TOPIC: Runabout handling issues

Have a 1960 Wagemaker Empire Classic - an 18' runabout. From about halfway back to the stern it's pretty much flat bottom. When running around 18+ MPH, especially when the wind is blowing, it's having some handling issues - doesn't seem to want to go straight. So I have to have some bow in the water to keep things straight, otherwise, if I'm planing too high at higher speeds, I'm all over the place and fighting the wheel.

Also, when it's just me and my 235 lbs in the boat, it's pretty much leaning to the starboard where the driver's seat is. When I have a passenger in the port seat, handling is much better.

Would I benefit by adding ballast to the stern side (i.e., 200 lbs of barbell plates) when its just me, and leave them at the dock when I have a passenger? I try to keep any additional weight (i.e., fuel, etc...) on the port side.

Thanks!

There are certainly "pro's and con's" to adding weight to any boat, but it sounds like that may be a viable option for you nessman. I would recommend you use sandbags, or something softer than barbell weights though. (If you hit a big wave/wake or they shift in the boat while underway, could cause serious damage or injury!)

My 58 Cutter Tornado was the same way, listed badly to starboard with only me in the boat. Also got very "skittish" when crossing wakes, waves, whatever. The previous owner and his sons all bragged about how stable the boat was "back in the day". Shortly after purchasing the boat I noticed a sloshing sound coming from the bow area, down toward the keel. I cut an inspection hole in the raised floor area up in the bow under the deck, and found water. Three 10 gal shop vacs later it was emptied out by this unknowing novice. I later learned some boat mfg's used this method of adding water to add weight to the boat for stabilization purposes!

I restored a 1949 wagemaker and had a similar problem. Finally a boat builder friend told me that the skeg was missing. Sure enough it had been lost before I had gotten it. Fabricated a new one and the problem was solved. Not sure if that would help, or whether it's an option in your case. But it sounds like the hulls are very similar, though yours is glass and mine was wood.

Any pull on the steering wheel? If so, it may be the skeg on the outboard.I have to add weight in the bow on my 59 Tomahawk. Try to use water ballast. At least it is flotation neutral./

There's some pull to starboard at higher RPM's which is normal. Skeg on the motor is fine, but I took the trim tab anode off to make room for a higher rake prop and didn't notice much difference in handling.

Thought about water, but to get 200 lbs of ballast, we're talking 25 gallons of water which will take up a lot of room - so thinking about the sandbag route. The boat weighs 1050 lbs dry, has no floatation other than the PFD's under the bow (plus another 350 for the motor) so if it's gonna sink, it's going down either way!

The only concern would be since I use the boat mainly for fishing, do I run any risk of making the boat too heavy on the port side when I'm fishing off that side... but the boat has a capacity of 2000 lbs - so I'm guessing this isn't much of a concern?

What you describe is fairly typical for a vintage glass runabout. Some are much worse performers than others, few if any, are great performers. If your boat has round chines, it's going to be much harder to get it stable at planing speeds. Is the bottom hooked? If it is, even slightly, it will be impossible to get the boat to run true without repairs. Common practice is to place the battery, gasoline, ice chest, etc., opposite the helm if driving solo. Some boats are extremely sensitive to even small weight changes.

The only way to really solve torque steering & driver fatigue is with modern no feedback helms from Teleflex. I'm installing one this week in one of my fast boats.

Not sure what you mean by a 'hooked' bottom, but I'm guessing this is par for the course. At cruising speeds (around 15 MPH) it handles fine so long as it's not too windy and the water isn't too choppy.

I usually keep the two port tanks full, but the battery and a 3rd tank I usually keep empty is on starboard. Thinking some sandbags on the port side under the seat will do the trick.

I do have Teleflex steering.

I agree with Bruce, in that a concave bottom ( hook) can cause poor handling, especially in turns. In a turn, the boat may tend to nosedive and plow. If you have the boat out of the water, sight down the keel from the stern and see if the keel is straight, or is curved upwards ( a hook). Boats can get a hook in the bottom from being improperly supported on a trailer, with a roller in the middle too high. I suspect some boats also get hooks simply because the keel was not stiff enough to begin with, or there has been deterioration or damage to the keel and stringers. While under way, the weight of the boat is supported by water pressure on the bottom, mostly on the stern half of the bottom, and that pressure will tend to push the bottom of the boat up into a concave shape. Some also say storing a boat with the outboard on the transom can eventually cause a hook. I support the idea of moving gas tanks, anchors, etc. toward the bow, rather than adding weight . Some " trim tabs" attached to the outside of the transom may also help to keep the bow down. If the boat slides sideways in a turn, a fin on the bottom will be a big help. Changing the angle of your motor relative to the transom may also help keep the bow down. Be sure your steering does not have any play in it which would make the boat hard to keep on course. With the exception of sailboats, I hate the idea of adding weight to small boats, and especially planing hulls. It just " ain't right" !

Ah OK... I'll check the keel when I take her out later on (it's on a hoist).

When it's just me on board, it does fine with starboard turns, port turns I need to shift my weight towards port if I'm running at higher speeds.

But it does seem to handle better when I have a passenger in the port seat which is why I'm thinking of getting 200 lbs of sandbags which I can leave at the dock when I take someone out with me.

I think I got the motor angle relative to the transom in the right place, but I did put in a new floor and seats this season, bow/stern weight distribution is slightly different - I should play around with that a bit and see if anything improves.

These are all great ideas - thanks everyone.

If your motor is tilted out to far it will bring the bow up to far and wind cross wise will blow it around. Bow up to high and handeling goes to s--t. I just won't plane that way.
Mike aka pathfinderz1