tr-21 chine walk help!

[korean_bassmaster]

Hey guys,    I have a buddy who has a 01 triton tr-21 w/ 225 optimax w/ 27p prop, and jackeplate. When we r doing about 60mph the boat will start to walk.  This is with 2 guys, gear, full (just water)  live wells, and give or take 1/2 tank of gas.  From what I have read from other posts and bass fishing forums, it sound to me like the jack plate needs to b adjusted to the proper height? Is this correct?  I also kno that weight distribution in the boat has some to do with it, but for the most part its pretty balanced. Other than the jackplate, is there anything else we can do to fix it?   Thanks, kb

[motocross269]

Some boats are more prone to chine walk then others....If your setup is right then your friend may have to drive through it the best that he can....While still being safe....Here is a video from BBC.
http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=134300

Your Jackplate height should be set to optimize holeshot and handling while on plane...Lowering it down some may help with Chine walk but you will pay with performance losses someplace else...

27P prop seems a little large for that setup...Has he tried going with a 4 blade smaller pitch..Start with maybe a 25P...?? If that smaller pitch 4 blade is within his RPM numbers that may help some with Chinewalk...What is his motor Height now???

[smbassman]

That boat will be a hand full no matter what you do!!!  As mentioned - 25 pitch trophy will make it easier to handle. Does it have a 27 tempest now?  Opposite of what was recommended, you probably have to raise the engine to reduce the walk.  But measure height first - prop shaft center will likely need to be 3 to 3.5 below the pad (lowest part of boat).  

Also - make sure the motor is not over trimmed due to running too large of a prop. 

[thedude]

tritons are notorious for chine walk. you'll probably never get rid of it - try a few things but i wouldn't break the bank to find a solution.

[Genie]

Just put thedude in your passenger seat and you won't have to worry.

[korean_bassmaster]

Motocross, it had a 24p, but the gears or shaft or something was bad so it would slip so instead of buying a new one his buddy gave him the 27p to use.  The holeshot is good, and top speed is good w/ a slight chop, its just when its calm! It is set 2" below pad.

Smbassman, it is a 27p fury 3 blade.

[korean_bassmaster]

His rmps r right around 5700 also!

[fish hound]

Set-up can only do so much, the rest is up to the driver.  You never drive "through" chinewalk, you drive to prevent it.  My boat was an animal when I first bought, cause I didn't know how to drive.  Nobody I knew had a boat that would lift and run like mine, so I learned on my own after reading on BBC.  One thing I did cause I fished alot by myself was put my rods in the starboard box, and the heavier stuff on the port.  Put a level across the boat with the normal load and see where you're at.
The driving part is easier to learn if you know someone with a fast boat that can take you out and teach you the "feel".  It's basically steady left pressure on the wheel, with slight corrections to the right when you feel it tipping the other way.  Way easier typed than done, I know, but once the light bulb turns on, that hull will be a cupcake for to you to drive.

I've never driven a Triton, but a friend has one, and he doesn't drive past the mid 60's, but another friend with more experience has driven it past 74, because he has more experience.

BTW, my boat is a '96 202 Champ with a strong 225 EFI with cowl mods @ 74.5 - 75 gps at 6k with a 25 trophy.

Matt

[bassmandan]

maybe you can find something in this

http://www.bassboatcentral.com/new_page_2.htm

look under the triton forum on BBC also if he hasnt done it, post some questions those guys im sure will help him out

[motocross269]

When I stated Drive "Through" chinewalk It depended on the severity of the chinewalk taking safety into consideration...Steering wheel input and trim adjustment at the onset of chining can bring it under control without risking safety....If the boat starts to swap excessively then obviously you have to start trimming down and get off the throttle..

I haven't had any real extreme issues with any of the boats that I have owned...A couple of adjustments at the wheel if things start getting loose and I am good......My last boat was a 74 mph Bass Cat Jag and my current rig is an 80mph Puma FTD...I have only had my new rig out long enough to break it in but haven't seen any sign of the Puma getting loose...

5700 RPMs with that prop sounds about right....He must have been pretty high with his RPMs with that 24P......I have been really happy so far with my 26p Fury on my 250 Pro XS.....

2 inches below pad seems a little low....I am not familiar with Tritons but I would bet most guys are running between 3 and 3.5 like smbassman suggested....I ran my 225 at 3.25...

