Boat wanders side to side at idle speeds, Why?
 

I recently purchased a 2000 Hallett 270T with twin MerCruiser 377 Scorpions and Bravo drives. It is a very nice looking and well detailed boat, BUT, it is horrible to drive slowly in. When going in and out of harbors and no wake zones it just won't track straight. It has 26 pitch Bravo 1 4 blade props turning out. Even if I don't touch the steering wheel at all it wanders from side to side. I have had many other twin engine boats, but never one that behaves like this.

Any ideas or suggestions on what to do/ what to check would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
David

I am dying to hear the responces on this myself, I see this allot even on smaller single's and While I think sometimes its set up, like toe in or out on the tie bar or something I never have fully understood what the causes it for sure.

Bad bushings on an older boat I would imagine can cause it as well, but I am no expert on this sort of thing at all.

I hope someone has a definitive answer

Does the boat do it all the time in every slow moving situation or only sometimes in some places?

My '87 Formula 242 does it as well. It's not really bad but I am always correcting the wheel at slow speeds. I think its just the way V-bottoms are.

does it have hydraulic steering? If not, that's the problem.

+1. Too much slack in your steering.

Yup. Every boat I've had has done that and the Donzi has full steering.

i have found stuffing your tabs all the way down helps it alot. i also found let the steering wheel go and the boat will kind of stay in a straight line.

Its called hunting I believe. I always assumed it was from the wind and waves mixed with the boat having difficulty tracking at low speed.

in the 25 years Ive been boating Ive never had or driven a v bottom that didnt wander all over the place at idle.

Mine does.

My cats and tunnels did and do not do this.

I think its the nature of the beast.

Maybe that mellows out as v's get longer, but almost all the guys I see look like they are driving a farmall sawing on the wheel in and out of the marina.

UD

Owned 7 bottoms, they all do it. I try to look further out and make the arcs longer.