Thinking about air ride seats for my 228

[Holokai]

40 is too fast for a 22 foot boat in anything but glass smooth water. Spend some time learning how the boat reacts with both trim tab and engine trim manipulation.

For the trim tabs you’ll want to use them in short bursts of maybe half a second (as others have said). Remember to retract them when loading the boat on the trailer at the end of the day.

For engine trim try having your engine gauges display trim percentage so you can get some baseline numbers to work with; eventually you’ll get a feel for it and won’t need to look at the gauges.

From the sound of it you might have your engine trimmed too far down right now if you’re pounding the same at 20 and 40. Trim trimming up a touch and you shouldn’t be pounding so hard at 20.

Without knowing the exact specifics I’d guess you should be able to cruise comfortably around 25 knots; a 4 blade prop will help a lot too.

 

[wrxhoon]

So...you people sit down when you are running????? hmmmmm....

Not when it is rough, I want my back for the next day, week , year. I don't want to break myself , the boat won't break.

Hey Lucky, I'm like you in the Pacific off Sydney, head seas heading out in the morning , mainly following seas returning to port.
Trim in either motor or tabs or even both to some extent so the boat doesn't jump out of the water and travel at a speed that some of the boat stays in the water, yes I had mine clean out of the water, not even the prop in the water but that's a sure way to bust the gearbox eventually so I avoid it.
If she is pretty rough going out I would knock the speed back down to 16- 18 knots and watch for the short sharp standing up waves, when I see one I back off . You seem to get a few in a row like that, then power on again. On the way back with following sea I trim up as I don't want to dive in as I go faster than the waves . The other problem I have here is the fact that I always have the sun blinding me as I head east in the morning and west in the afternoon, at least you always have the sun behind you.

 

[Doc Stressor]

You should be able to handle Pacific 5 footers with an 11 sec period OK. Unless wind waves are also a factor. With a following sea, you need to adjust your speed down to the point where the hull doesn't launch off the top of each wave. You want to be bow-up, so don't use any tab unless you need to level the boat. In my own experience, the best ride would be about 18-20 mph. The only problem is that every 228 I've been in won't plane at that low a speed. They like to run over 26 mph and will drop off plane at about 24. That's why I got a 226. If I had a 228, I would screw around with different props. Lower pitch props and 4-blades will let you stay on plane at as low a speed as the hull can provide.

You can't run fast in true 5-foot seas with a 22 ft boat without beating yourself up. That's all there is to it.

 

[Summertop511]

You should be able to handle Pacific 5 footers with an 11 sec period OK. Unless wind waves are also a factor. With a following sea, you need to adjust your speed down to the point where the hull doesn't launch off the top of each wave. You want to be bow-up, so don't use any tab unless you need to level the boat. In my own experience, the best ride would be about 18-20 mph. The only problem is that every 228 I've been in won't plane at that low a speed. They like to run over 26 mph and will drop off plane at about 24. That's why I got a 226. If I had a 228, I would screw around with different props. Lower pitch props and 4-blades will let you stay on plane at as low a speed as the hull can provide.

You can't run fast in true 5-foot seas with a 22 ft boat without beating yourself up. That's all there is to it.

Agreed but 228 probably could stay on plane down lower in relatively calm conditions. But once the waves get bigger they fall off plane and just before going off plane the beat u up hitting in middle of boat not in the deep entry of the bow.
In calm conditions with the tabs down I can get my 226 to stay on plane down to 12 mph.

 

[Doc Stressor]

When I bought my boat, I asked the dealer who was a very experienced waterman, which model he would want to be in in a blow. He said the 226, no doubt. After test riding a bunch of 20-22' Gradys, including the 228 that KYGrady eventually bought. I understood what he was talking about.

The 228 has a better layout for sure. But like any bracketed boat, they are a bit squirrely in a following sea. And none of them I tested would stay on plane at lower speeds. Everything about a boat is a compromise.

 

[luckydude]

You should be able to handle Pacific 5 footers with an 11 sec period OK. Unless wind waves are also a factor. With a following sea, you need to adjust your speed down to the point where the hull doesn't launch off the top of each wave. You want to be bow-up, so don't use any tab unless you need to level the boat. In my own experience, the best ride would be about 18-20 mph. The only problem is that every 228 I've been in won't plane at that low a speed. They like to run over 26 mph and will drop off plane at about 24. That's why I got a 226. If I had a 228, I would screw around with different props. Lower pitch props and 4-blades will let you stay on plane at as low a speed as the hull can provide.

You can't run fast in true 5-foot seas with a 22 ft boat without beating yourself up. That's all there is to it.

5 @ 11 is rare thing. 5 @ 9 is typical. If I saw 5 @ 11 I'm going out.

I'm going to try a 4 blade prop that should let me plane at lower speeds.

 

[Summertop511]

5 @ 11 is rare thing. 5 @ 9 is typical. If I saw 5 @ 11 I'm going out.

I'm going to try a 4 blade prop that should let me plane at lower speeds.

I would suggest the mercury rev four for that Yamaha.

 

[luckydude]

Coming back to this 4 years late (I started the thread). Wow, how much has changed but some things stay the same.

What's changed:

9x12 trimtabs gone, replaced with 12x18. And I know how to use them, Magicbill, it's instinctive at this point. Makes a big difference.
Hardtop is gone, custom pilot house with big windows. Huge upgrade.
I'm much more confident in my boat, typing this as I have a cocktail after a 160-170 mile (95 gallons of gas) tuna run. Around 40 miles off shore.
I've had a stroke and my back is fucked. The stroke was a burst vein in my brain, I'm mostly fine, but hole shit did that hurt. The pain was exhausting. And there are some lingering effects, I *really* hate the pounding, it makes my brain hurt and it makes my back hurt.

