first time power boater looking for some piloting tips on a 30' deep v boat
07-14-2013 | 02:35 PM
#11
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 560
Likes: 1
never approach a dock any faster than you would want to hit it, i find that the easiest way to never have a problem docking.
Keep the drive down till your on plane and watch out you dont cavitate the prop making sharp turns when you are trimmed out, i ussually put the drive back down if im making any big turns while on plane.
Keep the drive down till your on plane and watch out you dont cavitate the prop making sharp turns when you are trimmed out, i ussually put the drive back down if im making any big turns while on plane.
Last edited by sparky24; 07-14-2013 at 02:39 PM.
10-11-2013 | 12:59 PM
#15
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Syracuse, NY
My advice would be to take it show. Twin 454's is a lot of power, especially from a 15hp outboard. Get used to the boat and get a "feel" for how she handles. Once you are more comfortable with the boat you can be more confident maxing out the power and boating in rougher conditions. I have found that these larger boats handle pretty well and with some experience you will do fine. Also, if you have a friend who is more experience boating I have found that going out with someone who has experience can be very helpful.
10-21-2013 | 05:58 PM
#16
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,391
Likes: 0
From: CapeComa,FL
Porpoising can come from a few contributors:
Too much trim
Too much tab
Not enough tab for trim
Not enough trim for tab
And it is never a constant. You can be perfectly flat (loose) at +1 trim/0 tab running 50 on Saturday morning with three passengers and a full tank with beer and ice for days in a 1foot roller.....but by three the boat will be a completely different animal even if the wind and wave action stay the same....which they will not, guaranteed!
Your biggest asset is seat time. Period. As others have suggested, take a day midweek and get that time. First time should be dead calm, so watch the local reports and plan a "sick" day accordingly.
Tuck drives, tuck tabs, and slowly plow onto plane noting how she acts....especially with minimal steering input. Your bow will be aimed at the sky.....long enough to put you on your toes.
Tuck drives, half tab.....same situation but make a manual record of the difference in bow angle to the sky....and for how long.
Tuck drives, tabs a +1.....same situation.....another mental record.
You have just witnessed three completely different attitudes from her.....and this is only tab manipulation....and only digging out of the hole.
I could turn this into a six page response, but I'm sure you get the picture. Once you find her sweet spot for getting on plane, now start manipulating the drives out and back in until you find the sweet spot there. With tabs at +1, in flat calm unloaded, run the drives out microscopically and not the subtle changes she gives back in steering input, speed and rpm. You will soon find that without throttle input, rpm and speed will both climb as you get to the "sweet spot"..... But beware of the too much trim as she will start to leave the water and leave you confused as to what just happened because everything was fine. Pull the drive back minimally and throw a couple of long sweeping turns into her and she'll calm back down.
At all times, run into or with the wave action.....unless not a possibility. If not possible, slow down. The hull is designed to knife through, not cut across. Confused seas make for a chitty day....and beat the hellll outta u.
Once you feel comfortable with your new found knowledge, try again on a semi snotty day. Everything will be different, but the basics you experienced on the calm day will help choose trim and tab adjustments with a base of knowledge and experience you achieved on your "sick" day.
From these two outings, you will have a very basic understanding of how to handle her in the open water. Don't let that basic understanding fool you in to thinking you can load that boat with fuel, beer, ice and azzz and it will be the same.
It won't!
Ballast changes everything......and if you have a fat friend that likes to move around a lot.....leave him home! I weigh 220, so I'm the biggest. Everyone else has to be half my weight! House rules rock!
"Can my boy friend come?"
If he weighs 110 or less, heck yeah!
Docking is a whole other thread, but as said before, never approach a dock....or anything.....faster than you are willing to hit it. Slow and easy is the rule. Don't try to show off or be cool. If possible, approach with the current and "coast" in until you are more experienced with manipulating a forward/reverse approach.
Too much trim
Too much tab
Not enough tab for trim
Not enough trim for tab
And it is never a constant. You can be perfectly flat (loose) at +1 trim/0 tab running 50 on Saturday morning with three passengers and a full tank with beer and ice for days in a 1foot roller.....but by three the boat will be a completely different animal even if the wind and wave action stay the same....which they will not, guaranteed!
Your biggest asset is seat time. Period. As others have suggested, take a day midweek and get that time. First time should be dead calm, so watch the local reports and plan a "sick" day accordingly.
Tuck drives, tuck tabs, and slowly plow onto plane noting how she acts....especially with minimal steering input. Your bow will be aimed at the sky.....long enough to put you on your toes.
Tuck drives, half tab.....same situation but make a manual record of the difference in bow angle to the sky....and for how long.
Tuck drives, tabs a +1.....same situation.....another mental record.
You have just witnessed three completely different attitudes from her.....and this is only tab manipulation....and only digging out of the hole.
I could turn this into a six page response, but I'm sure you get the picture. Once you find her sweet spot for getting on plane, now start manipulating the drives out and back in until you find the sweet spot there. With tabs at +1, in flat calm unloaded, run the drives out microscopically and not the subtle changes she gives back in steering input, speed and rpm. You will soon find that without throttle input, rpm and speed will both climb as you get to the "sweet spot"..... But beware of the too much trim as she will start to leave the water and leave you confused as to what just happened because everything was fine. Pull the drive back minimally and throw a couple of long sweeping turns into her and she'll calm back down.
At all times, run into or with the wave action.....unless not a possibility. If not possible, slow down. The hull is designed to knife through, not cut across. Confused seas make for a chitty day....and beat the hellll outta u.
Once you feel comfortable with your new found knowledge, try again on a semi snotty day. Everything will be different, but the basics you experienced on the calm day will help choose trim and tab adjustments with a base of knowledge and experience you achieved on your "sick" day.
From these two outings, you will have a very basic understanding of how to handle her in the open water. Don't let that basic understanding fool you in to thinking you can load that boat with fuel, beer, ice and azzz and it will be the same.
It won't!
Ballast changes everything......and if you have a fat friend that likes to move around a lot.....leave him home! I weigh 220, so I'm the biggest. Everyone else has to be half my weight! House rules rock!
"Can my boy friend come?"
If he weighs 110 or less, heck yeah!
Docking is a whole other thread, but as said before, never approach a dock....or anything.....faster than you are willing to hit it. Slow and easy is the rule. Don't try to show off or be cool. If possible, approach with the current and "coast" in until you are more experienced with manipulating a forward/reverse approach.
10-22-2013 | 10:26 AM
#18
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 974
Likes: 4
From: Boca Raton, FL
You guys forgot the best advice out there--don't be heavily intoxicated behind the wheel! In Oregon if you get a BUI they restrict you from boating for a full year (in addition to the $$ aspect)! Unfortunately for the OP he was cited with a BUI last summer and wont be boating for a while.
Last edited by Powerquest_Baby!!; 10-22-2013 at 10:30 AM.
10-25-2013 | 09:44 PM
#19
Platinum Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 227
Likes: 0
From: Morehead City,NC
You guys forgot the best advice out there--don't be heavily intoxicated behind the wheel! In Oregon if you get a BUI they restrict you from boating for a full year (in addition to the $$ aspect)! Unfortunately for the OP he was cited with a BUI last summer and wont be boating for a while.
