04 TR196 /200 Optimax setup

[bombercraw]

I have a 2004 TR196 Triton with a 200 Merc Optimax, running a four blade Trophy prop 26 pitch. Since day one of owning this boat it has always had a terrible chine walk at speeds 55mph and over. It's not a "seat time" issue. Been driving boats for 40 years and there is no steering out of this chine walk issue. It's a set up issue and I have just never taken the time to figure it out, but am wanting to try to solve it now. Any suggestions regarding where to set the engine in reference to the pad? Would really appreciate any suggestions and advice. Thanks

[Savage]

Respectfully it IS a driver issue. The DRIVER is the only person, or thing that can control and eliminate chinewalk from occurring BEFORE it starts. An experienced pilot can drive your boat, with any set-up in it, and can keep the chinewalk from occurring.

I'm giving it to you Straight....no bull.

[bronco71]

Driver issue yes.... at some point. But setup can make a difference also, especially if it is trying to start at 55. If the motor is too low on the transom more of the boat is out of the water sooner increasing the chances of it getting weird sooner. With a hydraulic jackplate raising the motor higher at higher speeds puts more boat in the water which helps. At some point, usually higher speeds than 55, mine tries to start about 67, the driver really comes into play. I can't really help with prop to pad distance since mine changes with the hydraulic plate but with a Trophy I would go as high on transom as possible without losing water pressure. With my low water pickup and Trophy prop my motor is way high over 68 mph.

[Jason Hale]

Where are you located? I have had a few of these. They are like driving a sports car.

I have a hydraulic plate and adjust as load changes.

If you’re reasonably close I would be glad to meet you and run it and help you set it up.

What jack plate do you have and what are your current settings?

[bombercraw]

Respectfully it IS a driver issue. The DRIVER is the only person, or thing that can control and eliminate chinewalk from occurring BEFORE it starts. An experienced pilot can drive your boat, with any set-up in it, and can keep the chinewalk from occurring.

I'm giving it to you Straight....no bull.

Savage, I must respectfully disagree. As I said, I have been driving bass boats for almost 40 years now. My setup isn't right which makes the chine uncontrollable at speeds over 55. The intent of my post was to solicit input from others who have a TR196 with a 200 Opti, not to be told that I don't know how to drive a boat. Sorry, but your response was a bit offensive.

I suspect the dealer I purchased my boat from didn't set the boat up correctly and I have just lived with it all these years but have decided to dig into this and try to optimize it so that chine will be more manageable as an experienced driver.

My engine is currently set up 1 3/8 inch below the pad. This seems terribly high to me. Since day 1, the water pressure gauge shows 10 PSI when running 45 mph or more. That seems a bit low but I have never had any overheating issues or warning buzzers etc. I have a 6 inch TH Marine jack plate. Hole shot is fine and boat runs good up until around 55mph as mentioned. I have no idea how fast the boat will run because of the setup limiting the safety of running above 60. I am hopeful someone has the same boat as I do and can give me a idea how far below the pad would optimize.
thanks

[bombercraw]

Where are you located? I have had a few of these. They are like driving a sports car.

I have a hydraulic plate and adjust as load changes.

If you’re reasonably close I would be glad to meet you and run it and help you set it up.

What jack plate do you have and what are your current settings?

Thanks Jason. Looks like you are in east TN. I'm located in Western KY, so not very close. My current set up is: 6 inch jack plate (manual jack plate), and currently set at 1 3/8 inch below the pad. Water pressure running above 45 mph is running at most 10 psi.

[Bob G.]

Sounds like you need to lower your jack plate to get the water pressure to 15 psi at WOT. I thought 3" PTP was a good starting point.

[KJK]

Savage, I must respectfully disagree. As I said, I have been driving bass boats for almost 40 years now. My setup isn't right which makes the chine uncontrollable at speeds over 55. The intent of my post was to solicit input from others who have a TR196 with a 200 Opti, not to be told that I don't know how to drive a boat. Sorry, but your response was a bit offensive.

I suspect the dealer I purchased my boat from didn't set the boat up correctly and I have just lived with it all these years but have decided to dig into this and try to optimize it so that chine will be more manageable as an experienced driver.

My engine is currently set up 1 3/8 inch below the pad. This seems terribly high to me. Since day 1, the water pressure gauge shows 10 PSI when running 45 mph or more. That seems a bit low but I have never had any overheating issues or warning buzzers etc. I have a 6 inch TH Marine jack plate. Hole shot is fine and boat runs good up until around 55mph as mentioned. I have no idea how fast the boat will run because of the setup limiting the safety of running above 60. I am hopeful someone has the same boat as I do and can give me a idea how far below the pad would optimize.
thanks

3 Prop to pad.

[Savage]

Savage, I must respectfully disagree. As I said, I have been driving bass boats for almost 40 years now. My setup isn't right which makes the chine uncontrollable at speeds over 55. The intent of my post was to solicit input from others who have a TR196 with a 200 Opti, not to be told that I don't know how to drive a boat. Sorry, but your response was a bit offensive.

I suspect the dealer I purchased my boat from didn't set the boat up correctly and I have just lived with it all these years but have decided to dig into this and try to optimize it so that chine will be more manageable as an experienced driver.

