Question about Boat Stablizers

mojokoko · Post by **mojokoko** » November 1st, 2004, 1:53 pm

Anyone know anything about these?
I got a 16 foot Carolina Skiff which is a Flat Bottom. I can get
around 26mph on that thing max. I am pretty sure I should be
getting up around 30 something. I know the console was installed
a little bit back then it should be. I was told I could balance it out with
some stablizers.

dstockwell · Post by **dstockwell** » November 1st, 2004, 2:09 pm

First off, look at where the motor is mounted. Does the cavitation plate come within 1 1/2 ' of the bottom. If not motor could mounted to low or to high. Do you trim it to get the best speed, that can also help.

Post by **wevans** » November 1st, 2004, 2:20 pm

This is the boat Don

Mojo, I really don't think your going to get much, if any more speed with a 25 horse on there

my boat is an aluminum 17.5 footer with a 40 and I only get 32mph out of it

Post by **qoutrage** » November 1st, 2004, 3:55 pm

I got a C/S J16 with a Nissan 30. It is configured with 2 tandem single seats and the controls (stick) at the front seat. I have checked it with a gps and got 30 with 2 people/gear at full throttle. My motor is fixed at 90 degs to the bottom of the boat.
Actually, I'm satisfied with the performance considering the narrow width of the boat, and the fact that there isn't much besides the 2 little straight line keels to stabilize it in a turn.. I find, it's easy to make it skid, and it wouldn't take much to lose control of it in a turn at anything above 20 or so..
It's an okay arrangement for river fishing, but sucks in the bay, unless the water is pretty calm, as you probably already know.

Post by **tin can** » November 1st, 2004, 4:03 pm

I agree with Wevans. You're not gonna get that kind of speed from a 25. However, if the picture Wevans posted is the actual boat, you can make the boat much more efficient. Unless there's an optical illusion, because of camera angle, the motor is mounted way too low.

After years of experimenting with boat setup, I've learned there are many variables.

Motor height
Prop
motor setback
trim
weight distribution
normal load weight

Out of these, the two most important are motor height, and prop. Motor height is pretty straight forward on this type of boat. For adjustment purposes, adjust the trim so the cavitation plate is parallel with the bottom of the boat. Raise the motor until the cavitation plate is even with, or 1/2" higher than the bottom of the boat.

Prop: There are so many prop variables, I won't even go any further. There's more to props than pitch. Much more.

mojokoko · Post by **mojokoko** » November 1st, 2004, 4:58 pm

I took her out to the OAR reef and a couple of nice offshore boats were
flyin on by and my boat moved less that these big inshore deep V and Semi V boats did.