Bass Boats that don't Chine Walk

[MMosher]

If you drive to prevent chine walk it'll never occur. Seat time and a lesson from an experienced driver will cure most your problems.

[alli ss]

Once you learn how to drive you cant hardly make one chine walk.

[Gamblinman]

There are some things you can do that will help minimize chine walk.

Balance your boat load. If you're boat is off balance, it just requires more drive input to keep the boat centered on the pad.

Have your prop worked for your boat. If you're prop is losing bite or lift... again, more driver input is required.

Minimizing the need for driver input to maintain the boat centered on the pad will make it that much easier to control chine walk.

[Melton Jason]

There are some things you can do that will help minimize chine walk.

Balance your boat load. If you're boat is off balance, it just requires more drive input to keep the boat centered on the pad.

Have your prop worked for your boat. If you're prop is losing bite or lift... again, more driver input is required.

Minimizing the need for driver input to maintain the boat centered on the pad will make it that much easier to control chine walk.

This is good advice, boat being balanced can make it much easier to drive at speeds.


After reading this post yesterday, I tried to see at how low a speed I could make my Stroker chine walk. With just the right amount of trim and jackplate in just the right spot it would walk back and forth at 52 mph. normally it starts in the high 70's to low 80's depending on prop. With mine being a hydraulic jack plate it just goes to show you that how the boat is setup can effect how it drives.

[polywad6963]

Lets see..grossly underpower any boat and you wont chine walk one bit! May hurt resale if you put a 60hp on a Phoenix 921, Ranger 520/521, Basscat or any rig. But you only asked about chine and not top end, so there is a solid answer for ya.

[oli3665]

You'll never se me going WOT w/ my grandkids in the boat!

[DixieChicken]

I chine walk from the back door to the boat all the time.

Then again... I lean... because I walk with a cane!

[bluebullet96]

If you put enough horses behind any pad boat it will walk that is just plain physics. Shorter boats tend to walk at slower speeds than longer boats. A ranger with a 250 may not walk but put a 300 on it and take it for a drive! Once you lift a boat high enough out of the water it will fall of the pad if not corrected by steering! So if you don't want a boat that chine walks get one that is slow enough to never make it to that point.

[sterling11]

my Sterling loaded right will not chine walk at all.

[Astyle954]

I agree with many. The chine is nothing to fear, but respected at first. I went from a 16' Hydra sports with a 90 to a 07 tr20X HP. Talk about culture shock. With a bit of homework and a experienced driver to show you. Seat time will have you driving without chine in no time. My first few attempts at full speed runs had me scared to death. Then I didn't think I'd ever get it but with some time behind the wheel it all of a sudden made sense. The feeling of it wanting to. Then by trial and error it become natural. I compare it to when first learning to drive a car. We all jerked the wheel all over the place at first. Then it became natural to make small unconcious corrections.
I feel like if your wife and or kids would be operating a bass boat at those speeds and can negotiate wakes and idiots on jetskis then they could learn chine as well.

[Bob G.]

My boat doesn't go fast enough to chine walk!