low speed/idle steering wander

[airdvr1227]

At low speed she wanders back and forth without any steering input. Normal?

 

[smclear]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

Normal for I/O's

 

[Kracken]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

Need a little more information. What type of drive? What is a slow speed? Does it favor one side?

It is normal for some wondering. I had a 28? that was awful at speeds less that 6mph. Turned out it was a trim tab malfunction.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

Not too much wandering...just enough to be annoying. I don't have traditional trim tabs...I have a wing on the lower unit.

 

[109jb]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

On planing hulls the wander at low speed is normal and yes annoying.

 

[Kracken]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

All but 1 of the boats I have owed (all I/O) wandered a little. It is normal. As long as it not excessive and does not do it at higher speeds it is probably ok. If you have an OMC they have a trim tab on the cavitaion plate. If it is missing or bent it can cause problems but I doubt it would cause excessive wandering. I would suggest you inspect the outdrive and look for damage. If you don't see anything, it is probably normal for your boat. I am always a little suspect of those wings. I have always thought if a boat is propped correctly there is no need for them. I realize this is very debatable.

 

[Tahoe 55]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

Normal and Smart Tabs will make it almost nonexistant.....

 

[Bart Sr.]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

V Hull wander.It was annoying until I got used to making the proper (small) adjustments.

Practice Practice Practice.

 

[smartwork]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

What actually happens with the hull, water, and drive that creates the wander on an I/O?

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

I'm guessing here but I think the water builds up in front and the hull falls off to one side...once it starts it just keeps switching sides. Other than that I got nuttin

 

[109jb]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

What actually happens with the hull, water, and drive that creates the wander on an I/O?

It isn't just I/O's that wander. My outboard powered boats wander too. The aluminum boats I've had aren't as bad because they have a keel that runs the full length of the boat, but they still wander a bit. The 16' Sea Ray I have now (Outboard powered) wanders quite a bit.

Wander happens because it is a planing hull. Displacement hulls like sailboats don't wander because the water flows smoothly around the boat hull. On a planing hull the water flows smoothly until it gets to the transom and then it encounters a big discontinuity. Displacement hulls don't have this discontinuity. Basically, when moving forward, the hull creates a big hole in the water just aft of the transom and the water rushes in from the sides to fill the big hole and it gets turbulent back there. In the turbulent water created the rudder isn't real effective. The outdrive or lower unit doesn't have enough rudder area to counteract it and the boat wanders.

When I get my boat back in the water I am actually going to try some temporary things to see if I can at least reduce the wander a little. If I find something that works and doesn't have a really bad effect otherwise I may make it permanent.

 

[smartwork]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

109jb - thanks for the info. So, when people say the Smart Tabs reduce the wander, are the tabs simply redirecting some of the water that would have rushed in to fill the hole - thereby reducing the wandering effect?

 

[Polar_Bus]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

At low speed she wanders back and forth without any steering input. Normal?

I asked the exact same question about my Stingray 22' performance cuddy, they told me "yes" it's normal..

 

[smclear]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

Wander happens because it is a planing hull. Displacement hulls like sailboats don't wander because the water flows smoothly around the boat hull. On a planing hull the water flows smoothly until it gets to the transom and then it encounters a big discontinuity. Displacement hulls don't have this discontinuity. Basically, when moving forward, the hull creates a big hole in the water just aft of the transom and the water rushes in from the sides to fill the big hole and it gets turbulent back there. In the turbulent water created the rudder isn't real effective. The outdrive or lower unit doesn't have enough rudder area to counteract it and the boat wanders.

While what you say may be true and have some effect on the ability to run straight, it doesn't explain why my inboard (a planing hull) does NOT wander in the least. It simply goes where I direct at any speed. And no, it does not have the fins on the bottom that a comp. ski boat does. It's just a straight inboard.

 

[LIQUID PROZAC]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

yep normal-try trim tabs wow what a difference

 

[109jb]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

While what you say may be true and have some effect on the ability to run straight, it doesn't explain why my inboard (a planing hull) does NOT wander in the least. It simply goes where I direct at any speed. And no, it does not have the fins on the bottom that a comp. ski boat does. It's just a straight inboard.

Inboard boats have more efficient rudders because the rudder is to only thing that turns the boat. An I/O or outboard has an ineffective rudder and prop thrust that can both be turned. In addition, an inboard has the rudder behind the prop in the high speed flow from the prop which is why it is more effective. The "rudder" on an I/O or outboard is in front of the prop.

 

[Mark42]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

Yep, like others said, deep V wander at low speed is normal. I even get a heavy wheel to the left at low speed that goes away at high speed. Always something new to learn about boats.

 

[dan t.]

Re: low speed/idle steering wander

the best cure for wander is dont think about it, constantly trying to correct it just amplifies the problem. pick a land mark point the bow at it and admire the senery, let your natural steering reflexes take over,soon the wander dissapears