18/52 Weldbuilt

[SPACECOWBOY]

A friend bought this boat and wouldn't get on plane worth a **** so we lowered motor 1 set of holes.
Now it gets on plane but about 25 mph it nose dives and starts plowing and you can't trim out of it.
Any ideas we have tried everything?

 

[smackdaddy53]

Trim tabs

 

[SPACECOWBOY]

Trim tabs help with with a boat that doesn't get up on plane this boat will not even lift the front end at all.It gets up on step fine but at the big end it just plows,and a whale tale made it worse.

 

[dhoganjr]

Before you lowered it or after, did you check the height with a straight edge on the lowest point of the hull? Was it cavitating before you lowered it, if not try raising it 1 hole from where it was. It sounds like its too low, it is ok on takeoff until some speed forces water over the foots lip creating drag and forcing the bow down. The whaletail would make it worse in this case. Does the engine tuck or trim under well, if not wedges may help to give more trim range.

You may know or have already tried all this, just throwing ideas out there!!!

 

[SPACECOWBOY]

Thanks
Well we tried to use a strait edge but,he tried to ran down the wrong side of the river and now has bottom damage at the rear.It is pretty bad to would this cause too much turbulence?

 

[dhoganjr]

Yes it doesn't take alot, especially if it is ahead of the intake. Need a clean apron of water ahead of the foot. If he has it insured, it doesn't take much to total a hull if it affects performance. If he doesn't, the dents you can get to can be knocked out, filled in, or have plate welded over them if done correctly.

 

[SPACECOWBOY]

Kinda figured that only thing is he said it acted the same before damage

 

[SPACECOWBOY]

Does anyone in MO make a regular Jon with thicker bottom than .80 or .100?

 

[dhoganjr]

Only .080 and .100 that I know of.

 

[Ranchero50]

Post up some better pics, of the back and bottom. It's hard to make valid recommendation with the info given.

Per hitting rocks, I try to either run at displacement speed the first time or walk the bottom where I plan on running at speed. Might take longer but it keeps the water on the outside. Also keep a note of the river levels so you know where you can run at that depth.

 

[SPACECOWBOY]

Its not my boat, I'll try to get better pics ,on walking shoals that is what I recommended to him. He trashed it the 1st time out unfortunately.

 

[SPACECOWBOY]

So I guess its gonna totaled out so here we go Allweld or Blazer?

 

[dhoganjr]

I say Alweld, I've ran the same hull for 12 years. I have hit rocks, logs, and stumps and still no leaks after all that. It has quite a few small dents, but nothing major.

I have nothing against the Blazers, been in a few, but never owned one. Most guys that have them like them.

Solid boat either way, won't go wrong with either in my opinion.