1994 Spirit 175 Lists to Port

[ThruTraffic]

Why would a 1994 Spirit 175, w/Yamaha 115 TLRS list to hard to port?

• I figure it will take trim tabs to resolve.
• The engine trim anode is set dead center; no tests performed modifying it.
• List is noticeable at ~30 mph and on plane. No noticeable pull observed in steering.

The owner claimed it was because the fuel tank was starboard and there was a counterweight to port. So when the fuel ran low the list increased to the counterweight. I haven't seen what happens with a full, 48 gallon (~384 lb.) tank of gas.

Does a 1994 Spirit 175 have a counterweight? I've found no documentation that they do or don't.

I have difficulty accepting GW would build a boat with that much list in it when low on fuel. I see no existing or previous damage to the hull that might cause something like this.

TIA

 

[seasick]

Are you having a list when the boat is at rest or does it lean over when on plane, getting on plane etc?
If you have trim tabs, retract them all the way and make sure they are retracted. Do not use them for the time being.
Take a look at the motor lower unit. How is the trim anode positioned (what direction is the fin facing when looking from behind the boat?
Is you LU skeg straight or is it bent or broken?

 

[seasick]

Confirm that the gas tank is off center. There may be deck plates that you pop off to check on the sender and hoses. They would typically be on the center line of the hull.
Check the bilge for water.

 

[ThruTraffic]

Are you having a list when the boat is at rest or does it lean over when on plane, getting on plane etc?
If you have trim tabs, retract them all the way and make sure they are retracted. Do not use them for the time being.
Take a look at the motor lower unit. How is the trim anode positioned (what direction is the fin facing when looking from behind the boat?
Is you LU skeg straight or is it bent or broken?

Fine at rest.
Answer in post.
Answer in post.
Haven't noticed out of alignment but I'll look more critically for bends, warps, etc.

 

[ThruTraffic]

Confirm that the gas tank is off center. There may be deck plates that you pop off to check on the sender and hoses. They would typically be on the center line of the hull.
Check the bilge for water.

I know send unit is under the console. The fill opening is on the starboard side of the gunwale. I'll see if I can determine the tank position from the center console access port. This goes to the question of the being a counterweight; I can't find documentation about where the tank rests or if there is indeed a counterweight.

Thanks. Didn't think about water; although it would seem that would show at rest as well but possibly not.

 

[ThruTraffic]

So, I think the counterweight explanation is bogus. Viewing the tank from the sender access port under the console, I’m pretty sure the tank is dead center over the keel.

 

[ThruTraffic]

Just read an article on iBoats about how a combination of steering tab setting and a hydrofoil can cause listing like this. This steering tab is at a neutral setting and the hydrofoil looks a bit flimsy so will try removing it and try tab adjustments for effect.

 

[ThruTraffic]

Prop is 3x13x19-k which is one of the default options for this engine so that likely rules out prop-caused.

 

[ThruTraffic]

Research is leading me to the culprit being the hydrofoil. Looking forward to a water test without it!

 

[DennisG01]

The gas tank is NOT going to be mounted off center - that's a bulls... line - either knowingly by the seller or just being uninformed.

Little boats are susceptbile to list much more so than bigger boats.

Another real possibility... if you have the engine trimmed too far down at a certain speed, that WILL cause list (hull steer). This is VERY normal. The fix is to trim up higher and let the hull loosen up.

 

[seasick]

I didn't see the mention of a hydrofoil. That could be it.
In either case, the trim tab should not be straight. Try turning its fin to about 15 or 20 degrees to the STARBOARD side. That is clockwise when looking from underneath the ventilation plate. Do you have a NFB steering box? (That's a No Feed Back model) if the steering wheel rotates if you take your hands off of it, that is not a NFB model

 

[ThruTraffic]

I didn't see the mention of a hydrofoil. That could be it.
In either case, the trim tab should not be straight. Try turning its fin to about 15 or 20 degrees to the STARBOARD side. That is clockwise when looking from underneath the ventilation plate. Do you have a NFB steering box? (That's a No Feed Back model) if the steering wheel rotates if you take your hands off of it, that is not a NFB model

I’m old. I either didn’t think about reporting the hydrofoil or I didn’t think it would affect list. Next lake trip I’ll try without the foil and follow your trim tab directions. Don’t know about NFB; yet.

 

[seasick]

If the tab is not adjusted correctly it will cause the boat to try and steer to port (based on the position of the anode tab you described).
In that case if you have NFB steering, you may notice that the boat is noticeably harder to turn to starboard. If you don't have NFB steering you can feel the boat trying to turn to port and you will have to 'fight' the wheel.

 

[ThruTraffic]

Not forgetting the thread folks. Just going to be another week before I can test your suggestions.