Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
 
Old 02 September 2012, 03:10   #1
Member
 
pluto2's Avatar
 
Country: Ireland
Town: West Cork
Boat name: Wave Runner
Make: Excalibur
Length: 5m +
Engine: Mercury 90 4st
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 21
Prop Torque / Leaning to port (free advise?)

Hello guys,
I have a 5.5 meter RIB that has a considerable lean to the left side when going flat out. Does anybody have any ideas how to counter this. It feels quite dangerous when coming off a big swell as the port side tube will dig into the water. Its very level and balanced when on its mooring and weight is evenly distributed on board. It has a Mercury 90 with 21 pitch prop.
Any ideas guys ?

Pluto 2
__________________
pluto2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 07:01   #2
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: N. Devon
Boat name: (Not Another) Nutkin
Make: Highfield
Length: 6m +
Engine: Outboard, Honda 135
MMSI: 232036183
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,015
RIBase
Move the plate that sits above the prop to the left slightly (it may be the right) and this will adjust for you - it's teh lug that spins in it's holder left and right.

I'm sure some one will be along with the correct term for it shortly......
__________________
Andy

Bude Dive Club - www.budediveclub.co.uk
GAFIRS - www.gafirs.org.uk
treerat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 07:39   #3
Member
 
Ian M's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: New Milton
Boat name: Jianna
Make: Osprey
Length: 6m +
Engine: 200 E-TEC
MMSI: 235076954
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,940
Trim tab
__________________
Ian

Dust creation specialist
Ian M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 07:46   #4
RIBnet supporter
 
C2 RIBS's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Hants
Length: 8m +
Engine: 300hp plus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,072
Also consider where you have the engine trimmed at speed.
__________________
C2 RIBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 08:02   #5
Member
 
Ian M's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: New Milton
Boat name: Jianna
Make: Osprey
Length: 6m +
Engine: 200 E-TEC
MMSI: 235076954
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,940
Not sure that the trim tab will be the issue. It is worth having a look at first, but the normal effect of the trim tab is to neutralise the steering, that is to make the effort required to turn to port and starboard a similar effort.
It would help to know more about your boat. Engine offset is one possible issue, although with a 90 the effect should not be too pronounced, or it could be down to weight distribution in your boat.
I had a very similar problem with my boat. This was down to poor set by the the guy who installed it (me ). I tried to get the static balance right by putting the two batteries on the port side to balance out the driver on the starboard side, as I would mostly be out by myself.
I completely missed the effects of prop torque. I moved the batteries to the starboard side and the boat now handles as it should at speed.
__________________
Ian

Dust creation specialist
Ian M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 09:37   #6
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: north ayrshire
Boat name: charlie girl
Make: S/R5.4/regal3760
Length: 10m +
Engine: Suzukidf70 2x6lp 315
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,722
you would expect prop torque to make the boat lean to starboard which is exagerated if slightly overpropped or trimmed in.the engine is usually set slightly off centre to counteract this yours is possibly set too far over or not at all.alternatively (but more unlikely) is the engine from a handed pair & counter rotating as its reacting the way you would expect if fitted with left hand prop
__________________
beamishken is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 09:47   #7
Member
 
Cypman's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Isle of Man
Town: Douglas
Length: no boat
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 339
Probably an offset engine issue. It is surprising how much a boat will drop on one side due to prop torque.
On my 6.3m Ocean Pro I offset the engine mounting by 1.5ins and even offset the console and seats by 1in to counteract the effect, and it turned out great.
__________________
Cypman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 10:20   #8
Member
 
Hightower's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Fareham
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,866
Quote:
Originally Posted by beamishken View Post
you would expect prop torque to make the boat lean to starboard which is exagerated if slightly overpropped or trimmed in.the engine is usually set slightly off centre to counteract this yours is possibly set too far over or not at all.alternatively (but more unlikely) is the engine from a handed pair & counter rotating as its reacting the way you would expect if fitted with left hand prop
Prop torque effect on a boat is the opposite direction to that of the prop you are using.

RH prop = Lean to Port

LH prop = Lean to Starboard
__________________
Andy

Looks Slow but is Fast
Member of the ebay Blue RIB cover club.
Hightower is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 10:34   #9
Member
 
Hightower's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Fareham
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,866
Two really basic checks are:

1..What's the offset of the engine on the transom and is it to the right side?

2..Weight distribution on board. For even running you might have to consider moving ballast around the RIB for your journeys. The smaller and lighter the RIB the more you'll have to consider this one. This is easy to check though. On your next trip take a 20kg bag of builders sand with you. You can experiment with this by moving it around the deck until your happy with the handling. Once done you'll have an idea and can consider where to move batteries and kit on board to make the changes permanent.

One other thing to look at is the size of prop you are using. Smaller pitches mean a greater prop torque (geared lower). Perhaps a less aggressive prop or a bigger pitch might be worth considering?
__________________
Andy

Looks Slow but is Fast
Member of the ebay Blue RIB cover club.
Hightower is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 19:17   #10
Member
 
pluto2's Avatar
 
Country: Ireland
Town: West Cork
Boat name: Wave Runner
Make: Excalibur
Length: 5m +
Engine: Mercury 90 4st
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 21
Leaning to Port