I'm a much more experienced boater, all of the things people told me in this thread I know, and I've adjusted as much as I can. And for the record, if I said I wanted to come home at 40 I'm an idiot. The pacific was a lake today and I came home at 30. Still had some pounds.

So given that I know all the advice given to me in this thread, and I know it, didn't just hear it, I know it and I'm doing all the things you want me to do, I still want some sort of air ride, or whatever, seat. Why? Because my feet are fucked (that's what got me ocean fishing, I was a fly fishing guy but my feet don't allow that). Any normal person would just stand up and let their legs be shock absorbers. I can't do that, I have to sit.

I'd like to fish for as long as I can but the pounding is messing with my brain and back. So I really, really, want to find a seat that I can sit in and drive the boat and not have it rattle my brain.

So can you please ease off on the slow down advice, I've done that, I need seat advice. Got any?

 

[Fishtales]

Me think air ride seats are a bit much.

 

[Halfhitch]

Bostrum is a well-established brand. More costly than some but they are built well. The challenge will be finding a seat with good performance that is thin enough sitting on the storage box of the 228 to not make your seat too high.

 

[SeanC]

Have you considered Zipwakes or Seakeeper Ride?

 

[luckydude]

Have you considered Zipwakes or Seakeeper Ride?

Zipwakes is just automatic trim tab adjustment, I've got that wired into my fingers by now, it would do nothing that I don't already do.
Seakeeper Ride smells like snake oil to me, has anyone installed that on a 20-24 boat and had it work?

Right now, I'm looking hard at Shockwave S5. Need to see if that will fit on my boat, I think it will. They provide seats to the coast guard
and military, seem like a pretty decent company.

 

[bcoco]

like to know if they fit in the seafarer would like to get something like that for the wife. she has bad back also and spends more time in the back seats, due to the less bouncing. but sometimes gets cold and wet depending on wind.

 

[luckydude]

like to know if they fit in the seafarer would like to get something like that for the wife. she has bad back also and spends more time in the back seats, due to the less bouncing. but sometimes gets cold and wet depending on wind.

I think the only way they fit the driver side is if I install backwards. That seat is slid all the way back. The passenger side can install normally I think.

I have an email in to Shockwave asking if they have these installed on a 208, 228, or a 232. And if there is an issue with installing them backwards. I'll report back.

 

[glacierbaze]

Check your PMs.

 

[Legend]

Well I haven't figured out the 228 yet then. I can't go slow enough that it is comfortable unless I fall off plane. It bangs at 20mph. I didn't see much difference between the bangs at 20 and 40, they just were faster at 40. I need to try a stern lifting prop, I'll call that prop god dude today. And I need to play with the trim tabs.

As my kids get more comfortable in the boat (meaning we smash into the waves and it doesn't fall apart like a cheap suit), we're going faster. The ocean is never flat enough to actually open the boat all the way up, fastest I've had it has been 40mph.

It beats you up, we did a 15 mile ride home 30-40mph, with the bow trimmed down, it beats you up. Maybe that seevee2 hull is better than other boats, it still beats you up. My back was sore, my 18 year old's back was sore.

Yeah, I know, we could go home aphewt 20mph but what fun is that? It's my new toy, I want some fun.

So I'm wondering about air ride seats in a 228/226. Anyone done that? Was it worth it? Brands to avoid? Brands to buy?

Shockwave seems like the only one that will fit, it is 7.9 inches, the current spacing is 7.75 inches. But you lose the ability to slide / rotate the seat. They'll sell you that mechanism but it raises the seat 2 inches.

Any comments folks?

I had an 85 Seafarer it was a good but it did give the body a beating in choppy waters. I have had a chance to ride on my nephews Seafarer that has the SV hull and there is an incredible improvement from what I remember of 85 Seafarer hull. The 85 is till running strong with a new owner. Is you boat not a SV hull?

 

[luckydude]

I had an 85 Seafarer it was a good but it did give the body a beating in choppy waters. I have had a chance to ride on my nephews Seafarer that has the SV hull and there is an incredible improvement from what I remember of 85 Seafarer hull. The 85 is till running strong with a new owner. Is you boat not a SV hull?

It is a SV2 hull. Still pounds.

 

[Ryhlick]

It is a SV2 hull. Still pounds.

Lucky,
Sorry about the recent health issues, but I am stoked you're still getting after it. I put a SeaSpension seat base in my 228 a couple of years ago. I also suffer from back issues, and this has made a huge difference. Between the SeaSpension seat base and a Gorilla floor mat where my feet are, this has been a game changer. It did raise my seat height by a inch, but it is no issue and would be less with your pilot house. I think I put model # 4185 on my 228, but call the owner, he has unmatched customer service and some solid ideas.
Good Luck,
Brad

 

[Ryhlick]

14 new items by Brad Ryhlick

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[luckydude]

Lucky,
Sorry about the recent health issues, but I am stoked you're still getting after it. I put a SeaSpension seat base in my 228 a couple of years ago. I also suffer from back issues, and this has made a huge difference. Between the SeaSpension seat base and a Gorilla floor mat where my feet are, this has been a game changer. It did raise my seat height by a inch, but it is no issue and would be less with your pilot house. I think I put model # 4185 on my 228, but call the owner, he has unmatched customer service and some solid ideas.
Good Luck,
Brad

Thanks Brad. I ordered one and donated $250 to his money raising drive for kids cancer.