weighting my i/o problems

lofosho_97 · Outlaw Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 180 City: lexington

I have a 18ft glastron with the 4.3 merc.I went from a 23p 3 blade prop to a 20p 4 blade.I put a 350lb sac in the locker and i have a 150lb sac i put in the bow walk way.With 3 people and a lttle bit of gear I always have to watch for waves crashing over the bow.It happens all the time.We ride super slow to pick up a rider and everything.Just floating in mildly choppy water or even a passing boat present major problems.I did a search and I hear most people going with almost 1000lbs or more.How do you do it?The wake without the sacs is worthless.Id love to put more weight for a bigger wake but im scared ill sink my boat.What can i do?

BIGMAC · Posted: Jun 12, 2006 7:59 pm Post subject:

Maybe try to tranfer more weight away from the bow. It will steepen your wake but should raise the bow. Some boats just can't help riding low.

410fortune · Soul Rider Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 314 City: Morrison

60% rear, 40% front.

Dip_Krew · Posted: Jun 13, 2006 2:25 pm Post subject:

do you tilt the motor up when you ride? tilting the motor up forces the stern into the water and raises the bow up...

bighitbiker3 · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 386 City: Seattle

bmartin · Addict Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 794

Geez I can't believe you are having issues with that little of weight in an 18 footer. Do you have a pic with it weighted? I used to put 1000lbs of water ballast plus 5-6 people in the same size boat and rarely had problems.

I guess just make sure your bilge pump works and make sure the people up front wear their swimsuits.

One driving thing that will help is that when you slow down after a rider falls, turn hard left as you are slowing and then when you are at idle speed turn right to pick up the rider. Vice versa works too. You will completely miss the rollers that way.

Wake2face · Criminal Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 50 City: East Coast

gotta learn how to drive it better. My friend has a nautique and if he stops suddenly water rushes over the back, if he goes over rollers then it comes over the front. You gotta hit the gas when the rollers come close to get the bow up. I got the same boat as you and it all comes down to driving. Tell them fat ho's to sit in the back Playa

lofosho_97 · Outlaw Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 180 City: lexington

Ive transfered weight all over the boat but the only thing that helps is to take the weight out of the front but then the boat wont plane out.I use the trim all the time.I dont have any pics but im going to try to get some.Ive gotten pretty good at dodging the rollers,driving technique isnt the problem.I just dont think I should have that much of a problem with the little amount of weight that I have.

Trainwreck · Soul Rider Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 375 City: Baytown

Maybe a stupid question, but wouldnt you have to take on a ton of water for the boat to sink??? I have a little water come over the bow every now and then and I just laugh about it. I figure it would take doing this about 100 times in a day to REALLY get too much water in the boat.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

lofosho_97 · Outlaw Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 180 City: lexington

yes this is true but when the nose dips under water it takes on minimum of 10 gallons at a time.It also soaks everything in the boat that we would like to keep dry.I understand that this is going to happen sometimes but with only 500lbs in the bow walk way you wouldnt think I would be having problems like this yet.

Wake2face · Criminal Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 50 City: East Coast

thats the same lbs I have in my I/O but its the only way to get the wake right. Let me know if you come up with a solution.