New boat not ballanced

plmskier · **Joined:** Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:43 pm **Posts:** 18

Hi all.

I am new to this 2005 225 sundowner with 5.0 270hp volvo. Not new to boating. I am not sure if FW made a bad engineering design or what but the boat performace is anything but par. 2 people on the boat and its ok...put 6 and it's a loss. I've owned cuddy's before and never had the problem planning or the bow bouncing so bad at all times with trim down at all times. I am really second guessing myself that I spent the money for this boat as coming from a doral 230 cuddy it is night and day performace.

I have read various posts in this fourm but not getting clear answers or people not coming back with final end results on fourm topics. The clear indiactor here is that these boats should come with trim tabs as a NEEDED standard. I do not think they will solve all problems but I'm sure they will help considerably.

I need to know of sundowner owners, who has had my problem and added trim tabs and seen a reasonable performace increase? What type make model and location did you use on the boat?

I am willing to add the trim tabs only if I know they will help, if they do not on this model, I will list it for sale.

I read a post about perhaps the drive is not down all the way, both trim indicator and drive are down and confirmed. Prop is a 4 blad aluminum with WOT ~5200 46 with slight trim up.

Been boating for 20 years and this is the first boat I've had like this...completely at a loss!

Looking for any words of advice for this model boat.

Thanks in advance,

Paul

hutch9900 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:14 pm **Posts:** 456

My last boat was a 2005 Sundowner 205. I had trim tabs on mine and I never had a problem with porpoising as long as I used them properly or kept my drive trim lower. If I did not deploy them at all and had a large load in the boat, I would experience some bouncing. For me it was easy to correct with the tabs, but sometimes I would keep the trim a little lower on the drive and that would fix the problem anyway. I can definitely say that the tabs will make boating more enjoyable with a large group of people. You will not have a problem planing or with list either.

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Fri Jul 12, 2013 10:47 am

hutch9900 wrote:

I can definitely say that the tabs will make boating more enjoyable with a large group of people. You will not have a problem planing or with list either.

+1 to what Hutch said. I don't have tabs on my boat, but I have friends who do, and it is amazing what a difference it makes. My opinion? Don't sell your boat, get the tabs.

plmskier · **Joined:** Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:43 pm **Posts:** 18

Thank you guys. I have had boats with trim tabs before and love them but never had a bow bounce so much. The way FW designed the boat, there is to much stern weight.

I will look into the tabs. I hear bennett has a custom tab setup for the small transom in the stern. If I didn't get these, are there other tabs sizes that will fit without the lower unit hitting? I've also seen people mount them on the float sides (not sure what you call them on FW) just by the swim plattform posts. Thoughts?

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jul 12, 2013 11:58 am

As a cuddy cabin aficionado, let me add to this subject.

Cuddy cabins are naturally rear heavy due to their design. They're not party barges and not designed to carry 6 adults like a standard runabout is. They're very niche boats ultimately designed for 2 people, full tank of gas, gear to get away for a weekend. They're very good at doing that. They're the little camper trailers of the water world.

If you want to add in 6 full sized adults and everything that goes with it, you will have to add tabs. A $100 set of smart tabs and 30 minutes of installation with a screw driver and battery drill will cure every single one of your ride quality issues with the added weight. It will ride perfect loaded down heavy.

plmskier · **Joined:** Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:43 pm **Posts:** 18

I agree with you, problem is that my 95’ 230 doral had no problem’s and was a cuddy. Almost the same size and same weight loads. I mean this current boat won’t get to plane until I have some people walk up to the windshield to get the bow down… I think part of this model’s problem is the u shaped seating is over the engine where most seating is in front of the engine. Don’t get me wrong, I like the u shaped seating but I think FW should take that into consideration and make tabs standard if that is the case. I know the weight plate says 11 people or 1,900 lbs. I’d never get that many people on board, but I would say 6 is my max…all weight taken into consideration…

I am not sure I want to install the smart tabs as I was told they are not very good with control. I do want to consider hydraulics but I need other users help to find out what ones they have added on that fit this boat.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:08 pm

plmskier wrote:

I am not sure I want to install the smart tabs as I was told they are not very good with control. I do want to consider hydraulics but I need other users help to find out what ones they have added on that fit this boat.

Your 225 FW and my 215 Chap are virtually identical. Smart Tabs do the trick. My Stingray used to propose like a theme ride with 3 people. It rode perfect with 7 in it after the tabs. I don't have them on my Chap yet (I limit the weight), but it will soon. There's no reason to get an "active" tab system on boats this small. It takes but minutes to get the smart tabs adjusted perfect.

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:16 pm

FWIW, even my 9' dinghy handled better with tabs added. Astoundingly so.

