boat balance

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#1 Post by **mully** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:01 pm

hi, was just wondering about the balance of boats on the water-ive a wilson flyer 17 for 2 years now and its always leaned slightly on the right,at measure its about an inch an a quarter more on that side-I have checked it a few times and there has never been water trapped nor is there any foam under the floor(ive made inspection holes).it hasnt ever caused a problem,but why the lean?i know the batteries,seat, steering column are on the r/h/s but i are these heavy enough to cause a lean-i find the boat perfectly balanced if i stand on the left?any ideas

Thu Mar 10, 2011 6:11 pm

i hope you did not forget about the fenders

mully wrote:hi, was just wondering about the balance of boats on the water-ive a wilson flyer 17 for 2 years now and its always leaned slightly on the right,at measure its about an inch an a quarter more on that side-I have checked it a few times and there has never been water trapped nor is there any foam under the floor(ive made inspection holes).it hasnt ever caused a problem,but why the lean?i know the batteries,seat, steering column are on the r/h/s but i are these heavy enough to cause a lean-i find the boat perfectly balanced if i stand on the left?any ideas

#3 Post by **Donnyboy1** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 7:10 pm

mully wrote:hi know the batteries,seat, steering column are on the r/h/s but i are these heavy enough to cause a lean-i find the boat perfectly balanced if i stand on the left?any ideas

You say batteries so plural?
Also cabling, switches fuses?

Definitely that's most likely what is causing the list?
Where do you put the fuel tank, maybe move it hard on the left?

Generally to balance out I reckon engine / fuel in center. controls right, electrics left.
The electrics and batteries are pretty heavy so I would use them to level out the weight distribution on the boat, if thats a big job, move the fuel and anchor and whatever else to the left.

#4 Post by **Stan** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:14 pm

This is a common enough problem on some boats. I have had 2 Raiders and both listed slightly. There was nothing wrong with either boat. It was just a slight list. The easy but not cheap way to solving this is to put trim tabs on the boat.

#5 Post by **JOHN1** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:03 pm

stan im just wondering was yours listing to port side while underway

#6 Post by **FRANK1** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:11 pm

My 16ft Orkney is very heavy on the right when going full throttle .So much so that I am standing as far to the left as I can to the point of barely reaching steering wheel .

This never happened before i started going out on my own last year .Prior to that I think always a couple of 15 stoners balancing off me and the auxilliary .

#7 Post by **JOHN1** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:14 pm

i was talking to you the last time on the beach about that, did you have a look to see what way the prop screwed

#8 Post by **FRANK1** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:25 pm

I forgot about that .Probably cause sounds too technical for me .Much easier to move fat lads around the boat .

Im pretty certain its clockwise which would be the cause of my problem .Any solution for it?

#9 Post by **JOHN1** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:47 pm

FRANK1 wrote:I.Any solution for it?

yep (FAT) fishing friends

#10 Post by **JOHN1** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:55 pm

seriously if it is a problem bring a couple of empty 25l drums with you and fill them with sea water to use as balancing ballast and empyty them before you get back on the trailer

#11 Post by **mully** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 12:07 am

yea ive two batteries-tho with one removed or moved to the other side it still leans that bit,the fuel container is usually centred,but usually i do put the extras on the left so balance out.when the boat is moving under power it balances itself out anyway without any lean so its not really a problem,tanx for replies tho,cos peace of mind means the only thing to worry about is where the fish are!

#12 Post by **Stan** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:13 am

John, I can't remember. Will check when I put the boat on the water in April. The trim tabs did solve all listing problems. Last year they stopped working in August but at that stage the outlaws were down on holidays and I was using them to counteract the list.

Hopefully, I will get the trim tabs working without too much difficulty..........boats, boats, boats...always some problem. Can't live with them , can't live without them!!!!!!

When I bought the new Raider Fisherman I mentioned the problem that I had in the Raider 16. The suggestion by the boatyard owner was trim tabs. As he also had a Raider I took his advice and it worked.

#13 Post by **FRANK1** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:07 pm

What are trim tabs ? Are they something on the engine you can adjust to help balance ?

#14 Post by **The Austrian** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:52 pm

FRANK1 wrote:What are trim tabs ? Are they something on the engine you can adjust to help balance ?

Trim tabs decrease the time in “transition mode” between displacement and planing, therefore reduce fuel consumption, laboring of engines, hull stress, wake and pounding.
They can eliminate squatting, listing and porpoising. Furthermore, they increase speed and improve visibility and handling.
More here. Hope this sums it up.

jw · #15 Post by jw » Sat Mar 12, 2011 5:25 pm

you can get a small steel plate that bolts on to the transom on one side, i guess
line a small vertical trim tab, so that it counter acts the torque of the prop putting
a list on the boat

#16 Post by **FRANK1** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:59 pm

Thanks for that .I think I prefer the 25l drums of water idea seeing as I'm not particualrily technically minded .

Sea Angling Ireland

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