i am new to bass boats but not boats in general i have a 1984 starfire 150 with a yamaha 150 and at wot if the water is not glassy smooth it will start to rock side to side and it will get worse until i back off the throttle so if any body has any advice i will gladly except it
You are experiencing chine walk. As your boat is lifted up onto the planing pad, it is teetering from side to side on the hull chines. This is not an uncommon occurence with bass boat hulls. Balancing the batteries and other items in the hull will help. Some hulls, regardless of balance still do this. Prop selection and prop depth also play a part. In my particular application, installing a jackplate allowed me to raise the engine (reduced prop depth), which greatly reduced my chine walk.
Modified by PSM207 at 4:29 PM 4/22/2007
Allison XB-21 ProSport
Yamaha 250 SHO
Croxton Razor 4XL
is it dangerous because it fills like the boat will flip if i don't back out or i am i just over cautious like i said i have had a jon boat for since i was 15 and i am 20 know and this is my first bass boat and the motor is on the lowest setting as far as height adjustment should i raise it
I would recommend raising the engine. Am I correct in assuming that you do not have a jackplate?
Yes, chinewalk can be scary and dangerous if not respected.
Allison XB-21 ProSport
Yamaha 250 SHO
Croxton Razor 4XL
Maybe someone here on the Skeeter forum who is familiar with the Starfire will offer some info.
Allison XB-21 ProSport
Yamaha 250 SHO
Croxton Razor 4XL
It might be a good idea to post "Skeeter Starfire Handling?" in both the Skeeter and Setups by Todd forums.
Allison XB-21 ProSport
Yamaha 250 SHO
Croxton Razor 4XL
i don't have a jackplate it would make it a lot better though
You will eventually learn how to drive your boat so that it wont chine walk, you can make small steering corrections to the left when you feel it ever so slightly beginning to make a move. Do a search on here, there are several posts with very good step by step instructions on what to do to prevent it, there's also a good video on here somewhere of a guy making the steering corrections that I mentioned
The Starfires were pretty bad about chine walking, something you can do that might help balance it out when you are by yourself is fill up the port livewell to put a little balast on the passenger side. Besides that and some strategic tackle placement its just going to take some seat time. I would suggest getting a buddy that knows how to control chine walking to take you out in your boat and just watch what he does, this would probably teach you more than anything else. Also, like PSM said, if your motor is setting too low in the water it can contribute to chine walk, so you might check your height out.
I remember my first ride in a Starfire 150
At Pickwick with 2 footers...
i have a starfire 150 200 merc blackmax, jacking plate, hotfoot
mine started chinewalking a couple of years ago adjust your steering cables or check for wear, make sure both cables have good ends on them. and set your motor up high as you can and still get it on plane and still pick up water. might need to weld a tab on your skeg to keep from pulling because the steering tab/ sacrificial anode will be out of the water. should fix the chine walk thing.. if not... hold on tight!
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