2003 Tracker Grizzly 1754

[dave]

The boat fishes well.  The boat runs in flat water great. But...

Let there be a chop on the water and it'll shake your fillings loose.  It'll shake everything on deck from rods to coolers from bow to stern.  We removed the console a couple of years ago and put a thicker floor and new ribs under the console and it helped just a little. (the aluminum console would shake so violently, you'd think it was going to shake free of the floor)

It's rattly ride in the least chop, a terrible ride in anything more.

Is there a way to alleviate this at all?  I was thinking the replacing the aluminum console with an ABS plastic like the newer consoles, while not stopping the flex, at least the console wouldn't shake so violently.

 

[BigBiscuit]

You might want to try adding some weight to the bow of the boat to let it push through the rough stuff. If that helps alleviate the problem, think about adding trim tabs to bring the bow down when running in rough water.  

[Dogface]

I have a War Eagle 1754. It is very similar to the Grizzly. I do not have a problem with vibration in a light chop or worse.

 

The War Eagle is welded. Is the Grizzly welded or riveted? 

 

Can you trim out the vibration?

[dave]

Welded.  One of things we did was to move the two trolling motor batteries way forward.  All of this helped porpoising but,  not the tooth-rattling ride.

[Susky River Rat]

You don’t happen to have a jet on it do you?  
 

if so jets drive forward and pretty much plow into everything. You also can’t really trim them out either.

[TnRiver46]

Go slow! 

[dave]

Evinrude E-Tech 60HP.   Slow is the only option in those conditions.   While I don't mind going slow, you can still feel the hull flex and everything on deck shaking. (just slower...LOL)  My partner's Lowe Roughneck plows through it like it's not even choppy.

[GaryH]

Not trying to sound smart A. Maybe it’s time to sell and get something you would enjoy. If you do decide to get a different boat make sure you test drive it in choppy water. Good luck on your fix or on a different boat.

[airshot]

Hull design can make a big difference, some are just flat and others have a slight V to them.  I have found the flat bottoms give a great ride in flat water but jar your teeth in chop.  The more V shaped hulls are smoother in chop, much smoother!!!  What shape is your hull ??

[gim]

8 minutes ago, airshot said:

Hull design can make a big difference, some are just flat and others have a slight V to them.  I have found the flat bottoms give a great ride in flat water but jar your teeth in chop.  The more V shaped hulls are smoother in chop, much smoother!!!  What shape is your hull ??

I have a mod v aluminum bass boat and it’s not great in choppy water either. I wouldn’t say it’s “tooth rattling” bad, but being a mod v hull, it just tends to ride smoother when it’s calmer out. I didn’t buy my rig to be out there in 2 or 3 footers.

 

True deep V hulls (aka walleye boats) ride and handle rougher water much better.

[Susky River Rat]

I would think it would be a mod v I know the my tracker 160 is and that’s it’s pretty much the same design as the grizzly 16’. Which I am sure the 17ft follows right in suit.  I have a rough ride as well. Even rougher with my jet than when I had a prop. It’s just the nature of the aluminum boat world. 

[dave]

Correct on the hull design.

[Bird]

Have you played with the trim during these rough conditions. ?

Motor trimmed up leaves less Hull in the water and trimmed down forces the bow down.

 

Had my Lowe out in chop recently and didn't experience " teeth jarring" .

 

[Alex from GA]

I use a Grumman Renegade 16' bass boat and the console rattles so hard the locator jumps off the dash.  It planes in 12 mph so I just slow down and it's not bad.

[WRB]

Proposing is a engine trim issue, do you have electric or hydraulic trim? If it’s just a matter of tilt pin, then check the engine height. Your engine prop shaft centerline should be 3 1/2” below the plane surface with the engine trim parallel to the flat bottom surface.

Grizzly is a rough riding hull but shouldn’t shaking and rattling. 

You can mount a 3/4” to 1” rubber shock pad under the consul to quite it down and get good seats to save your spine.

Tom 

[Catt]

While many manufacturers claim to make a "modified vee" hull when in reality its a flat bottom with a modified nose (bow). 

 

Look at the bottom of the transom, you should see how much deadrise there is. 

 

Your problem maybe the hull is to flat, gauge is too thin, ribs not sturdy & not enough of them. 

 

Excessive hull vibration in the earlier Trackers caused loose rivets or cracked welds.

 

That's a dumb Cajun's opinion 

[dave]

There is a broken weld or two...  I guess I have what I have.  It fishes great,  I'll just adjust.  Thanks for the advice,  now I have some things to try. 

18 hours ago, WRB said:

Proposing is a engine trim issue, do you have electric or hydraulic trim? If it’s just a matter of tilt pin, then check the engine height. Your engine prop shaft centerline should be 3 1/2” below the plane surface with the engine trim parallel to the flat bottom surface.

Grizzly is a rough riding hull but shouldn’t shaking and rattling. 

You can mount a 3/4” to 1” rubber shock pad under the consul to quite it down and get good seats to save your spine.

Tom 

I'll do some measuring,  thanks Tom.

[WRB]

2 hours ago, dave said:

There is a broken weld or two...  I guess I have what I have.  It fishes great,  I'll just adjust.  Thanks for the advice,  now I have some things to try. 

I'll do some measuring,  thanks Tom.

Just checking and couldn’t find a option for a consul in the Grizzly 1754?

The dead rise is 7 degrees.

Tom

[dave]

Thanks,  I was going to look into an ABS console.  This one is aluminum,  tall and narrow.