the first time out

[basspro215]

OK so today was my first time taking my boat out i started off with the motor all the way down,i got her going and trimed up but the front of the boat still kept rising up,any suggestions

[skunked_again]

yes. find a friend that knows what their doing and take them along. try to go out during the week when theres not a lot of traffic on the lake.

what are you using as a gauge to find the "sweet spot" when youre trimming the motor?

[Javelin200]

OK so today was my first time taking my boat out i started off with the motor all the way down,i got her going and trimed up but the front of the boat still kept rising up,any suggestions

Is this your first time operating an outboard with power tilt / trim? What boat / motor are you running?

Sounds to me like you don't have the engine trimmed all the way in.

[Long Mike]

If your boat is porposing, i.e bouncing up and down, then you have probably trimmed up too far.  Trim back down a little at a time until the bouncing stops.

[basspro215]

it is my first time using a motor ever,prob didn't help the kid i had with me was 300lb and I'm 200lb the max weight of the boat is ownly 480lb but other than that there is no one around that knows more than me(witch is not much)and its a 15.5ft strat with a 60hp evinrude,but i did get my first bass off my vary own boat and there was no better feeling

[smallie.huntin]

I was in your spot last year.  My boat is a 15. ft with a 90 hp.  The "max" weight on my boat is 450 lbs. 

All I can tell you is that I trim the motor all the way down, and put the throttle all the way down until the bow settles and the boats on pad.  From there dont hold the trim button down, try one or 2 clicks.  Find where your boat starts bouncing and back off a little.

[Javelin200]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, based on your response.

Assuming your Evinrude is rigged with power tilt / trim, here is a brief explanation:

Tilt: That range of motion that "tilts" the engine up or down to angle the motor for transport, storage, or access. It is the upper range of motion, allowing the most significant angle change.

Trim: The range of motion designed to adjust the attitude of the craft in the water while under way. This is the lower range of motion, enabling the gearcase to be 'tucked' parallel or slightly inward of parallel to the transom to assist in planing the boat out from take-off, and allowing attitude changes to the boat once on plane.

When you raise and lower the engine with the hydraulic tilt/trim, there is a noticeable difference in resistance between the two. Starting with the engine tilted up, press the trim button down and hold it. The engine reaction will be fairly fast until you reach the lower limit of the 'tilt' range....keep holding the button down. At this point the angle adjustment will feel like it's bottomed out, but it hasn't. The engine is now into the 'trim' range and will continue to gradually tuck (much slower movement) until you let off the control, or it reaches the trim limiter on your transom bracket.

Ideally, you want the engine trimmed all the way in upon take-off. When you're ready to get on plane, mash the throttle, the bow will rise for a few seconds, and then begin to settle over and level out as you approach planing speed. Once on plane, you can throttle back a little and begin making outward trim adjustments to raise the bow and keep from "plowing". From there it's a matter of adjustments to throttle and trim angle to adjust speed and ride.

I apologize if this is something you already have a grasp on, but based on your response, I figured it better to start from scratch. I was in the same 'boat' you are in when I got my first glass bassboat. I had no idea how to work the trim/tilt properly, and d**n near sank the boat before I figured it out. Aside from the embarrassment, it was dangerous. Wish I would have had somebody to give me a little orientation before I got started. If Burdett was closer (I'm in Rochester), I'd come give you a hand.

Best of luck, and be safe.

[basspro215]

thank you vary much javalin that just what i wanted to here i wasn't letting drop all the the way i did get to the point ware i seen the motor start to tilt but i felt it was going to far or maybe i was impatient thanks again and i did almost sink once the whole back of the boat was under water ,thank god for the bilge pump lol

[Javelin200]

thank you vary much javalin that just what i wanted to here i wasn't letting drop all the the way i did get to the point ware i seen the motor start to tilt but i felt it was going to far or maybe i was impatient thanks again and i did almost sink once the whole back of the boat was under water ,thank god for the bilge pump lol

Glad I could help. 

Have fun, and save some NY lunkers for the rest of us!!

[Fishbone]

I was told that the trim should be adjusted to where the RPM reduces. It would seem to me that adjusting to where the RPM increased would be the sweet spot.

What's your thoughts?

How can you approach sinking from trim adjustments?

[skunked_again]

I was told that the trim should be adjusted to where the RPM reduces. It would seem to me that adjusting to where the RPM increased would be the sweet spot.

What's your thoughts?

How can you approach sinking from trim adjustments?

ive always adjusted the trim for max rpm's. as far as sinking from trim adjustment, thats never crossed my mind.

[basspro215]

that's not how i almost sunk but i think it might be poss cause i started with it up too high sh it was pretty much almost dropping the the back of the boat really low in the water

[skunked_again]

does your boat have a tach?

[basspro215]

it does but i have to figure out why it dont work

[Land Surveyor13]

I just go hammer down.  When the bow comes up and onto plane I start raising the motor up with the trim and the jack plate.  Bring the trim up until it stops and the jack plate to 4".  You might not have a jack plate and probably not a motor that stops itself from trimming to far out so I guess you will have to find that sweet spot.  However you can still go hammer down.

[Javelin200]

I was told that the trim should be adjusted to where the RPM reduces. It would seem to me that adjusting to where the RPM increased would be the sweet spot.

What's your thoughts?

How can you approach sinking from trim adjustments?

ive always adjusted the trim for max rpm's. as far as sinking from trim adjustment, thats never crossed my mind.

What's being referred to here is the dangerously over-exaggerated stern-low boat attitude caused by improper trim angle at 'blast off'. BP215 did not have his engine trimmed in far enough, resulting in the prop driving the stern of his boat down into the water instead of pushing/lifting it up out of the water, and onto plane. As I'm sure you can appreciate, this will create a considerable amount of backwash into the boat when cutting the throttle back to idle speed.....similar to what happens on most rigs if you fail to trim in before coming off plane.