Much Better !!! :)

[Lenny]

NOW, THAT'S how it should ride.

Got the X out today. I ran the trim in the 2nd, and then the third, hole. Still crappy old prop tho as it is getting threaded next Thursday for the long hub props.

Anyways, it ran GREAT, flat and stable, aired out GREAT, sat up on top for a while. Steering got all tightened up this week. No wobble, nice and straight. Saw 50's on the GPS. The prop sucks, can't wait to try the Ultra next week. You can hammer the throttle from ANY speed and it just leaps forward, no more violent rolls or hooks.
Question, at WOT, Volvo 280 and even 3/4 throttle it is all but impossible to turn the Wheel. I have adjusted the torque tab so that it doesn't want to turn to any great degree, but it is almost a two handed affair to turn the wheel at those speeds. Fine slow tho.

Is this normal? I have never driven w/o power assisted steering that I can remember and this is a bear. If I saw a log in front of me, going 45, I would probably have to hit it as I would not be able to get the sudden movement I would need.

Definately the Third hole is where it stays. Nice and light in the water. :D

[penbroke]

:cool!: Sounds like you're havin' fun now! :biggrin.:

Mine steers easily at all speeds. Pulls a little to the port at low speeds and a little to the starboard at high speeds. Anywhere in between (normal crusing range) there is no pull.

Was it hard to steer in the middle hole as well or just the top one?


Frank

[Lenny]

Hard in any hole... (oops :D) ...at speed

[Donzi Racer]

Lenny our x-18 was only hard to turn one way at speed and it was better in the 2nd hole than the third. we would run most the time in the # 2 hole unless it was go fast time. you will soon be looking for a way to get a 4th hole.

You should love the ultra. we ran a 24" pitch and it was great. Man I loved that boat and miss ours so much.

If that boat had trim it would be the nearest thing to perfect. Can't wait to hear how it does with the ultra. We are in sarasota wishing you were here. the weather and water are great and donzi's everywhere. doesn't get better than this. Tom

[mattyboy]

see Lenny
would we lie to ya ;) fun isn't it bet ,ya still have a smile on your face don't ya :)
depending on the prop( blade size and shape) my boat does the same,
the chopper seems to be the worst , that right turns take alot of effort at speed, but in a pinch a quick release of the wheel and the boat jumps to port, only good if the object you're trying to avoid has room on the port side,
but with my spinelli and the ultra the steering is less physical,
plus i drink with my right hand so naturally it is bigger ;)
I also find that when the water is rougher it pulls more so by the time the run was over at 1000 isles my right arm looked like popeye, funny part is I had a chance to drive a 22 le at lake george the boat handled awesome but even with power steering my left arm was not up to the job of holding the wheel ;) it is used to just laying there holding the throttle down!!! so now i must cross train and build up my chest :smileybo:

[David O]

Lenny
With the 21 and the 23 inch Solas props trimmed properly I can steer in either direction with my little finger. I did have to adjust trim for every change in speed so with you only being able to adjust your trim with hole positions you will have to find which position best fits what ever prop you end up with.
I do not have any assist on my steering, all internal teflex cable.
I have used quite a few different props on the boat and they all steer easy once trimmed properly. Trim for the speed is the key.
David

[Formula Jr]

We obviously were not the first species to invent donzis.

http://www.epud.net/%7Eowen/fiddler2.jpg

:hyper:

[Formula Jr]

Len, you might have some "striction" going on with the steering system. It will turn fine with out any pressures between the cable and the sheath, IE not at speed, but if there is even a little bit of restistance at the drive, which there will be under power at the upper bushing and lower needle bearings in the yoke, the cable can bind up in the sheath if its lost internal lubrication. What you describe, points to this..
Is it hard to steer at both directions evenly under power?
The only thing a prop should change is there the balance is between the force of the prop and the torque tab. I rarely find the balance to be even through out the speed range. I set mine to balance at about 4/5ths throttle. So it has a slight pull at WOT one way, and a slight pull below 4/5ths throttle the other way. 4/5ths is were I usually set my trim tabs and drive trim and want the steering neutral. I'm basing this on merc stuff but the principles are the same. If you can never get the steering neutral, then your torque tab is just to small. I don't know if Volvos had different size blades. The mercs do and I had to go with the larger older version. The smaller one could never do the job. We were running the small tab version on South Sound and the Gulf Islands.

[EricG]

Len,

Congrats on getting her running the way she's supposed to. I can't wait to see the boat in action.

As far as Steering, I would look into an internal hydraulic system...you can check mine out if you ever see the boat - it makes the boat effortless to drive. I ran over 3 miles at chelan at WOT without touching the wheel :biggrin:

One thing I bet you'll notice with the Ultra is that the 3rd trip hole is great OVER 40 MPH. With mine and the 24 ultra, anything under that and it porpoises horribly....if I was going to keep it, I would be installing Tabs to help calm it down at slower cruising speeds. I'll be interesed to hear if you find the same thing...

EG

[Lenny]

You'll hear ASAP. The prop goes on on Thursday (Oct 7th) and I am planning on coming to see your boat too that weekend. I know about your Friday, I am trying to work out the Sat or Sun. I am VERY busy right now, and folks like their millwork on weekends so they can "watch" and "help" :rolleyes:

I will see what I can do.

I assure you, (my steering issues), are NOT effortless. I am thinking about a couple of Mr. T and Hulk Hogan decals on the side beside the others ... and a gold chain across the bow. :D

[mattyboy]

Lenny,
just got in from a great day on the boat, had some slop in the connection between the steering helmut and the drive, got a heavy duty o ring that went on the bolt that holds the drive to the helmut, fill and faired some of the cracks around the nose cone, moved to the center hole and ran her, the steering was void of any pull or feed back and running her for the last season with a heavey pull to port it was very hard to get used to but by the end of the day pushing a 22 ultra to 5000 rpm and a speed of 55-58 mph( on the speedo previously verified by gps) and the boat was more stable than any other prop I've tried.
I thought you guys running ultras saying " you could steer with one finger: you were blowing sunshine up somewhere but I have seen and now believe,

[Lenny]

I get to try mine on Thursday Matty. Work is about 3 minutes from the boat ramp. Boat will be coming to work with me on Thursday ;)

I moved my torque tab back to center (neutral) today and ran 70 odd miles with it. It was actually better than trying to compensate for the pull to port. There was a "sweet spot" (perfect steering) at 3500 rpm, but above and below it was still a pain. But NOT as bad as it was with the tab countering for the torque steer. I can't wait to try the Ultra. Unfortunately it is a 24" and I don't think the little black thing has the "cajones" to pull it.

Good experience tho and then I can shop for a WAY BIGGER HIGH HP MOTOR !!!
Seriously thinking about the Scorpion going in it. Then a transom rebuild etc etc etc... One thing at a time :) ...