On Tue, 7 Jun 2005 01:03:01 -0400, "NOYB" wrote:

Every v-bottom boat up to 25' that I've ever been on lists to the side that
people are standing on. That's what trim tabs are designed to correct.


"RiverMan" wrote in message
oups.com...
I bought in early April a new aluminum boat, 19' Raider with a 140
Suzuki 4-stroke on it, everything is new.

Interesting. The boat is rated for 130 hp according to the web site -
which, by the way, sucks.

I have less than 15 hours on
the boat as of today. The first time I used the boat it wanted to list
to one side while motoring down the river..tried trimming the motor,
little or no difference. So I take it back to the guys I bought it from
and they tell me "no big deal we will adjust the tab on the transom,
come back in a week".

I did that, took it out on the river over the wknd with my two buddies,
all of us weigh at or near 200 pds. If two guys get on one side with
one guy on the other the boat will lean way over....not a little, I'm
talking way over! If two guys move to the other side, it then leans
that way!

Well, you have an 85" beam on a moderate V bottom (10º stern, 30º bow)
and with three guys in it, two of them "big", then I would expect it
to list to one side. Under power, that's what the trim tabs are for.

My Ranger 200 C lists to one side if you get me and one other person
on the same side of the boat - not a lot I admit - and that boat is
designed to stay relatively flat on the surface of the water.

All boats of this type and hull design will do this. Of course, how
severe the list is a personal issue and what is acceptable to you. I
have a hunch that you aren't used to this style boat hull. I also
think that this is a very light boat just based on the aluminum specs
on it.

~~ snippage ~~

I feel that this is a brand new boat and I paid 22k for it and it
shouldn't lean to the point of feeling like you are going to get thrown
out. I also feel like a brand new boat shouldn't need trim tabs and
there is something wrong!

Should have water tested the boat first - sorry, that's just the way
it is. At this point, you are pretty much stuck with it - there
really isn't anything "wrong" per se.

Later,

Tom