18 Handling Question...

[EricG]

Yesterday during my first trip out for the season, I experience all out fear once or twice in the way my boat was handling.

Basically, Lake Washington is a giant washing machine with boat wakes of ALL sizes bouncing off the shore and the two floating bridges. It makes for Very, Very confused waters :eek:.

Unlike the absolute pleasure I get out of running in predictable rough (wind waves), the confusion out in the lake is just unpleasant. My boat just seems out of control... The bow is heading toward the sky, and the stern is flying constantly...with the occasional pitch sideways due to a cross wake. I don't feel like there is a comfortable cruising speed...I'm either on plane and flying all over the place, or plowing at below "planing speed". I will say, the boat does not slam or struggle in with the water...it just feels "loose".

I'm thinking that it's partially due to the fact that i've got the boat trimmed in the last hole, which gives me a great running attitude at high speed in "predictable" water, but at slower speeds, it tends to porpoise pretty badly. I'm going to try to get out again this weekend and put it in the middle hole and see if it calms it down any...

I guess my overall question is; is it normal for an 18 to feel really loose and flighty in big confused chop, or do others feel more comfortable in the slop? Also, is it possible to cruise comfortably around 30, or do others have to cruise faster also?

FYI - I'm running a Volvo 280 with a Ultra 24LH...and wishing I had trim.

Thanks,
-EG

[Cuda]

I never drove an 18, but in every boat I own from the 18 fishboat up, I have to trim down in rough water.

[RickSE]

Eric, do you have tabs? My 18 always ran best in rough confused water with the drive trimmed up enough to get the boat on top and the tabs down a fair amount to keep the nose settled. Similar to what you state, run slow and heavy and you pound through the waves; fast and light and you skip across and fly over the waves. I really prefer fast and light and use the tabs a lot to keep the nose down. We just seem to take a whole lot less of a pounding running light and on top of the rough stuff.

Without tabs you'd have to keep it trimmed down otherwise like you state the nose will fly up.

My 22 is the same way, runs like stink in rough water when I run fast and light. 60+ is no sweat in 3'-4' washing machine water.

[EricG]

Cuda,
I'm sure that's most of the problem...it sucks having to pick your trim level before you launch :bonk:

I need to come up with a quick release trim pin so I can change it in the water without fear of losing the nut and washers...

Power trim someday...but it's not in the budget for this year...

RickSE...damn, just when I convinced myself that I didn't need to spend the money on tabs this year... :D

EG
My new advice to any young people on the board, if your spouse is planning on getting a degree, make sure they have it before they become your spouse! :D

[Marlin275]

Eric

I get the exact same conditions in the lower Hudson near the World Trade Center site. The ferry boats whip around in every direction, tugs and current, wind etc. What I have found is the middle pin on the drive is the best position for these conditions. Also I get the bow up good and run about 2300 rpms to just get the boat on plane, this seems to be the best way to handle washing machine waves.

[Formula Jr]

Yes, that is exactly how your boat will handle in that kind of wave action on the third hole. This is where drive trim on the fly is necessary as are trim tabs. Then the boat will get very predictable and tend not to roll as much.
Right now your boat is going to want to flip over in that stuff.:boat:

RickSE has it right. Drive alittle up, tabs just kissing the water.

[txtaz]

Trim and tabs are the only way to flyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Wes

[mrfixxall]

Yesterday during my first trip out for the season, I experience all out fear once or twice in the way my boat was handling.

Basically, Lake Washington is a giant washing machine with boat wakes of ALL sizes bouncing off the shore and the two floating bridges. It makes for Very, Very confused waters :eek:.

Unlike the absolute pleasure I get out of running in predictable rough (wind waves), the confusion out in the lake is just unpleasant. My boat just seems out of control... The bow is heading toward the sky, and the stern is flying constantly...with the occasional pitch sideways due to a cross wake. I don't feel like there is a comfortable cruising speed...I'm either on plane and flying all over the place, or plowing at below "planing speed". I will say, the boat does not slam or struggle in with the water...it just feels "loose".

I'm thinking that it's partially due to the fact that i've got the boat trimmed in the last hole, which gives me a great running attitude at high speed in "predictable" water, but at slower speeds, it tends to porpoise pretty badly. I'm going to try to get out again this weekend and put it in the middle hole and see if it calms it down any...

I guess my overall question is; is it normal for an 18 to feel really loose and flighty in big confused chop, or do others feel more comfortable in the slop? Also, is it possible to cruise comfortably around 30, or do others have to cruise faster also?

FYI - I'm running a Volvo 280 with a Ultra 24LH...and wishing I had trim.

Thanks,
-EGI have the same problem around the lakes around chi town,i found that topping off the gas tank works wonders in the same condition.i have noticed when you have four people in the boat it dont act like so i was going to try the water blatter that ski boats use on each side of the hull (just under the rear seat) to see hor it reacts...ill let you guys know............

[Greg]

I always ran my old Volvo in the middle hole. The 3rd one did feel like it was out of control. Your lake sounds like a bigger version of Lk. Geneva Wi.

same washing machine, just different part of the country.

[penbroke]

The middle hole gives the best overall everyday performance for my 18 (sharp keel). I have made some spacer bushings for a setting between the middle and top hole which I think may be just about right. I'm still playing around with that....
I only use the top hole when nobody's lookin'. :biggrin:

Frank

[Lenny]

...I only use the top hole 'cuz that's where the fun is...kill switch ON. Lifejacket ON.

[EricG]

...I only use the top hole 'cuz that's where the fun is...kill switch ON. Lifejacket ON.

Kill switch? What's a kill switch :biggrin: :biggrin:

Actually, I've got one sitting on the workbench...maybe I ought to install it one day.

Thanks everyone for all of the responses... Good to know I'm not alone in the washing machine :beer:

-EG

[penbroke]

Kill switch? What's a kill switch :biggrin: :biggrin:

Actually, I've got one sitting on the workbench...maybe I ought to install it one day.

Thanks everyone for all of the responses... Good to know I'm not alone in the washing machine :beer:

-EG
No worries. West Marine is still holding mine for me... :smash:

Frank
I will if you will. :lookaroun

[Cuda]

A freind of mine lost his life last year due to not having a kill switch. And that was at thirty miles per hour.

[Marlin275]

Engine mechanic was testing my 18 in the third pin hole
and said that the boat handled great but was real bad in sharp turns.
I had to tell him it was the pin position that made it that way.
What a difference a pin position makes.

[Jagged Edge]

A freind of mine lost his life last year due to not having a kill switch. And that was at thirty miles per hour.

but what was he doing... working with a sharp knife or decided to walk around the cockpit... hit marker or another boat?
JE

[EricG]

Wow...what an improvement! I ran through the spin cycle today in the middle hole on the drive...it was just SOOOO much better. Thanks for the input everyone.

The third hole was fun in Chelan last year, where the wind chop is very predictable...there the boat flew fine, but I can see that in the every-day rough stuff...the middle is definitely the way to go. :yes:

I will be getting Tabs just as soon as I figure out some stuff to sell on Ebay to fund the project. :biggrin.:

-EG

[penbroke]

:cool!: :biggrin.:

Frank

[MXRoadster]

Wow...what an improvement! I ran through the spin cycle today in the middle hole on the drive...it was just SOOOO much better. Thanks for the input everyone.

Eric, were you on lk w again today? I was out all day and had a great time, too bad our paths didn’t cross. We caught some major air in the washing machine section :) :) . Are you going out again tomorrow (Sunday)? I was thinking of going to lake tapps, but I may head up to lake washington.

But the real question is will it be in the 3rd hole or the 2nd hole at lake chelan???