Drove one for the first time last Sunday. It is a 1999 382 Fastech with HP500's and Bravo 1's. Full tank and 5 adults.

I noticed on plane 35-50mph, if I used more than about a 1/4 of up trim on the drives (tabs up)it had some strange steering characteristics. As you would ease into a gentle turn it would tend to lean and turn a little more than you wanted and if you tried to ease back on the steering it would try and straighten all the way out.

With the drives all the way in it drove normally.

Wondering if this is normal for a 382 or if there may be a prop or drive alignment issue. Thanks.

I had a 382 for 4+ years and never noticed any kind of unusual characteristics......it was a very conservative stepped hull and drive setup that performed smoothly. If anything it was less "sporty" than some others.

one of the tab indicators was sticking so once I was sure they were all the way up I left them alone. Did you use the tabs much apart from getting on plane?

I'd like to check prop rotation and drive toe measurement if any one has them. The props were Bravo one and seemed to be sized right for the power getting 5k to 5100 rpm and 70mph running heavy.

A good friend bought this boat at auction in Florida a few weeks ago, so we dont know any history.

damn in and out is great except for the part between the rack and water where you really are sweating bullets

They told us that was as big as they would take. Didnt care to see it rocking on the tip of the forks.

The building holds 400 boats.

what props are you runnin on that if you dont mind me asking?

3 blade or 4

Tabs set about 1/2 down getting on plane then used in rough water only. I was spinning 32P bravos to 5,300-5,400 with well over 600hp (700tq). That thing probably has 28P bravos. With stock power running 70 heavy sounds about right......probably get a little more once everything is tweaked (props, drive settings, etc).

BTW: clear some PM's

Thanks for the info, did you spin the props Top In or Top out?

the boat reminds me of a Fountain I rode in that turned the props in, it also tended to lay over more in a corner.

I need to check the prop size and rotation when I get down there later this week.

From other threads it appears that it is normally a out rotation boat. the props are 4 blade bravo's



pm's cleared, thanks

As a general rule, you don't run any stepped bottom boat with the drives trimmed in.

I suggest noting/marking neutral, and setting the trim there once on plane, and start easing the drives out; 1/2 click at a time.

As for the tabs, set note/mark neutral, and once on plane, set the tabs at neutral as well.

With props turning in (creating stern lift), and drives trimmed in (creating even more stern lift); I would absolutely expect the boat to oversteer. Sounds like prop rotation should be out to start with.
Was this one of the F2 race/poker run boats by chance; or a fully decked out 382? If you crank the wheel with that much configured stern lift on a step bottom boat, you are in dangerous territory, (risk of breaking loose and spinning).