Reason for Dangerous Handeling of 2004 H190???

meinmelb · **Posted:** Sat May 31, 2014 9:30 pm

Hi Guys

Took the boat out on the bay yesterday. When cornering at about quarter throttle or higher it has a tendency to want to roll over. I was doing a little messing around getting the feel of the boat at what I consider very safe speeds (20 to 30 mph), and on one hard turn the hull rolled over and took a significant amount of water over the inside rail. :shock:

If it were not for the windscreen we might have taken enough water to sink the boat. Took about 10 minutes for the bilge pump to pump all the water out that we could not bail out with a bucket. Then went back and rescued the jump seat that washed over board.

We had 2 adults on the boat, myself driving and my mate in the passenger seat, with 2 x 8 yrs old kids in the bow so weight is not an issue. It does it either side and if you turn harder than about 1/3 of the steering wheel at above 20 mph it leans over..... way more than you expect. Hold it for a second longer and it rolls over and drops the side of the boat under water. Imagine cruising at 40mph and taking evasive action from an object in the water....

It is a 2004 H190 with a Merc 4.3efi and Alpha 1 drive. It has a hydrofoil attached and does the same thing with either a 3 blade 17P ali prop or the 21P 3 blade stainless prop. Trim makes no real difference, but the lower the trim the slower the roll. Raising the trim makes it happen very quickly so about 1 or 2 seconds from roll to water over the side.

This is very dangerous and I doubt Four Winns will design a boat that has such a flaw ( or did they?) so something else is not right.... I have owned and operated boats for many years but this is a first.

Could it be the Hydrofoil? Or a hull failure, I have checked for soft spots, transom hook, etc but the bottom of the boat seems fine. This could kill people at higher speeds so need to find out the cause.. or sell the boat.

Anyone have any knowledge of this?

Photos of yesterday:

Surface Interval · **Posted:** Sat May 31, 2014 9:45 pm

Its the fin. Try removing it and take the boat for a test drive. I tried a fin on my old '95 190 and found the same issues.

Bayboater · **Joined:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:43 am **Posts:** 146

Sounds like it might be the fin. Same happened with one of my boats.

BTW: Where were the photos taken?? Noticed the bay was flat as off Mornington.

Cheers, Craig

meinmelb · **Posted:** Sat May 31, 2014 10:40 pm

I suspected the Hydrofoil as well but 2 previous boats have seen great improvements with it, but with out the handling issues. One was an outboard and the other an I/O.

I will remove it and see what happens but as we have young kids that love water sports I had hoped to keep it as they generally allow for lower planing speeds. Maybe it will plain low enough with out anyway, but at the moment it is downright dangerous!

With the stepped hull design trim tabs are going to be hard to mount.

Craig that was Mornington, I think! We launched off Paterson Lakes and cruised south to Safety Beach. We stopped here to dry off and warm up.

deafwish · **Posted:** Sat May 31, 2014 11:56 pm

I found exactly the same thing happened on my H180 when I had a Stingray foil fitted.
I removed it, silicones up the holes on the cavitation plate & the boat now handles like a dream.
My 4 blade greatly assisted in stern lift, so consider that before fitting tabs.

P.s. How long a trip is it from Patto to Safety Beach? Looks fun!

Bayboater · **Joined:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:43 am **Posts:** 146

Hi Mark, yeah looks like Mt Martha beach. Not a bad run down to Safety Beach.

Interested to know how your boat handles without the hydrofoil.

I think you would notice a big difference in handling with a High 5 prop.

Cheers, Craig

meinmelb · **Posted:** Sun Jun 01, 2014 2:02 am

Thanks Guys,

High Five 19P is on the list....when the cash allows! I will take the hydrofoil off and test, and will let you know. Interesting that others have had similar handling changes to boats with the foil on... I know the hydrodynamics of each hull is different but unusual that a foil would turn a deep sided safe "SUV" of a boat into a safety hazard?

Patto is easy to launch from and unless it is snapper season there is usually plenty parking. Entrance is dredged regularly so nice and deep. Trip to safety Beach was about an hour one way at a reasonable cruise. We took longer because of the stop over on the beach, then went passed the South Channel Island to check out the old WW2 fort on the way back. In the summer this is a day trip for us and we stop in at Rye for fish an chips and to dive the pier to see the sea horses and octopus there.

We swam with the seals near the hut off Rye last time as well, but afterwards thought about Seals being shark food.... we look now....? Yet to find the dolphins though.

Liquidenoir · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2014 3:10 am

Hi All. I've had the Hydrofoil (se sport 300) on for a couple of years on the 180 and couldn't be happier with it. I think it is flatter and wider than the Stingray.

Looked like it was going to be a perfect day Saturday. Wanted to go Friday but had no takers. We do the trip from Patterson River quite often, stopping at Mornington for a bite/drink on the way back. Always room to tie up near the ramp.

Note: Keep upwind from the seals !!

Cheers

deafwish · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2014 3:52 am

I reckon we should do a floatilla of Four Winns down past Mornington, one day!

Bayboater · **Joined:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:43 am **Posts:** 146

deafwish wrote:

I reckon we should do a floatilla of Four Winns down past Mornington, one day!

Hey, I'm up for that........

Cheers, Craig

meinmelb · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2014 4:53 am

deafwish wrote:

I reckon we should do a floatilla of Four Winns down past Mornington, one day!

I'm in!

Hell if Chaparral Boats can have their flotilla off Williamstown we can have Four Winns off Mornington! Sadly may need to wait for spring and better weather!

Paul I. · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:42 am

I have had fins on some of my past boats and never had that problem. But I want to trim tabs, much better for the money and handling.

Take the fin off and install tabs.

I also would install anther pump.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:08 am

My Chap had one of those fins on the Alpha (came with it). Learned the hard way one day that if you turn the wheel REALLY hard it lifted the hull out of the water and it skips across the water like a stone sideways. Really cool party trick I guess, but it scared the bejesus out of me I flew out of my seat into the center of the boat. Thank god for the kill switch lanyard.

Yes I removed that garbage and tossed it in the bin.

Liquidenoir · **Posted:** Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:21 am

Count us in for next spring. Maybe lunch at the Rocks restaurant Mornington

Graham

www.iFourWinns.com

Reason for Dangerous Handeling of 2004 H190???

Who is online