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Need Help from Sportfire/Diplomat Owners

E

Enticer1

Active member
All right guys, help me befor I barrell-roll this tub. Let me give you my set up. 1987 Sportfire, 1987 Black-Max 200 with tight heads and Boysen reeds. CMC 5 1/2 inch manual jack plate. 2 to 1 lower with Bob's nose cone and low water pickup. Prop shaft even with pad, 28 pitch chopper.
It comes out of the hole like a freight train but on the top end if I try to trim it up for max RPM it goes into viloent chine walk. If I leave it in negative trim it runs straight but you can feel it pushing, not good for mph. What am I doing wrong? I have even relocated the battery to the port side to help offset my weight (190 lb's)
Any advice is appreciated.

Doug in Tampa (The senior Gatormate)
 
Befor anyone asks

Yes I do have solid motor mounts. Come on Guys 83Predictor's 150 is killin me. His predictor flies like an angel and our hulls aren't that different.
 
You should be able to drive through the chinewalk
keep practicing and you will get it
how fast are you running when it starts walking
 
try about half throttle trim up to get the bow loose then slowly add thottle

you may need to trim up or down the faster you go to keep the bow level

the nose cone will want to stay level instead of positive trim like non nose cone

try a bow lifting prop so you don't have to use so much trim

without the nose cone that maybe a great prop

the stoock lower should be fine till 80 to 85 mph

daren
 
Set-up or Driver?? Your set-up doesn't sound like the culprit here even though I have seen certain props do different things regarding "chinewalk".

But before you tear this set-up all apart do you know of another experienced driver/boat owner in your area who you would feel confident testing this for you? That way you will know right away if you have to spend some "seat time" or re-rig" parts of it.

Like you said " 83predictor's is flying like an angel" so this boat should too. I think you did a great job putting it together.

Frankly it intrigues me as the components are pretty close to what I run on my project boat. ( 86 Eluder w/ 2.4 Mod Bridgeport EFI and 5.5 " CMC," 2:1 CLE, Promax Mid, 26" Chopper or 4 blade "ET" 28", plus propshaft even w/pad.

Gotta figure this one out! How about it 83? jump in it and see what you think?
 
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You HAVE made sure the steering is completely tight correct? Another thing that can cause chine-walk is the PROP. Been there/done that. Try another prop, see what happens and make sure your steering is TIGHT.

After that, put as much weight into the boat as possible (like a full tank of gas and brave passengers) and try again. I found it's much easier to learn to control chine-walk with a heavy load, then lighten as you gain experience.
 
I agree with JW. the more weight in the boat the better the control. I learned to ride the pad with three persons in the boat and then got used to it with two and now I can ride all day long a WOT solo.
 
Got your PM Enticer1, thanks!

Try props and maybe you're gonna want to try a non-nose coned lower unit too. I haven't heard of a coned LU causing chine walk, but it's almost as easy to trade LU's for a couple hours testing as it is to change a prop.
 
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