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The general rule is to trim the engine in when getting on plane. Don't deploy the tabs at all. Then trim the engine out until the torque steer disappears and then continue until just before the prop begins to ventilate. That will depend on your speed and sea conditions. Then begin to deploy the...

I found that there was lots of room behind the fresh water tank and fuel tank in my 226. That's where I put my B60. Too much clutter in the bilge area with 2 water uptakes. You need to pop off the tank cover, but there was lots of elbow room. Don't know if you have that option in the 232. You...

Yamahas from 150 hp up can use an optional auxiliary charging cable. This allows both batteries to be charged while the switch is in the #1 position, yet prevents one battery from discharging the other. It accomplishes the same function as a battery isolator and its built right into the engine...

I find that my 226 requires very little trim in a head sea. Sometimes I'll drop the bow 1 bar to smooth out a one foot chop. Anything rougher than that causes the boat to run wet. The SV2 hull doesn't ride on top of the waves at high speed like a Regulator or Yellowfin hull. They ride best...

I would go with the SV2 hull. As you can see from my sig, I've owned both types of hulls. The SV2 is a big improvement. The ride is very dry and the hulls doesn't pound like the older design. The importance of the enclosed transom on the 228 is over rated. The layout is more functional, but the...

Valvetec sells a product called Carbon Free that is supposed to do the same thing as Ringfree. However, it is an entirely different chemistry that uses solvents to remove deposits. IMO, this is a low tech solution. Like Seafoam, it might be useful as a concentrated shock treatment to remove...

If you use what they call Top Tier gasoline, you probably don't need to use Ringfree. Yamaha recommends it as insurance against low quality fuel. I've done a good bit of research on fuel additives over the years. Ringfree and Mercury Quickleen (the same product) are concentrated solutions of...

I ended up mounting a Humminbird 900 series in the instrument box of my 226. With the low and wide configuration fits perfectly and leaves just enough room for a small VHF. It is plenty wide enough to display both the fishfinder and chartplotter functions at the same time. Mine has the side...

Yamaha has been specifying starting batteries with a minimum of 182 min reserve capacity for the F150-F250 series engines since they first came out. They draw a lot of power from the battery until you reach an rpm level that will generate almost 20 amps is you have a lot of electronics. The...

Kickers are traditionally mounted on the port side of the centerline. This lets the boat steer a little straighter despite the off center location of the kicker. The reason has to do with the clockwise rotation of the propeller. If you only use the kicker for low speed trolling, the side that...

I got this from a certified Yamaha mechanic at Homosassa Marine: Yamaha used to say that their engines could be run when using the flush attachment rather than earmuffs. But they ran into problems with people running their engines at high rpm. There were instances of overheating and also damage...

There is an error in the Trailer Life article. They state that the new F250 requires 89 octane fuel where the older F250B runs on 87 octane. Yamaha recommends 89 octane for both engines. The F250B will run on 87 octane fuel, but the knock sensor degrades the economy and power with the lower...

Have you ever decarboned the engine? 2 strokes build up deposits in the upper cylinder and ring areas that cause combustion problems that are most apparent while the engine is idling. The rings tend to stick in the piston lands, which lowers the compression and reduces performance. The standard...

Those big old 2 strokes are worth about $500 in my neck of the woods (Florida). It doesn't matter if they are running or not since most just get parted out. Be sure to consult with GW before you decide on your new power. Most of the newer engines are heavier and will change the center of...

Well, you could put a new powerhead on, but next spring the rest of the engine will be 17 years old. As long as the rest of the boat is in great shape, you'll be much happier with a new engine. You'll likely get better than a 50% increase in fuel economy. Just be careful with weight...

Yep. 150 hp won't do it. 200 is minimal and 250 is just right for that hull.

You should identify the specific transducer that you have installed before you decide to upgrade your fishfinder. This guy will help you out if you can find the serial number or just give a physical description: Gil Travis Enterprises (209) 848-8533 Email: travis.g@sbcglobal.net He is very...

In general, you want the largest display that you can afford if you go with a fishfinder GPS combo unit. However, the size of the instrument hatch on the 226 limits the height of the head unit that you can use. IMO, the best bang for the buck for a unit that will fit is the Humminbird 958. This...

You can generally reduce the amount of smoke a 2 stroke puts out by using synthetic or semi-synthetic oils. I would stick with a TCW rated oil from any reputable supplier. I'd avoid the Lucas product. It may be fine, but in general, oils that are designed for air cooled 2 stroke engines do not...

You shouldn't have a torque related list if you have twin engines with counter rotating props. With a single engine, most SV2 Gradies seem to have that port list that needs to be corrected with the tabs. If it gets really snotty, more than a 3' chop, it's best to trim the bow up using the...