Zx185

[Skeeter00185]

I have a 2000 skeeter zx185 with a carbed Vmax 175. It has a 25-M prop and with 1 person, half tank of gas and lots of gear I am getting 66-67 @5600 rpms. I feel like there is more left in it, but it started chine walking really bad at that speed and I can’t drive it. I have started to get the hang of it, but it is pretty hard to keep it steady as I steer out of it and it comes right back. Would weight distribution help with this issue? Also my other question, when I fish tournaments there are three of us, full gas, gear, and live wells full it is only doing 59-60@5400. Does this sound right to lose that much speed with the weight gained? Would moving weight to the back of the boat improve speed? Thanks!

[pmgoffjr]

You've got a lot of stuff going on. One asprin at a time.
Your speed is about right for that rig. May be a mile or two with some tweaking, but not much more.

More urgent issue. Chine walk. The simple statement, if it's not walking, it's not running right.
Understand the cause first, the prop is spinning to the right, and that torque wants to take everything else right with it. The boat wants to go straight, and that's where the wobbles come from, the struggle between the prop and the hull.

Good news, there's nothing wrong with your boat. Moving stuff around won't make a big difference, and anything you do to tame it will also slow you down.
The easy answer, you need to learn to drive it. Just like riding a bicycle, once you get it, you'll get it for life. Best advice is to recruit a seasoned driver to spend a half hour with you to show you how to drive to prevent the walk from starting. You don't drive out of it, you drive to prevent it from starting. Getting a lesson will save you months of frustration, but once you realize it's a balancing act, and understand the forces at work, it will come much easier.

I can give you a long lesson, but internet advice is seldom relayed properly.

[skennedy]

What pmgoffjr said is right on as far chine walk is concerned. It’s 99.99% driver fault for letting it happen . Biggest mistake newbys make is trimming into it to fast . It will help you get a better feel of balance by going straight into the wind . Yes your boat will see that much speed loss with that kind of weight added .