Keeping the bow down on a 382?
 

Friend has a beautiful 382 FasTech and we are a bit bewildered. At a 55-60mph crusing speed (or any speed for that matter) it needs a ton of tab, not to mention fully tucked under drive trim to get a decent ride in 2-3's. The bow wont stay down for a smooth ride until 7 on the tab indicators. Thinking longer K-Planes or Boxes? Maybe 1" drive spacers? 5 Blade props?
Right now it has labbed 26's spinning outward.
Anyone have a clue...

Fill the fresh water tank.

19 gallons of ballast...thats a simple test. Thanks Nort! :)

I would put a call into Formula for there advice, they should know best how that set up should handle. JMO

That seems odd......mine never had an issue but had more HP. I too had regular length XR's without boxes but was over 600hp and made 700 TQ. (boat had Prochargers when I got it and made even more power).

Are the white spacers in the back of the trim ram cylinders in the right spot? I would cruise 55-60 at 3,500 with the drives around 5-6 and tabs at 2-3 if the waves were 2-3's. Rarely tucked the drives much at all.

I had 34P Bravos with the Procharger set-up....the boat had a ton of bow lift with those props. With the N/A motors I ran 32P Bravos and later 28P full size Maximus (15 5/8) and excessive bow lift was gone with those props....even tested 30P Bravos and they ran well providing the best WOT speeds the boat ever ran minus Prochargers at 86.

Water in the tank, check the white spacers, and look for a set of 28's as I would think the boat should spin them (unless it has 496's :eek:)

Yeah, 496's
What white spacers? We did rotate the trim cylinder celery sticks at the back end of the drive.

Those are what I was talking about.

Maybe it's just under-powered? Will the boat hit 70? Still shouldn't run like that though. Can you test another set of 26's.....maybe they have issues.

If the boat needs stern lift (to stop the bow from riding high), try spinning the props in. It should lift the stern AND lower the bow.....and may also give him a MPH or 2.

to me that is really really strange ......be real careful ....with the drives tucked all the way in esp with those spacers rolled the boat can bow steer, spin .... or worse ... a buddy was at the wheel and did not realize he was trimming in and at 60-70 mph the boat rolled up on the starboard side and took a hard turn ..... if he had not lifted I dont know what would have happened .....
Of course we are talking 353/382 so not sure how much different they are .....my 353 runs very flat ....wants very little trim and pretty much no tab .... I run 3-6 trim ....its very different than my 311 ..... I didn't like it at first but the more time I get the better it is .....m

Just tickles 70 aired out. I'm leaning to also trying stock 26's...I never liked how labbed props feel loose.

Hi no ideas regardinng the bow lift, but nice pics with to
very cool boats !!. Is that your 42 Fountain laying beside
the 382? If so the Formula looks almost as big as your boat.
Is it so, or maybeit is the angel of the photo?

Best regards
Rune, Oslo Norway

I have only driven 2 of them and keeping the bow down was not an issue at all. One of the ones I drove had boxes, the other did not.

Maybe he has to move some weight around?

They are very close in length...the 42 has it by a nose. :)
It's a loaded 382 with Gen and all. That has to add some to the back end.
Going to recommend the water tank fill, and then see. After that a prop swap to make sure the labbed ones are good for the app.

The water tank fill actually made a difference...

Hydromotive props for more stern lift?

I never even use my tabs. My 382 lays flat very fast and stays there.

Whats your Prop rotation?

could the boat be water-logged? If anything mine needed MORE bow lift and it seems the norm. His does have less HP AND more stern weight with the genny but it shouldn't matter than much. Have you guys tried running low of fuel vs topped off? It's mid-ship but might tell you something.