Bag of Rocks

[justlearnin]

I have a new Triton tr196 with a chine walk issue. I have heard that adding a 40lb back of sand/rocks to the front most center storage compartment will stop the problem or help to lessen the chine walk? Is this correct ?

[pyro]

No, it's a band-aid for poor driving technique at best. Adding weight to the front will just cause you to add more positive trim, thus digging in the stern and keeping the hull wetter. A "plowing" boat won't chinewalk.

The advantage of ballast somes into play on light pad-vee hulls where some weight in the passenger side can help aid balance.

Solutions to chinewalk:

1. Check the steering. No play should be present. Should be dual cable or hydraulic. Dual cable needs to have the slack adjusted out of it, so the cables are slightly pre-loaded against each other.

2. Solid mounts. Sloppy stock rubber motor mounts allow an extra amount of play between steering wheel and lower unit. Solid mounts will be tighter. The boat will also vibrate more, sometimes making the motor sound louder from the vibration.

3. Motor height. Presumably you have a jackplate. The faster you go, the higher your lower unit will need to be in order to handle properly. At some point, usually around 75 mph, a nosecone and low water pickups becomes necessary to get the gearcase up high enough to where the boat will handle properly. The propshaft becomes a pivot point for the hull to pitch back and forth on. Raising it reduces this "radius" among other things.

4. HANDLING. the big one. Chinewalk needs to be controlled by the driver with a special degree of skill and accuracy. It takes PRACTICE. You have to predict hull movement and react accordingly before it gets away from you. As the left side starts to rise, a small tug left on the wheel will correct the rise if you catch it quick anough. Thee small, calculated chops at the wheel are required to balance a pad-vee hull at speed.

5. Trim. Us no more positive trim than necessary. If you're lightly loaded and still throwing a rooster tail, you're over-trimming. A bow-flying attitude is much harder to balance.

The photo below = WAY too much trim :D

[justlearnin]

Thanks!

[Pro300x24LD]

a bag of rocks as mentioned in the bow may not be useful, but in the back corner opposite the drive to help balance the hull could be.

[Frank Molé]

i use a cooler with stuff:eek: in it;) :D

[Pro300x24LD]

i use a cooler with stuff:eek: in it;) :Dbut that only works early in the day :D

[Specialized P4-12]

you ever get your wiring issues solved... bag of rocks.. thats a good one..

[Pro300x24LD]

you ever get your wiring issues solved... bag of rocks.. thats a good one..yes....but I still have a fuel sensor/sender something issue, I havne't messed with the boat in a while, I spent all my fuel money for the month LOL

[RNM018]

i use a cooler with stuff:eek: in it;) :D

I also use a cooler with stuff in it . At the end of the day after drinking all the stuff you hardly notice the Chine Walking any more .More seat time is the bigggest factor ,and as mentioned before some weight moved from side to side where ever it needs it to help aid in balance . Good Luck ,and Be Safe !!! Rich Martin 018:D

[pyro]

When the cooler starts to get lighter, my own body "swaying" helps to counter the chinewalk. :D