My engine is currently set up 1 3/8 inch below the pad. This seems terribly high to me. Since day 1, the water pressure gauge shows 10 PSI when running 45 mph or more. That seems a bit low but I have never had any overheating issues or warning buzzers etc. I have a 6 inch TH Marine jack plate. Hole shot is fine and boat runs good up until around 55mph as mentioned. I have no idea how fast the boat will run because of the setup limiting the safety of running above 60. I am hopeful someone has the same boat as I do and can give me a idea how far below the pad would optimize.
thanks

I was in your shoes at one time......but your in DENIAL!

My Triton boat is set-up to the max and achieves speeds over 80MPH.....If you get behind the wheel, and mash the throttle to the floor, and hold the steering wheel tight, in the direction that you want to go, without DRIVING it, then you will wreck....

Watch the videos at the top of the page about chine walking, with an open mind, that YOU are going to how to learn how drive. I encourage you to go out with an experienced pilot. You can do it, but not if you keep denying that YOU are not part of the problem.

Set the boat at 3"PTP and then learn to handle the set-up.

[Jason Hale]

Thanks Jason. Looks like you are in east TN. I'm located in Western KY, so not very close. My current set up is: 6 inch jack plate (manual jack plate), and currently set at 1 3/8 inch below the pad. Water pressure running above 45 mph is running at most 10 psi.

I do live in eastern middle TN, but I am from west TN and go back often. grew up around Paris. I would be glad to meet you at Paris Landing and help you set up your rig on my next trip over.

You need to be 2.5-3” below and you will have better pressure.

[bombercraw]

I was in your shoes at one time......but your in DENIAL!

My Triton boat is set-up to the max and achieves speeds over 80MPH.....If you get behind the wheel, and mash the throttle to the floor, and hold the steering wheel tight, in the direction that you want to go, without DRIVING it, then you will wreck....

Watch the videos at the top of the page about chine walking, with an open mind, that YOU are going to how to learn how drive. I encourage you to go out with an experienced pilot. You can do it, but not if you keep denying that YOU are not part of the problem.

Set the boat at 3"PTP and then learn to handle the set-up.

Do you have a TR196DC ? Looks like you have a 21 footer. Two totally different boats that handle differently. Don’t assume I don’t know how to drive !! I have stated twice now that I have over 40 years of experience.

[Savage]

40yrs boating experienced, doesn't mean that you are automatically capable of DRIVING a high performance hull with a true pad. Why don't you post a video of you driving the boat? We can then show you what you are doing wrong. Stop being in denial, I'm trying to help you, by being 100% honest with you!

I have set-up a lot of different Tritons and TAUGHT a lot of owners how to drive their Triton boats.

[BassCatBrad]

My old 2004 TR196 with a 3.0L EFI would start to walk just above 68mph. Once I learned how to drive thru the walk, adjusted the PTP and had the prop worked I could get 72mph with a medium load and no chine walk. It's all about making small adjustments in wheel pressure.

[Savage]

My old 2004 TR196 with a 3.0L EFI would start to walk just above 68mph. Once I learned how to drive thru the walk, adjusted the PTP and had the prop worked I could get 72mph with a medium load and no chine walk. It's all about making small adjustments in wheel pressure.

Bingo!!
Except you cant "drive thru the walk". You must control the walk BEFORE it starts.

[XChris1632X]

It took me awhile but I realized that 20 years of boat driving meant nothing when driving my 196. I also found out that if you can learn to drive this boat you can drive any out there. Recently took a Phoenix 721 for a spin. Boat was empty with just me Nd the dealer. At 76 I quit and he looked at me and said he was impressed, most guys get to 71 when it starts to walk and quit. I thought it was the easiest boat to drive at that point and didn't realize how much easier it was to counter walking.

On my 196 I upgraded to hydraulic plate but start at 3" below pad and slow adjust from there. Report back how it does.

[Savage]

It took me awhile but I realized that 20 years of boat driving meant nothing when driving my 196. I also found out that if you can learn to drive this boat you can drive any out there. Recently took a Phoenix 721 for a spin. Boat was empty with just me Nd the dealer. At 76 I quit and he looked at me and said he was impressed, most guys get to 71 when it starts to walk and quit. I thought it was the easiest boat to drive at that point and didn't realize how much easier it was to counter walking.

On my 196 I upgraded to hydraulic plate but start at 3" below pad and slow adjust from there. Report back how it does.

Glad you didn't give up on trying to learn how to drive it. They are fun to drive, once you figure it out! People don't realize that if the boat isn't trying to walk, then your are not up on the pad, and getting the best performance from the boat.

Chinewalking is a GOOD thing! The driver just needs to know how to balance the hull on the pad. Its like standing on a 2x4 with a tennis ball under the middle of it....Learn to balance the hull, with the steering wheel.

[BassBustingDave]

[bombercraw]

Bingo!!
Except you cant "drive thru the walk". You must control the walk BEFORE it starts.

And my point is, you can't control or drive through something that is uncontrollable due to the setup bein so far out of whack. This isn't my first boat Savage. I have had two other high performance hull boats and all three have had chine walk at higher speeds. The previous two I mastered and could drive them wide open an under total control. I am an experienced pilot. You keep makin the assumption that I am not. The setup of my current boat is way off. Again, I'm not soliciting driving lessons, just looking for some suggested setup dimensions to optimize my rig.

[XChris1632X]

Did you make the change to 3" yet and test?

[Savage]

Your current PTP is too high, if you lower it to 3"PTP you will see NO difference in the amount of chinewalk to boat has. PTP adjustments only help chinewalk handling IF the PTP is TOO LOW.

You ordered this boat brand new back in 2004 correct???