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian M View Post
Not sure that the trim tab will be the issue. It is worth having a look at first, but the normal effect of the trim tab is to neutralise the steering, that is to make the effort required to turn to port and starboard a similar effort.
It would help to know more about your boat. Engine offset is one possible issue, although with a 90 the effect should not be too pronounced, or it could be down to weight distribution in your boat.
I had a very similar problem with my boat. This was down to poor set by the the guy who installed it (me ). I tried to get the static balance right by putting the two batteries on the port side to balance out the driver on the starboard side, as I would mostly be out by myself.
I completely missed the effects of prop torque. I moved the batteries to the starboard side and the boat now handles as it should at speed.
The only thing that is off centre is the 30 litre fuel tank , which is at the port side at the transom. The engine is Merc 90 four stroke spinning a 13x21 prop. When powered up to 30 knots and over, it gets a bit unnerving coming off a wave and down on to your port tube. The hull is in good shape, cant see anything odd about it, just wondering why this is happening, anyone else experience it I wonder ?
__________________
pluto2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 20:12   #11
Member
 
Bigmuz7's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Glasgow
Boat name: stramash
Make: Tornado
Length: 5m +
Engine: Etec 90
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,090
Quote:
Originally Posted by pluto2 View Post
The engine is Merc 90 four stroke spinning a 13x21 prop. When powered up to 30 knots and over, it gets a bit unnerving coming off a wave and down on to your port tube. The hull is in good shape, cant see anything odd about it, just wondering why this is happening, anyone else experience it I wonder ?
Its an offset issue ... you dont have enough of it The worst hull that did it for me was an 8.5,.. and 40 gallons of contained water inboard and on the starboard side would'nt cure it

If its as bad as you say with only a 90 .. it would suggest little or no offset at all.. can you measure the position of your engine on your transom ie how much off centre it is, and report back ?
__________________
Bigmuz7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 21:01   #12
Member
 
kubcat's Avatar
 
Country: Australia
Town: Sydney
Boat name: Lunasea
Make: Ribtec 890SX
Length: 8m +
Engine: Yamaha ME 421STI x 2
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 474
Is your outboard too deep in the water?

I have this same problem with my 5.8 RIB and Suzuki DT200 running a 25 pitch prop only a lot worse. It hits the water so hard that it feels as if the tube will rip off.

My engine looks a lot deeper than it should but I can't lift it anymore so I need major surgery to fix it and that will be the project over the next few months. I hope it will work for me.
__________________
kubcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 21:15   #13
Member
 
pluto2's Avatar
 
Country: Ireland
Town: West Cork
Boat name: Wave Runner
Make: Excalibur
Length: 5m +
Engine: Mercury 90 4st
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 21
Hi Bigmuz7,
Thanks, I'll check that in the next couple of days, but from what I think its in the dead centre of the transom, I had never heard of off before now,
Pluto2
__________________
pluto2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 21:19   #14
Member
 
pluto2's Avatar
 
Country: Ireland
Town: West Cork
Boat name: Wave Runner
Make: Excalibur
Length: 5m +
Engine: Mercury 90 4st
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 21
Hi Kubcat,
Yes, the engine is mounted right down on the transom, no space above it, I had never thought there shoulb be till now.
Pluto2
__________________
pluto2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 21:20   #15
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: NW& wherever the boat is!
Boat name: depends on m'mood!
Make: Humbers/15-24m cats
Length: 6m +
Engine: etec130/big volvos
MMSI: many and various
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,816
two components....engine needs to be offset to the right. A 90 may be small to some peeps on here but once it would have been thought of as quite a beast. In the past I've had exactly the same issue with a 35hp Volvo Penta!!
The trim tab is unlikely to have any noticable affect, they've never done any good for me.
Second component may be driver error. The trim setting needs to be right at speed. It is surprising how many boat owners think the trim switch is just an on/off thing
__________________
Dave M
www.wavelengthtraining.co.uk
wavelength is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 21:24   #16
Member
 
pluto2's Avatar
 
Country: Ireland
Town: West Cork
Boat name: Wave Runner
Make: Excalibur
Length: 5m +
Engine: Mercury 90 4st
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 21
Hi Wavelength,
When you say offset to the right, do you mean to starboard or port?
And yes you could be right , my management of the trimming switch wouldnt be the best Id say as I havent much experience of this RIB(Only got it a few months ago)
Pluto2
__________________
pluto2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 21:35   #17
Member
 
Dry Run's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: portsmouth
Boat name: Hullabaloo
Make: Humber
Length: 8m +
Engine: 225 Optimax
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 945
RIBase
Definitely an off-set issue (my opinion)! If you are running a normal rotation engine (prop spinning clockwise) then the engine will naturally tip the boat to the port (left) hand side. If your engine is in the centre of the transom, you will get a lean on the boat at higher speeds. Some pics would be useful!!!
__________________
You get what you settle for!
Dry Run is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 23:27   #18
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: NW& wherever the boat is!
Boat name: depends on m'mood!
Make: Humbers/15-24m cats
Length: 6m +
Engine: etec130/big volvos
MMSI: many and various
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,816
starboard for the usual clockwise rotational prop.. always offset in the direction of rotation.
__________________
Dave M
www.wavelengthtraining.co.uk
wavelength is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02 September 2012, 23:45   #19
Member
 
kubcat's Avatar
 
Country: Australia
Town: Sydney
Boat name: Lunasea
Make: Ribtec 890SX
Length: 8m +
Engine: Yamaha ME 421STI x 2
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 474
Quote:
Originally Posted by wavelength
starboard for the usual clockwise rotational prop.. always offset in the direction of rotation.
I missed that it was starboard, mine slams to port so maybe a different issue.
__________________
kubcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2012, 19:28   #20
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: NW& wherever the boat is!
Boat name: depends on m'mood!
Make: Humbers/15-24m cats
Length: 6m +
Engine: etec130/big volvos
MMSI: many and various
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,816
no it leans to port I think he said
__________________
Dave M
www.wavelengthtraining.co.uk
wavelength is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT. The time now is 02:00.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.