Boat Leans Left on Take Off

[drscholl14]

I have a Nitro 700LX (98) with a Mercury 125 EFI. The boat takes off perfectly when I'm in it by myself. However when I'm with another person it leans to the left until I trim up. I would have thought that it was just the extra weight however the guy I fish tournaments with is 40 lbs lighter than I am and I have my boat pretty leveled out when it comes to gear and storage. I'm wondering if it is because I have my trim tab turned slightly to the left? Anything else it could be?

[PolarKraft195]

Does it "pull" left, or just "lean" left.

[Bass Junkie]

It's due to the right hand rotation of the prop and having more wetted surface of the hull in the water until you get it trimmed up some. Nothing to worry about just start trimming up as soon is breaks over on plane. Furthermore, I think it's more noticeable in smaller hulls. I had a Skeeter SS90 (16'2" boat) years ago and it was quite noticeable with it until it was trimmed up some.

[drscholl14]

For the first question I do believe it's pulling a bit. Not uncontrollable by any means.

And for the second comment I am surprised if it's the rotation of the prop, why it doesn't do it when I'm fishing solo? I mean dead level when it's just me in the boat.

[Fishysam]

Holeshot happens faster when alone and water speed is higher vs torque of digging with your partner

[Mike2718]

I had an old TR-186 that did it very badly. One time I was with my brother in law and a friend, it leaned so much to the left that water almost got up to the rub rail. I was like “what the heck” is going on. I had all my gear evenly distributed and it still got on plane quickly but would lean badly. It wasn’t “as” bad with 2 people and not too bad with just me. A couple of things eliminated all the leaning. The first thing I did was to hit the trim switch up 3 or 4 quick times before I took off. This eliminated most of the lean but it still had a some lean. I got tired of having to trim it up every time before take off so I installed a trim limiter. It is basically just solid bar that goes through the engine bracket holes closest to the transom. It has a cotter pin on both ends so it doesn’t slide out of the bracket holes. When you trim down all the way the bar stops it from trimming down any further and I didn’t have to hit the switch 3 or 4 times anymore. I finally came up with a cure I think by pure accident. I would trim down all the way, (I still had the limiter installed), then a soon as I “floored it” I would just start trimming the motor up as I was getting on plane. I would just keep my thumb on the switch as it was coming out of the hole. I didn’t wait for it to “break over” or get on plane to start trimming it up. This technique eliminated ALL of the lean. Once I was on plane, I adjusted the trim and throttle accordingly. I still had an incredible hole shot. I hope that helps because I know how frustrating it was for me til I finally figured it out.
Good Luck

[Dave A]

My 2008 Stratos 285 does the same thing, you get used to it and it doesn't cause any problems.

[ECobb91]

I have a 2003 Nitro nx750 with a 115hp mercy and my boat does the same thing. When it starts to lean at take of start trimming the motor this will straighten it out.

[Chisco]

Common with smaller boats. If you plan to fish with partner a lot, you can experiment with moving gear and battery weight to right side.

[granite]

He's just going to have to sit in your lap. You'll have to let him steer, though, since you won't be able to see.

[printman71]

The 2000 model year Stratos 20SS did that. I had one and Stratos bought it back.

[Dan21XRS]

My 2008 Stratos 285 does the same thing, you get used to it and it doesn't cause any problems.

Yep, the "Stratos lean"... ... My 2008 200XL did the same thing... Unless it's causing you problems just go fishing... Dan

[Topwater 2]

He's just going to have to sit in your lap. You'll have to let him steer, though, since you won't be able to see.

I've got a dollar to see that!!

[e-tec]

The 2000 model year Stratos 20SS did that. I had one and Stratos bought it back.

What did Stratos say was wrong with it?

[jc2bg]

I had a 2000 Stratos (22SS) that did not lean, but my 1999 Javelin Renegade 20 leaned so hard that I was afraid of taking water over the gunwale on Lake Erie. On smoother water, however, once you got her flying it leveled right out.

[DrewFlu33]

Do you have a "fin" style trim tab on the motor on the bottom of the cavitation plate above the prop? If so, how is it angled? You want it to be set so that it's angled slightly from being straight, say from 11 to 5 o'clock instead of 12 to 6. That can help with this to some degree.

[drscholl14]

Do you have a "fin" style trim tab on the motor on the bottom of the cavitation plate above the prop? If so, how is it angled? You want it to be set so that it's angled slightly from being straight, say from 11 to 5 o'clock instead of 12 to 6. That can help with this to some degree.

Yes this is how mine already is.

[drscholl14]

I had an old TR-186 that did it very badly. One time I was with my brother in law and a friend, it leaned so much to the left that water almost got up to the rub rail. I was like “what the heck” is going on. I had all my gear evenly distributed and it still got on plane quickly but would lean badly. It wasn’t “as” bad with 2 people and not too bad with just me. A couple of things eliminated all the leaning. The first thing I did was to hit the trim switch up 3 or 4 quick times before I took off. This eliminated most of the lean but it still had a some lean. I got tired of having to trim it up every time before take off so I installed a trim limiter. It is basically just solid bar that goes through the engine bracket holes closest to the transom. It has a cotter pin on both ends so it doesn’t slide out of the bracket holes. When you trim down all the way the bar stops it from trimming down any further and I didn’t have to hit the switch 3 or 4 times anymore. I finally came up with a cure I think by pure accident. I would trim down all the way, (I still had the limiter installed), then a soon as I “floored it” I would just start trimming the motor up as I was getting on plane. I would just keep my thumb on the switch as it was coming out of the hole. I didn’t wait for it to “break over” or get on plane to start trimming it up. This technique eliminated ALL of the lean. Once I was on plane, I adjusted the trim and throttle accordingly. I still had an incredible hole shot. I hope that helps because I know how frustrating it was for me til I finally figured it out.
Good Luck

Thanks I'll give this a shot! It's more annoying than anything and certainly isn't bad enough where the water is almost touching the rub rail.

[drscholl14]

He's just going to have to sit in your lap. You'll have to let him steer, though, since you won't be able to see.

I'd actually still probably be able to see over my partner.....

[WBW]

My Stratos 254 ( 15' 6") does it pretty bad. Made me uncomfortable at first, but like the others said I just start trimming up early and it'll flatten right out and run great.