Walt · **Posted:** Fri Jul 12, 2013 2:29 pm

I can't answer the trim tables dilemma, but.... I had similar issues on my horizon ONLY for the short time I ran a 4 blade prop. It just gave me WAY too much bow-lift. Running the 3 blade, or even the 5 blade didn't result in any issues, only the 4. I couldn't help to notice you have the same. Just for sh!ts and giggles, I would try a 3 blade to see if the porposing abates. I realize this wouldn't help with hole-shot loaded, but a different (5 blade?) prop would be cheaper than tabs, and give you any desired performance out of the hole.

Best of luck

plmskier · **Joined:** Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:43 pm **Posts:** 18

Walt wrote:

I can't answer the trim tables dilemma, but.... I had similar issues on my horizon ONLY for the short time I ran a 4 blade prop. It just gave me WAY too much bow-lift. Running the 3 blade, or even the 5 blade didn't result in any issues, only the 4. I couldn't help to notice you have the same. Just for sh!ts and giggles, I would try a 3 blade to see if the porposing abates. I realize this wouldn't help with hole-shot loaded, but a different (5 blade?) prop would be cheaper than tabs, and give you any desired performance out of the hole.

Best of luck

The boat came with the 4 blade. I wonder if you are right, I've only ever used 3 blade. I wonder what size prop I need. volvo 5.0 270 sx drive. Currently I have a 4 blade reading 14.25 x 19R

plmskier · **Joined:** Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:43 pm **Posts:** 18

also smart tabs give me no control over side to side weight control or if I'm going through heavy chop (which is all the time on lake champlain) to control boat position. I really don't think the smart tabs will help me with the FULL concept of tabs. I may be wrong...but I read alot of fourms.

Walt · **Posted:** Fri Jul 12, 2013 3:47 pm

plmskier wrote:

Walt wrote:

I can't answer the trim tables dilemma, but.... I had similar issues on my horizon ONLY for the short time I ran a 4 blade prop. It just gave me WAY too much bow-lift. Running the 3 blade, or even the 5 blade didn't result in any issues, only the 4. I couldn't help to notice you have the same. Just for sh!ts and giggles, I would try a 3 blade to see if the porposing abates. I realize this wouldn't help with hole-shot loaded, but a different (5 blade?) prop would be cheaper than tabs, and give you any desired performance out of the hole.

Best of luck

The boat came with the 4 blade. I wonder if you are right, I've only ever used 3 blade. I wonder what size prop I need. volvo 5.0 270 sx drive. Currently I have a 4 blade reading 14.25 x 19R

Is your 4 blade SS? if not, use the same pitch as the 4 blade (in a 3 blade SS). It should be a larger diameter, but less overall blade area. A 19P SS should be fairly easy to come across at a reasonable price. Your overall performance should be close, but maybe picking up a little top end.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jul 12, 2013 4:48 pm

Smart tabs set up correctly is like putting sway bars on your boat. They want to stay balanced and centered. If the boat tilts one way, they exert more pressure the other way to balance the boat. It's like the suspension system in your car. I've used them with great success. Smoother ride, flatter turning, easier/less RPM from zero to plane.

john55c · **Posted:** Sat Jul 13, 2013 7:27 am

plmskier wrote:

also smart tabs give me no control over side to side weight control or if I'm going through heavy chop (which is all the time on lake champlain) to control boat position. I really don't think the smart tabs will help me with the FULL concept of tabs. I may be wrong...but I read alot of fourms.

I have never used smart tabs, but know that it gets rough on Lake Champlain and is a North-South lake. For a long run with the wind/wave action from one side, trim tabs will help tremendously. Not sure if smart tabs will do the trick for you or not, or can help you get on plane with a heavier load. Personally, I would want the control.

My SD came with tabs and they have been great. Nantucket Sound is almost always SouthWest wind, 10-15kts, 1.5-2 foot seas on the average day, and the tabs have helped greatly to balance the boat when quartering the waves. Went from Hyannis to Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, and the tabs were crucial. We had friends out last weekend, and rode around Lewis Bay (very protected area) and the boat got on plane easily and kept balanced with 5 adults and 3 children, all sitting aft of the windshield. Noone had to move, and all adults were in the rear back to backs or in the jump seats except for me driving.

plmskier · **Joined:** Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:43 pm **Posts:** 18

john55c, nice to know! I think I will plan on getting hydrollic tabs. I'm just not sure what fits in between the limited space FW designs in the stern. Engine down turn side to side, they tabs cant get in the way. That's why I'm trying to get a feel for what others have and the sized they used or currently have so I can get the right sized trim tab package.

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New boat not ballanced

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