :grin:

Trim tabs will help if you can't shift the load.

[Flush Release]

DO NOT MOVE the little thing, this is a fin to compensate for engine/prop torque. Now if your boat was pulling to one side or the other this is how you adjust it. I would look into trim tabs, powered and adjustable prefered to even you boat out.

[timinthegorge]

I agree with USCGboating... Check the weight distribution on the boat first. Do you often fish alone? Which side of the boat is your kicker on? Can you compensate by moving some heavier items (propane bottles, anchors, extra oil, tools, etc.) to the other side of the boat?

Powered trim tabs will work, but are they necessary? I have an aversion to putting holes in my transom, unless it's absolutely necessary. JMHO..... Best of luck with it. T :cheers:

[Jettin' Fool]

I have noticed other Hewe's that lean...I thought it looked odd :shrug:

[troybuz]

Trim Tabs are a great option for all Jet Sledders. They help level the ride, they get you to plain earlier (easier), and aid in low speed plaining.
Check out the Bennett Trim Tabs, they seem to make a fairly nice tab, at a reasonable price. You don't need much tab to greatly improve operation.
Troy

[id. painter]

Thanks guys .
The fat guy is me ! :grin: Im usually driving .
The boat rides pretty nice . I olnly slightly notice a tendancy to lean to the port side, in calm water at full speed. 42.2 mph. :grin:
The steering is nice, stable(anti kickback steering) when I take my hands off the wheel.
I will look more closely at the weight distribution.
I dont want holes in my hull. :whazzup: Thanks again id. p.

[Gundog]

ID Painter,
I looked at Hewes Craft boats when I was looking for my new boat. I remember the dealer telling me they can bend the aluminum lip down on one side in the back to correct listing while under way. Contact your local dealer and ask them this might save you some time and money. Trim tabs in my opinion would be best but it will require some modification to the stern I would have the brackets welded on that hold the Hyd. cylinder and not bolted. But it will require a hole for each cylinder for the hydraulic hose. I think they also might make electric models with no Hyd. I am not sure about that one. Good luck I liked the way the Hewes rode in the water.
Mike :cheers:

[id. painter]

Thansk again. GD.
My father(neuclear Physicist) : has an out board and a I/O on his two boats.
Last summer he mentioned that I could correct a bit of a one sidded listing tendancy by changing the position of the little fin thing. :whazzup:
He mentioned that he knew Which way to rotate it to correct the leaning. He said it was counter intuitive and that you had to turn it the opposite direction that you would think . I thought he was talking just a slight adjustment. :whazzup:
Ill talk to him again and relay what he says .
To be continued. :grin: id. p.

[id. painter]

O.K. I talked to pops last night and I was mistaken.
He was talking about the exact same thing you all mentioned ,,, i didnt understand or didnt listen very well.
He piped right up and said No , it will not help a list, you can correct a boat that wants to steer in one direction.
So the old man was right on I was off. :grin:
Wont be the first time and it wont be the last :grin:
Thanks to all the sharp folks on ifish.
Thanks to UScoastguard boating.
My father practically quoted you word for word on how to adjust my load and that I shouldnt touch the little fin thingy. :grin: id. p.

[Keta]

If your boat leans to the left I would consider replacing it with one that leans to the right.

Trim tabs are a really good idea and worth the holes in your boat.

[id. painter]

I gotta save some $ for gas to the tuna grounds.
Someday ,,someday Ill get tabs. :smile:
id. p.

[U fish I catch]

Well it sounds like you've got a big problem. You need to get a boat that's not so liberal, one that's more conservative. Conservativism corrects alot of probs.

[Gundog]

ID-Painter,
Did you look into the aluminum cav plate at the back of the boat it is the 3" or 4" of aluminum that extend from the bottom of the boat at the stern(the overhang of the bottom material). The dealer said they can bend one side up or down to correct the list while under way. I was not real clear in my first post but this is how you fix your problem short of adding trim tabs.
Good luck Mike

[U fish I catch]

Damag to to the bottom of the boat could also cause it to list. Have you hit anything with it, or have you noticed any dents underneath. If there is no damage, and if nothing is mounted to the boat hanging below the bottom. You know the lip that sticks out at the bottom of your boat in the back? If you bend that down on the side of the boat that is lowest this will correct the list. But if you decide to do it yourself, make sure you bend it evenly all the way across, and do it in very small increments, because a little will make a big difference. Depending on how big the list is, even 1/32 of an inch may be more than enough.

[Keta]

Gundog,
Good point. A carefully smack with a rubber deadblow hammer, in the proper place, could correct this problem.

[Flush Release]

NO! NO! and double NO! :smash:

This can and will fracture and or stress the weld on the transom to hull seam. IF these things were welded,(remember Glenns Talon) right from the maker it would be less of a risk of damaging the hull. :bigshock:

[Keta]

The welding on the boat you are referring to was lacking and it looked like TW's (Pig Farmer) work.

FYI,
Flush Release knows aluminum and aluminum fabrication and I would always listen to what he says about it.

[U fish I catch]

If you were to bend it up and down a half inch about 15 to 20 times, at that point it "MIGHT" begin to fatigue. that's any where on the boat. Any amount of bends below that number, and you'll be safe. Let alone one bend in one direction. If a boat cracks or even fatigues that easy, it shouldn't even be on the water.

[id. painter]

Thanks for the input guys.
The leaning is not as bad a s I may have made it sound.
I have trouble detecting it . I do lots of miles in flat calm water and I still have trouble noticing it.
I spent considerable time last summer TRYING to notice it .I think I did notice a slight lendancy to lean to port side. Maybe!!!. Im not ready to start bending anything yet . Ill start by very carefully balancing the load and go from there. It will take me some time to completely convince myself that a correction is needed.
Thanks again. id. painter

[Good News Tuna]

My bro-in-law has the same boat, same problem. He was told by the dealer to bend the tab on the back of the boat down (bend- not whack). He put trim tabs on to solve the problem, but gets confused with the switches.... (I think it was better before)