How to handle the boat

SnowTexan · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 12:18 pm Post subject:

As a newbie i’m also still learning the boat. Last week i was running across a lake with wind waves coming hard from port and struggling to maintain course at any speed. Realized eventually my boy had crawled right up against the anchor locker for a nap and took all the backpacks up there with him to make a little barricade. Probably added 75 pounds within a foot of the locker. Overtrimmed to the extreme! Lesson learned...again.

Foggy · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 1:01 pm Post subject:

Well, maybe it was your son and backpack weight, probably not.

It is normal for a boat in trim in clam water to lean into the direction of wind and
waves, often quite noticeable, if they suddenly come up causing loss of trim.

With trim tabs, the remedy is to lower the tab on the side of the wind/waves/boat
lean enough to correct the boat's lean or 'tilt'.

Aye.

thataway · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 4:02 pm Post subject:

75# of weight up forward definitely affects the trim of the C Dory 22. (Just like putting 100' of chain up there!)

Foggy · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 4:41 pm Post subject:

Yes, but... Granted, a 100' of 1/4" G4 chains weighs about 75 lbs.
I agree.

However, the chain lies in the anchor locker on the centerline, not
favoring list to either side.

I have a hard time believing 75 lbs (maybe 2%) put to the port side
(forward) of the of the 22' loaded boat would be equivalent to the list
created by a stiff port wind with waves as claimed.

75 lbs forward (near or on the center line) is not the same as 75 lbs
amidships for trim purposes.
It's physics.

Regardless, trim tab adjustment would still be the answer.

Aye.

clayhubler · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 6:38 pm Post subject:

Thanks all,
Just got back from a day on the water and had a great time. I kept the engines trimmed parallel to the water and only used trim tabs to level the boat. I'm happy with that method. Also, I slowed cruise speed down to about 15mph and that really seemed to help. Of course the water was a lot smoother today, too...

SnowTexan · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 6:47 pm Post subject:

well the wind was not pinned from the port at a 90 degree angle. it shifted as wind does, and i was waaaay too bow down when it came up from behind and would cause me to push further down due to my already improper trimming. It was a few minute all around S-Show of poor tab adjustment, poor weight distribution, and my lack of experience meant it took me longer to figure out than it should have. either way, i backed off the throttle and sorted it out and hopefully will remember on the fly next time to get it right. didnt mean to hijack the OP thread with my own sloppiness, just to sit in solidarity with the learning curve to a flat bottom and a little chop. I believe I take your meaning when you say tab adjustment was the answer. and that I should have been properly adjusted as soon as I turned to run across the wind instead of after getting slapped around first. agreed sir.

SnowTexan · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 6:49 pm Post subject:

clayhubler · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 6:55 pm Post subject:

No fishing today. Really a shakedown cruise to play with the handling and to check my systems because I rewired a large percentage of the boat.