Would Stabilizer Help?

[rockwell]

I have a Bayliner 185 bowrider, 3.0 MerCruiser stern drive. When heading down the canal at low speed (5 - 6 MPH) to the lake the boat wants to constantly turn left-right, left-right, left right on its own. Once out into the lake and I can increase speed the boat planes fine and the left-right action ceases. I've played with the trim while in the canal but cannot seem to eliminate the left-right back and forth action.

Would adding a stabilizer help this situation or is this just a symptom of a small boat, small engine at low speed in slow moving water?

Thanks!

 

[QC]

Re: Would Stabilizer Help?

Symptom of all v-hull boats, especially I/Os. The only fixes are lots of small wheel corrections or trim tabs used in the full down position. A stabilizer will not help.

 

[stevens]

Re: Would Stabilizer Help?

... just to follow up on that last post; Smart Tabs in particular are very helpful for this problem as they automatically come down at low speeds, and retract again as the boat speed increases.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Would Stabilizer Help?

V hulls are designed for planing speeds primarily. As stated above lots of steering corrections are needed. My outfit is best trimmed all the way up at those speeds. It improves the steering but does not in any way cure it. Never used smart tabs so can not comment. For the amount of time my boat is not planing when in the "no wake' areas I live with it.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Would Stabilizer Help?

As allready stated smart tabs help ;there has been first hand expierence here.
With careful attention and careful correction you can learn to minimize the effect.

 

[rockwell]

Re: Would Stabilizer Help?

Thanks everyone for your inputs!

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Would Stabilizer Help?

rockwell......that's just the way boats are, when you are going slow you have to constantly over correct. You are pushing an object through water, so you are correcting for momentum and propulsion, and dealing with current also. Try pushing a stick through the water and you will see that it starts to turn sideways or turn around or whatever else.

Think about when you paddle a raft, you have to constantly switch the side you paddle on, because the momentum will turn you around in the water or sideways.

When you are running up on plane, you are overcoming a lot of the other forces on the boat and the steering is more sensitive, because the thing you are using to steer the boat, the outdrive, is spinning 4 times as fast than at slow speeds.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Would Stabilizer Help?

It's called "bow steer". As mentioned all V bottoms do it. Some worse than others. Many times you can just ignore it but your boat looks like a snake going down the canal.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Would Stabilizer Help?

Don't waste your money on one of those stupid fins.

Get the smart tabs, or just learn to anticipate the wander.

Properly timed, small corrections is all it takes.

 

[rndn]

Re: Would Stabilizer Help?

I could reduce this problem on my 89 Baja by playing around with the trim. The farther up I trimmed the outdrive, the less it wandered.