Trim tabs

SKIP · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:02 am Post subject: Trim tabs

I hate to be late to the party, but being a recent joiner to this site, I'm sure I've missed the discussion on trim tabs for the 22 Cruiser. We have one, with the Honda 90. At speed, it feels like I'm pulling a skier. Would trim tabs help? At low speeds, like around 200-2500 rpm, the boat is just great (especially for our river cruising), but it struggles at higher speeds. What results have some of you folks had? Thanks in advance.

Gary Lee/Hunky Dory
captainriver@jumo.com

Jazzmanic · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 12:06 pm Post subject:

Gary,
The first thing I would look at would be the prop. I had the same problem last summer until I went down to a 13 pitch on my Suzuki DF70. It finally ran like the new boat that it was. What a difference. Have you done any performance tests, i.e. speed at various RPM incl WOT?
Peter

Sea Wolf · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 3:27 pm Post subject:

Gary-

What's your wide open throttle (WOT) rpm and your max speed at that setting? You should be doing 28 or more mph at somewhere between 5000 and 6000 rpm with that motor. Do you have a lot of weight aboard? Fouled bottom?

The standard props for that Honda 90 for the 22 have either a 15 or 17 inch pitch with about a 13 and 1/2 inch diameter. The 17 struggles with some heaving loading, and the 15 is generally better and less prone to lugging. The Solas 4 blade 15 inch is nearly ideal.

If your rpm is seriously down much below 5000 or so, and your prop is in that 15-17 range, you may have an obstruction in one of the four carburetors. An obstruction in a high speed jet wouldn't affect your low end performance.

There are other possibilities, but first we need to know just how much the boat is struggling in terms of numbers.

Joe.