Driving a small outboard Cat - Jackplate, Trim...WTF?

[flatsix66]

I recently bought used 2004 Cougar 22 MTR, it has a 300x on a Bob's hyd jack plate and trim adjustment, hyd steering. This is my first "hot rod" boat, current boat is a Yamaha twin engine jet and other little boats in the past, so this is the first time figuring out how a center pod cat works and the relationship with trim and engine height. I have only spent a weekend in the Cougar so far so trying to figure things out by feel, learning lessons fast but want to avoid doing anything dumb and permanent. Things that are notable to me so far.

Slow to get up on plane: Jack plate all the way down and trimmed in, 26p Bravo 1 prop - push the throttle and revs build very slow, nose in the air, many seconds later it tips over the bow wave and goes good. Is it better to have the engine high on the jack plate or low?

Building speed: At low speeds under ~40mph the boat maneuvers good and controllable. Trimming out to around 4 and jack the engine up a bit and things take off! Steering feel gets very heavy, kinda pulls to the right and resists steering corrections to the left, is this normal?

Trim, Jackplate best practices: I have talked to friends and other "know it alls" and I have been getting answers and advice all over the map, mostly advising that I will blow the boat over if I trim out too much or hit a wake. Curious what others here on Scream and Fly would advise for best practices for newbies like me with boats like this?

Thanks.

[eli]

maybe brad zastrow will chime ,you have to fly it first depending where your water pickups are propshaft should be 1 inch above pad for starters watch the psi and temp gauge , you have to trim it out more to fly it , free up the hull till around 80 /85 then start trimming down to get nice attitude is what they like .in rough water you dont want alot of trim keep nose down

[NICE PAIR]

I recently bought used 2004 Cougar 22 MTR, it has a 300x on a Bob's hyd jack plate and trim adjustment, hyd steering. This is my first "hot rod" boat, current boat is a Yamaha twin engine jet and other little boats in the past, so this is the first time figuring out how a center pod cat works and the relationship with trim and engine height. I have only spent a weekend in the Cougar so far so trying to figure things out by feel, learning lessons fast but want to avoid doing anything dumb and permanent. Things that are notable to me so far.


Slow to get up on plane: Jack plate all the way down and trimmed in, 26p Bravo 1 prop - push the throttle and revs build very slow, nose in the air, many seconds later it tips over the bow wave and goes good. Is it better to have the engine high on the jack plate or low?

Building speed: At low speeds under ~40mph the boat maneuvers good and controllable. Trimming out to around 4 and jack the engine up a bit and things take off! Steering feel gets very heavy, kinda pulls to the right and resists steering corrections to the left, is this normal?

Trim, Jackplate best practices: I have talked to friends and other "know it alls" and I have been getting answers and advice all over the map, mostly advising that I will blow the boat over if I trim out too much or hit a wake. Curious what others here on Scream and Fly would advise for best practices for newbies like me with boats like this?

Thanks.

Let's see if I can help a little, If your motor doesn't cavitate or slip coming out of the hole, you can vent it (drill 4 holes in the hub@ the leading edge) most propeller repair places can do this.
This lets the motor spin up where it's making a little horsepower. I would try 1" holes to start with.

Trim: 4 is just a number unless you have referenced your indicator, it means nothing to you other than you trimmed out to 4.

On a flat, level piece of ground (garage floor) use your trailer jack to level the back 4 or 5 feet of the bottom (that would be the sponsons on your boat) Now carefully level the prop shaft or cavitation plate with a small level.

You now have established "0" trim , put a piece of tape or some how mark your trim indicator. Lets assume #2 = "0" now you will start to see what your boat likes or needs. That will tell you and your prop guy what kind of prop your boat likes.

When learning your boat I'd suggest you start with the propeller shaft even with the bottom of the boat. I believe that would be the bottom of the sponsons on your boat, and neutral or "0" trim.

I find myself hardly changing my trim except for when I change the load in the boat or water conditions change. (I have no vertical trim adjustments) once you find the happy height you don't need vert trim changes very often. a lot of peeps teach them selves to over drive a boat.

Steering torque is something you will have to get used to, correct trim, prop height and prop will help some. You can add a torque tab to the lower unit.

Lots of seat time, use common sense, wear safety gear, Welcome to performance boats and Good Luck.

[tux974]

All good advice above!
Cats are trim sensitive, things can and will happen quickly so be careful.
The last sentence above is a VERY important read and practice!