how to keep boat on plane at lower speed

A well-set-up boat in the runabout or bass boat category should get on top in 4 to 5 seconds, and the foils make that possible in many cases with packages that previously took 8 to 10 seconds to get up, if they ever made it. With the two power poles a full tank of gas and a full live well my top speed is 50 miles an hour. Keep trim adjustments small: To find that sweet spot for your boat’s trim, it’s important to make sure you adjust your trim tabs using short, half-second bursts — followed by a pause to let the boat react — before moving on to make another adjustment. Stabilization of those pressure centers “causes the boat to trim at one angle regardless of speed when the boat is on plane.” Kaidy adds, “That’s the key to the ‘magic’ that is naval architecture and ­aerospace engineering of stepped hulls.” When conditions allow you to run faster than cruise speed, you might find you need to trim up more dramatically. This lower pressure increases the drag of the lower unit. A by-product of the air/water mixture and the water separation from the gearcase surfaces is propeller burning. Large and small boats benefit from trim tabs by getting the boat out of the hole and on plane quickly, then correcting for uneven weight distribution that is common on larger boats. You can use a lower pitch propeller for better take off, just do not go over your recommended wide open throttle RPM range at full speed. This concept also applies to the number of blades that the prop contains; the more blades a prop has, the more drag it creates, in turn giving us a lower top-end wide throttle speed. Next, repeat the WOT run in the opposite direction to account for wind or tides, and take an average from the two RPM readings. On a 16 footer with a mid-sized outboard and no tabs, for example, a hydrofoil will usually level out the ride by forcing the stern up and the bow down, and will end or greatly reduce porposing. You will notice that moving weight around the boat will have a magnified effect. Larger outboards probably have more benefits to them over the tiller motors. Due to all the weight at the rear (3 huge batteries, fuel tank, wife, etc.) I'd like to keep this thread alive and get some more feedback though. Get on plane, go to wide open throttle and trim out the motor until you reach top speed. As the boat accelerates, push the bow down position of the helm control in short bursts. Many boats are stern heavy with occupants, motor, batteries and fuel. The current prop is a Viper SS 14 3/4x17, can the prop be the issue? Once you move away from the launch ramp and accelerate from a displacement speed, up on to the plane, the handling characteristics of your boat will change. If I try too ease into to fast it will act like I'm turning the key on and off real fast. Motor runs perfectly well at lower speeds (including up on the plane). Leg in to start to keep the prop in the water and help the boat get on the plane. On my current Sea Ray, I was able to keep the boat on plane at a lower RPM and hull speed with a 4 blade prop vs. the same pitch same diameter 3 blade prop. Large Outboards. Sometimes adding weight in the wrong place will alter a boat’s CG or CB away from the ideal spot. Planing boats run at their best when at near full speed and lightly loaded. 1. There are benefits to having a jack plate on either style. Speed is important but some top speed can be sacrificed if it allows better performance in the speed range the boat will be used most in and we deem most important. You will also find that the sea and weather conditions will influence the way your boat handles and rides across the water. Of course, you won’t run a boat without passengers and all the accessories. As the throttle is advanced, the stern of the boat begins to squat, lifting the bow. Then, rev it up and enjoy! Speed relates to the behavior of the fish you seek; the type of lure or bait being used; and to boat maneuvering techniques. the boat would take a long time to get on plane with 40 hp motor. Faster time to plane, also called hole shot. This boat has an overly heavy stern that causes it to porpoise and it requires a fairly high speed to stay on plane. With the engine warmed up and engine in Neutral, see if the engine will go to 3000rpm for a few seconds. Balance your load and allow the boat to plane quickly. The smaller the boat the more significant the impact is, especially on boats that don’t have trim tabs. The hydro foil caused the boat to ride higher in the water at lower speeds. A prop with too much pitch may deliver more top speed because the prop moves further forward with each rotation, but acceleration may be poor and the boat will struggle to get on plane. Whether that is a 300 HP engine or a 5 HP tiller motor. I have the same boat with no jack plate in the same motor. During acceleration an engine is under its greatest strain, so drivers should minimize that time. The quickest path to go-fast boat performance improvement is finding better propellers. I believe I’ve also read that if the ratio of transverse waterline length to longitudinal waterline length (hope I stated that correctly) is too large it can also contribute to porpoising. Note the motor's RPM and bring the boat to a halt. The wrong steering sys­tem can make a good-handling rig impossible to drive. Properly sized trim tabs can significantly reduce the time needed to get up on plane. Using power trim.