85 Tracker V17 Tournament, How Thick Are The OEM Decks?

[driz]

The boat has 50 merc that runs fine. Since I picked it up last year It behaved very badly only running trimmed nearly full down or bow rose excessively. Squirrellly handling porpoising ect. I tore it right down to the ribs expecting to find totally wet foam. Dry as a bone and it's a straight boat no bends or other damage showing. The motor appears to be mounted right fully down on the transom ect.
I am replacing the wood which what was on there was 5/8" in the middle ( huge piece) and 3/4 possibly 1" on the foredeck and peak portions. That seems severe overkill since the peak is supported completely and short span.with nothing up there but a trolling motor. Looking at these I have no real way of knowing if they are OEM or replaced and redone by prior owner. Once I had them out the cuts look a bit on the crude side around the braces which is what really got me to wondering. Its pretty obvious that some sort of weight and balance issue is creating this, there isn't anything else left. So tell me, What is the OEM plywood thickness of those front decks? I don't want to put this back together again to take it all apart.

 

[srr5008]

If it's any help, I started a thread last week in this forum that might help you with porpoising issues. I have a Mod V hull (16 feet long) with a 50hp motor and I estimated I would need to add 250-300 pounds up front to stop the porpoising. In my case, it looks like the motor is too low. Runs great trimmed all the way down but starts jumping the minute I trim it up.

Also, more in keeping with your questions - my boat had a 1/2" floor on the bottom, 3/4" front deck and 5/8" everywhere else.

 

[driz]

Thanks for the info. I'll look up that thread. Mine (as i mentioned in a thread last year here) has the habit of on plane tossing a thin 1/4" curl of water up along the side. It curls up and just barely hits the rear carry handle and seeps into the boat. It's enough that if you went 10 miles you would sink the boat. That's another reason why I was so sure the foam was waterlogged. Darned weird.
Mine is rated for 40 through 90 so I am pretty sure the front weight thing you have isn't what I have and besides , mine is heavy as hell in the front. It's easier to pick up the bow of my 23' Bayliner when I pull it on the trailer which was another reason I was so sure it was waterlogged.
Just how do you do a weight and balance on a boat anyways? I can do an airplane fine and dandy but with a boat it's as scientific as using a rock to drive nails.