97240sport

First real time out on water with new (to me) 97 240 baja

Once the boat planes out at any sort of speed (30+) the boat just lopes up and down up and down the faster you go the worse it gets. I tried adjusting the trim with no real difference. Lowering the trim tabs all the way down seemed to help but not completely cure the problem.

I cannot run any speed with this boat without the bow bouncing up down......

Is this common on an all stock baja ? Any help is appreciated

ohh wow

You tried putting the lower unit all the way down in the water?

GPM

What prop are you running

3pointstar

If you trim the motor all the way down/in and you still have this porpoise effect -- something else is way wrong- out of alignment.

I do know that on our boat - which is a little smaller - depending on wind direction it doesn't take much for the bow to catch a little air and porpoise - but bringing the drive down/in just a tad solves the issue.

Please keep us posted.

3pointstar

rak rua

Often, trim gauges and tab indicators can be out of alignment. When she is on the trailer, set tabs and drives horizontal (parallel to the bottom of the hull), stand back and have a look or maybe run a straight edge along the tabs to hull then make a note where the indicators all sit. This is your 'base' from where to run. If it runs ok set absolutely even then it's just a matter of playing with tabs and drive, may take time to figure it out 100%.

You can set it up visually then launch her and run without altering anything. Don't look at your indicators, just run her with a light load, may be slow to plane but doesn't matter. Just get her up and running then see what happens with absolute neutral trim and neutral tabs. Boats can run fine with no tabs, they don't make a bad boat good, they simply make a good boat better. Don't always trust indicators, especially if the boat is new to you.

RR

97240sport

Thanks guys. This actually starting to make me wonder if the boat wasnt such a great deal. I know that ive seen alot of boats bajas even that didnt have trim tabs. I should theoretically be able to run this boat with the tabs all the way up just like they werent on there i feel. I tried trimming all the way down and then bumping it up as we were riding to see if there was a sweet spot the trim needed to be. Anything over 30 is like riding a bucking bronco.
Prop is 3 blade mirage 21p

Baja Rooster

iTrader: (1)

I'm just throwing darts at the wall, but if trimming the drive and using the tabs has no effect then it sounds like the hull is flexing too much. Rotten stringers? Also any slack in the gimble or mount? If the drive is flopping around back there then it won't let the boat take a set.

I don't think that boat has wood stringers to rot out, but look around for any stress cracks on the boat and see if you find any failing fiberglass. My guess is that it's something funky in the drive though letting it bounce around. Air in the trim rams, for instance.

Budman II

iTrader: (1)

Did it do this on the water test before you bought it? Please don't tell us that you bought a boat without taking it out for a water test.

SB

iTrader: (1)

Not enough trim down, the prop sucks, and/or too much weight in the back (big guy's in the back seat, water in bilge, etc).

Trim down should bury the bow of the boat. With tabs down in addition to trim down, should really bury frt of boat.

GPM

Not sure about your drive but some of the Bravo's have a spacer in with the bolt that holds the trim rams on. One direction will let the drive go further down the other will let it trim higher.