[djkimmel]

Whatever you do, don't allow the chine walk to keep building to the point where you feel you have to over-correct. That has gotten some people I've known in some serious hurt up to and including never fishing again if you get my meaning. Two of these incidents happened in Triton Boats from that general era. As soon you feel it start, start to back off and trim down, but not too fast. Over-correction is often worse than steadily slowing down and trimming down a little.

If it keeps trying to quickly get into a bad chine walk, then stop trying to trim up and go fast UNTIL changes are made that improve it. I know moto didn't mean to just let it all hang out, but I am amazed how many drivers try to 'drive through it.' DON'T TRY TO DRIVE THROUGH IT!! Just don't let it get going in the first place without immediately doing something to keep it from happening.

If the boat is remotely unsafe at higher speeds, then stop trying to drive it at higher speeds until changes are made to make it safe. I can't repeat that enough. We should make this sport more safe, not less. A boat that size and power that chine walks much at all at 60 mph needs something done to it before it is driven at high speeds again.

[korean_bassmaster]

Ya the walk isn't bad, he obviously prefers not to have any! And if its just a matter of adjusting the plate to get better performance and a smoother ride,might as well!  Thanks guys for all the help!  We will prob take it out this wkend and start adjusting.  Will let ya kno how it turns out.

[Jmeis]

Another interesting read on the subject, http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=390628&page=1

[djkimmel]

Moderate chine walk should be correctable with one of the tips above then. He's probably pretty close to getting it right. My message above is for anyone. Especially new bass boaters. I just don't want anymore phone calls or messages about something bad happening to someone I know. Safety should always come before speed especially in Michigan where the inland speed limit is 55mph or less. The only place you can legally run over 55 on the water in Michigan is more than 1 mile off shore in the Great Lakes.

Not telling anyone what to do. Just doing my job to keep you informed about things that can help you make your decisions based on good information.

[motocross269]

Most guys that have ridden with me know I drive like an Old man......   I just air it out every once in awhile when conditions are right.....Those opportunities are rare on LSC and Erie....
Coming from various off-road racing sports I have had safety pounded into my head...I probably should have worded my initial post better....On the boats that I have owned you can feel them start a little chining but they react positively to corrections....I didn't mean to imply to drive "through" a dangerous situation....

[VinceR]

+1 on what DJK said. Please.

[smbassman]

Putting the pieces together - if your friends boat is running a 27 Fury @ 5700rpms and ~65mph, he is running about 25% slip.  Properly set up it should be ~9-12%

If the 2" below pad is a good measurement - lower the motor 1.5 inches to start(yes that much- Fury's like to be set deep because they lift so much).  Do not be trim happy, once on pad trim up just until there is no bow steer and increase throttle to fully open.  There should be minimal steering torque or feel loose and no rooster tail.  Then slowly bump up trim. When the boat starts to lift, stop trimming and learn to drive that speed comfortably.  If the bow gets "wagging" try slight pressure to the left to correct it.  Get a feel of the timing - If the boat ever starts tilting (actual chine walk) trim down to neutral trim quickly and slowly get out of the throttle.

Get comfortable with the bow wagging, but never try to drive through the side to side walk.

Last of all - If he is able to turn a 27 Fury with a standard 225- He has the strongest 225 I have ever heard of.  That is way over propped and the only way he is getting 5700rpms now is to over trim the motor and allow the prop to slip.  The 24P he had was probably slipping because it was set too high on the jackplate.

If the 27 fury is in good shape, I have a 25 trophy in exc. condition that I would consider trading to get him something that will be easier to handle.

[motocross269]

Another good prop to try is a Trophy OT4...I had one custom ground by Mark Croxton with one of his custom blow out rings and it made all the difference in the world....The Trophy OT4 is a relatively inexpensive prop also...

I ran a 25P on my 225 Evinrude.......

[Mike S.]

My ZX202 has a 225 Yamaha on it with a 27 pitch prop. She runs real good. 70's with 2 guys, and the jackplate all the way down. No exaggeration, just had it out 2 days ago on Muskegon and saw it on the gps. I wanted to run it without using the plate, and was pleasantly surprised.

[smbassman]

My ZX202 has a 225 Yamaha on it with a 27 pitch prop. She runs real good. 70's with 2 guys, and the jackplate all the way down. No exaggeration, just had it out 2 days ago on Muskegon and saw it on the gps. I wanted to run it without using the plate, and was pleasantly surprised.

I can believe it. Some 225s are strong enough to turn a 27 (like a tempest).  But a 27 Fury is more like a stiff 28 tempest.  Most often, you have to drop one inch in pitch when going from tempest or trophy to a Fury.