26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. Why??

[1991Celebrity260]

Hey there, we are new to a Cuddy cabin crusier. It's a 1991 Celebrity 260 Cuddy. It has a 7.4 L V-8 in it. We took it out for the first time sunday and worked great but when we got up to speed and had to start turning a little to follow the channel the boat seriously felt like it was going to tip!!! The boat does have trim tabs and they were all the way up so I shouldnt have had that problem. I did trim down the opposite side I was turning and it did correct it self until I had to turn the other way, then I had to trim the other side down. So constantly I was using the trim tabs back and forth non stop. Not fun at all!!! I am seriously thinking of selling it cause it scarred the crap out of my girlfriend and her kids and honestly scarred the crap out of me alittle. Any suggestions would be great! thanks!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

Few hundred pounds of water in the bilge?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

maybe slow down a little and save the WOT for straight runs

 

[rbh]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

How many people on deck?
How heavy were they?
How much gear were you packing?

 

[1991Celebrity260]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

I was wondering the same thing kind of??? I was out on the water maybe 15 minutes cause of the no wake zone before the channel. So you seriously think I could have had that much water in there that quick?? When Im on the water I run the aft bilge pump for 5 mins every 5-10 mins or so just to be safe. I have no deep scuffs in hull whatsoever but when I come back to the dock and load it on the trailer the boat it will drain water out for about 5-10 minutes....

 

[cr2k]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

How high was the drive trimmed?

 

[rbh]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

I was wondering the same thing kind of??? I was out on the water maybe 15 minutes cause of the no wake zone before the channel. So you seriously think I could have had that much water in there that quick?? When Im on the water I run the aft bilge pump for 5 mins every 5-10 mins or so just to be safe. I have no deep scuffs in hull whatsoever but when I come back to the dock and load it on the trailer the boat it will drain water out for about 5-10 minutes....

If your draining water for five to ten minutes when you get it back on the trailer you have one heck of a leak, find and repair before you go back out.

 

[1991Celebrity260]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

smokeonthewater, Im going about 16-20 mph only. It planes out pretty quick, im only half throttle.

RBH, first time was just my girlfriend and I with two life jackets, 450 lbs combined weight. Second time, 4 adults and 2 kids with 6 life jakets. I would say 1200 lbs combined weight

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

ever go down a river with a canoe half full of water? sounds like it has the same effect as your boat has. tipping severly to one side and majorly unstable. id check that your trim tabs work ok as well with 1 or the other down all the way your boat should be leaning to 1 side.

 

[1991Celebrity260]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

cr2k, I have down both. I had the tilt on the prop all the way down and it still did it, so then I trimmed the prop up about a quater and it still did it.

 

[lime4x4]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

I have a 30 foot cruiser. The first couple of times it felt like it was going to tip over. I think it's a learning curve esp coming from a smaller boat. Esp if it seats high in the water. I've had mine turned hard at times doing 25 mph and when i look over the side i swear i can touch the water if i wanted to.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

You need to figure out your water leak. That is your problem.

 

[1991Celebrity260]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

Ok thanks everybody. It must be coming in around the lower unit cause there is honestly no other place

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

10-15 mins from where? the drain plug? Is it a constant flow of water or just dripping slowly.

 

[ziggy]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

one more vote to find the leak. draining for 5-10 minutes. if i get a half a tea cup from mine for a days boating, i wonder where it came from...

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

WOW 5-10 seconds I would consider to be a problem ... 5-10 minutes!.... If that is freely flowing you could be talking hundreds of gallons of water.... If that is the case you are lucky you MADE it back to the dock.... If this an I/O I'd suspect bellows

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

Hopefully not a rottted out transom. It is a 20 year old boat.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

I have a 30 foot cruiser. The first couple of times it felt like it was going to tip over. I think it's a learning curve esp coming from a smaller boat. Esp if it seats high in the water. I've had mine turned hard at times doing 25 mph and when i look over the side i swear i can touch the water if i wanted to.

I assume by 30' cruiser you mean the 26 sundancer in your sig? If so it's a common thing with trailer width beams. To make it a cruiser they are tall but very narrow. I hear and see a lot of them leaning hard due to being top heavy. Weight down low I hear helps.

To the op I'm willing to bet your boat is not truly pouring out water for 5-10 minutes. Next time your out check the bilge. If water is coming in I would find and fix that then focus on the boat leaning.

 

[1991Celebrity260]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

Honestly it probably wasnt 5-10 minutes, more like 2-3 minutes constant flow and then really slow for the next 2 mins. I mean it is a very narrow and tall boat! 26 ft is the length but from swim platform to the front anchor its 29.5 ft, 8 feet wide and it barely sits in the water at all. Very high up out of the water. The biggest boat I have ever had was a 20.5 footer open bow but sat alot closer to the water. I am wondering if I fill the front water tank with water if that extra weight up front and low would help for turning after I find this water leak.

Do you guys have caulk around the lower unit where it meats the back of the boat??? This one doesnt but I thought my other one did but cant remember...

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 26ft Cuddy cabin crusier feels like its going to tip over when you barely turn. W

draining water for 10 seconds is way too much unless you were in very rough water with waves crashing over the bow of an open boat.... 2-3 minutes is a major problem... there should not be caulk around an outdrive. They have a rubber seal that you can't see without removing the whole thing.... You should not have to run your bilge pump unless there is water coming into the boat.... If you can't see it coming in as a wave or rain or such then you have a leak.... Check your bellows.... I bet they are cracked and torn.