Chine Walk

[Wheelman]

I don’t have a port and starboard fuel tank as mine runs the whole width, but filling the tank adds weight just like a passenger does which means the boat does lift out of the water as much so it may not chine walk as bad because of the extra weight as well. Of course depending on what prop you run can affect how much the boat lifts out of the water, though I suppose more weight on the port side should help it not try to roll starboard as well. Just like stiffer motor mounts help to give you better feedback of controlling chine walk, so does balancing a boat and it just seems seems counterintuitive for a boat company that prides it’s self on “performance” not to recommend it as it’s like saying corner balancing a car isn’t necessary if you’re a good driver. Sure a good driver can drive around a car with bad weight distribution, but why would you not want to make it easier on yourself? A bigger heavier hull seems like it’d chine walk less because there’s more wetted surface, but realize the engine is making more torque though the bigger heavier boat isn’t as reactive to steering inputs like a longer wheelbase car is easier to control. What I’ve wondered is the MOI the same of a 1200lb 150hp boat as a 2000lb 250hp boat?

[dyollp]

Have you measured prop to pad? I have a puma ftd that would start walking pretty violently around 65 mph with very little trim. I didn’t think that was right, but everyone told me I had to learn to drive it through the chine. I ended up playing with motor height. I had to raise the manual jackplate about an inch. Now it doesn’t start walking till about 75 mph. It’s pretty stable till then, and the chine walk isn’t as unmanageable as before. I can get it up to about 78 before I trim it back down. I’m still playing with the setup since I’ve had it about a year. Measure prop to pad and track your speed, rpm, hole shot, and trim settings. I don’t think it should walk very much at 65 mph unless you’re trimming up too fast or it’s setup wrong.

[Bass Cat Boats]

dollyp, we suggest that you watch the video done on how to drive and learning. You are explaining exactly what people do to offset their learning curve. Odds are steering wheel torque (pressure) is very high when you’re running those higher speeds. That is due to rotating surfacing blade, which is slippage, which does allow you to reach a higher speed through the process. It does however reduce the boats abilities to reach an even higher speed, while compensating for operator. We’ve never seen one gain performance with that much added engine height.

BCB

[dyollp]

Bass Cat Boats:

dollyp, we suggest that you watch the video done on how to drive and learning. You are explaining exactly what people do to offset their learning curve. Odds are steering wheel torque (pressure) is very high when you’re running those higher speeds. That is due to rotating surfacing blade, which is slippage, which does allow you to reach a higher speed through the process. It does however reduce the boats abilities to reach an even higher speed, while compensating for operator. We’ve never seen one gain performance with that much added engine height.

BCB

I have watched the video and tried all the techniques prior to adjusting engine height. My prop to pad is 3.25” which I believe is in the ballpark of where it should be based on my research. I think the prior owner lowered the motor to gain holeshot, so I was correcting for his error. My water pressure is good, and there is not excessive steering torque like it had when the motor was too low. The bow doesn’t try to hook in turns like it did before. I don’t think I’ll get better speed than 78 mph with 2 12” graphs on the bow, lithiums, and the current prop, but I will continue to try.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 1 week ago by dyollp.
• This reply was modified 4 months, 1 week ago by dyollp.

[Wheelman]

Sounds like you know what you’re doing and in the right ballpark PTP, honestly surprised at the assumptive post that doesn’t ask details as it comes across as just condescending instead of helpful. Not sure who all uses the BCB screen name though know it’s multiple users, I’ve often wondered if they have a requirement for posting to have run a certain speed in a certain boat setup to prove they can drive?

[Bass Cat Boats]

All of this is reverse of the results you should have experienced by raising the engine. Thus we now wonder if the propeller in right. Your performance is within an acceptable range. Water pressure has not been an issue on most any engine since the lower gearcase pickups were added on brands. The only reason it should be watched today is an obstruction.

I think the prior owner lowered the motor to gain holeshot, so I was correcting for his error. My water pressure is good, and there is not excessive steering torque like it had when the motor was too low. The bow doesn’t try to hook in turns like it did before.

[Wheelman]

Dyollp curious what year/brand outboard you have and what prop you run exactly? Changing an inch in engine height is big and assume the old owner ran big water and that’s why they ran it that deep? I don’t think BCB setups any of the boats at 4.25” from the factory though I realize there are different hull designs, so would like to know.

[dyollp]

Wheelman:

Dyollp curious what year/brand outboard you have and what prop you run exactly? Changing an inch in engine height is big and assume the old owner ran big water and that’s why they ran it that deep? I don’t think BCB setups any of the boats at 4.25” from the factory though I realize there are different hull designs, so would like to know.

It’s a 2016 puma ftd with a 250 optimax. I bought it last year from a retired guy. It only had 60 hours on the boat. I run a 25 3 blade fury that isn’t perfect. It had a 26 3 blade fury but the hole shot was terrible and it struggled to get up the trailer. Once I started to raise the motor 1/4” at a time, I noticed everything improve. I may put the 26 fury back on to see if I can get more speed out of it at the new motor height.
I’m not sure why the motor was so low. The old owner mentioned he didn’t like the hole shot so I figured he was lowering it. I take the boat to the same dealer he bought it from and talked about the motor height. They were surprised. I think they said 3” to 3.75” is in the range I should be at.

[dyollp]

Wheelman:

Sounds like you know what you’re doing and in the right ballpark PTP, honestly surprised at the assumptive post that doesn’t ask details as it comes across as just condescending instead of helpful. Not sure who all uses the BCB screen name though know it’s multiple users, I’ve often wondered if they have a requirement for posting to have run a certain speed in a certain boat setup to prove they can drive?

My point was just to measure everything and account for all the variables to confirm the setup is in the ballpark of where it should be, then focus on learning to drive it. I was convinced I was a bad driver for the first 4 months before I finally measured prop to pad and figured out my setup might be off. In that time, I read a ton of threads and watched a bunch of videos on chine walk and how to drive bass cats. My old champion 203 wasn’t as fast but it didn’t walk at all, so it made sense I may not know how to drive through the chine walk.

[Bass Cat Boats]

dyollp,

what area of the country do you live in?
it looks like the San Jose area?

BCB

[Bass Cat Boats]

dyollp,

what area of the country do you live in?
it looks like the San Jose area?

BCB

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