Boat is pulling left

[bill 22]

18' bowrider with Merc & Alph 1, NO power steering.

If my boat is pulling left which way should I move the trailing edge (farthest to the rear edge) of the steering alignment tab?

Not sure of the correct name of the tab, I have always called it a Trim Tab but I know trim tabs are also a totally different item mounted on the bottom of the transom.

thanks,

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Boat is pulling left

If the boat is pulling left, move the trailing edge of the trim tab to the left SLIGHTLY, take it up to speed, and check it.

You'll probably feel some amount of unwanted pull at a given speed regardless of trim tab adjustment unless you've got hydraulic steering...then you won't feel it at all. You gotta find a happy middle ground. I would personally have my steering perfect at full throttle and have to counter the torque at half throttle than the other way around.

 

[bill 22]

Re: Boat is pulling left

Thanks. Now I only feel the pull at faster speeds. It would be much better if the pull was only at slow speeds.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Boat is pulling left

It would be much better if the pull was only at slow speeds.

try adjusting the tab for low speed then. what halfmoa said is correct. a trim tab is set for one speed, one trim condition, one load condition. anything other than that and it'll pull some. nature of the beast imho.

ya might consider what halfmoa said too

I would personally have my steering perfect at full throttle and have to counter the torque at half throttle than the other way around.

accidents usually happen at speed.. myself. i have my tab set for about no torque steer at around 2800 rpm. my wot is 4300. so about half speed it where i don't get torque steer. this is what works well for me as i'm usually at 2800 or less..

 

[bill 22]

Re: Boat is pulling left

I got the boat out on the water today but I did not have time to adjust it at all. Above when I said now it is pull hard at full throttle, that is before any adjustments have been made.

I slalom ski so, I run at full throttle a lot. I am going to try and dial it in so it has no pull around 3800rpm. Full throttle is 4200.