TOPIC: Boat sliping in truns ?

Ok got and old EnduraCraft 14 1/2. I'm only runing 36 and 40hp motors on it. Speed at this altatude is only 25 max. Heres the problem if I make a tight turn the ass end wants to slip aroung like sliding on ice and have to steer back out of the tunr to stop it Now what can I do to the bottom of my boat to stop this. I was thinking of glassing a 2x2 on each side on the bottom between the keel and the outside edge. but was wondering if I do this how long should they be.
If you got better Ideas let me know.
Mike aka pathfinderz1

Sort of like a fin right? I dont know but the engineer in me is thinking that 18" would/should help. I would think a bit narrower then 1 1/2" might be better with a point facing the bow. If you do this be sure it wont interfere with your trailer bunks, Mike

Mike,
Check out the keel on my banshee a similar style boat. Looks like your keel has been shortened or modified in some way. Maybe a rebuild of the aft portion of the keel is in order. Should be an easy fix. Good luck. Mike

The hull doesn't appear to have any sort of chines at all, it just transitions from the bottom to the sides.

It is also very flat, so i can see how it would slide all over the place. Wow .

Look at some ski boat fins. A couple of these would be easier & probably do the trick. look around on line for some other sellers with perhaps a smaller price. There are also some that can be glassed in place. Question is - will they clear your trailer frame....



www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/product.aspx?productid=2392

Take note of this picture...



See the "dorsal" fin on the bottom? For grins, i took it off a few months back and ran the boat...anything over about 30 MPH(a slow cruise for this boat) was SCARY making turns and it exhibited almost the same symptoms you are describing. Throw the wheel hard and it would just skid sideways and the rear end felt like it was about to swing around. I promptly put it back on the trailer and put the fin back on.

Its really quite amazing at the handling difference between having it and not having it. This boat has VERY slight chines...you can kinda see them in the picture so im assuming what your experiencing is almost exactly what i did. I would think something like this could possibly give you the handling boost your looking for but you might be on to something with putting some makeshift chines in place though...

well the 2x2 is only 1 1/2x1 1/2 and yes was thinking make it pointed for shaped like bow of the boat. Don't have the money for a pricy fin. I have room to make then up to 3 feet long. Also were I want to put them will clear my bunks. This boat is not made for speep but don't like the sliping in the turn. The max I might get out of one of my old motors is 30mph and that would be at sea level.
Mike aka pathfinderz1

pathfinderz1 wrote:

well the 2x2 is only 1 1/2x1 1/2 and yes was thinking make it pointed for shaped like bow of the boat. Don't have the money for a pricy fin. I have room to make then up to 3 feet long. Also were I want to put them will clear my bunks. This boat is not made for speep but don't like the sliping in the turn. The max I might get out of one of my old motors is 30mph and that would be at sea level.
Mike aka pathfinderz1

I think that would work...make them small and somewhat streamlined, then glass the crap out of them to the bottom.

Worth a shot!

i might be way off base here,but couldnt you rivet aluminum angles with the front cut down to make them sharp/sloped and put them on both sides,then glass them in,im guessing you would have to rough up the aluminum to give the glass something to bite to.
or would the glass /aluminum combination not work?ive never done it before are they compatible?

Another suggestion - fabricate 1 or 2 small skegs from fiberglass such that the skeg attaches to the back of the transom. In this way the skeg does not interfere with loading and unloading from the trailer but provides sufficient resistance to side slipping. Plus, since they would bolt to the transom, you can easily remove them.

I don't want something that might hit and break if the boat blows around side ways when beached. I have another old boat that I might try my idea on first. The bottom is almost like mine.
Mike aka pathfinderz1

My grandfather had an early 60's Sea-King 14" boat with much the same flat chine-less hull. We ran a 35HP Sea-King motor, which I think was too heavy for the small boat. We often got wet out on lake Erie when boats would fly by too close, or the wind gave a lot of chop.
Grandpa sandwiched (2) 2"x4"x4' together and then cut them on the diagonal with his table saw. When done, he had (4) 4'-long sloped pieces. These were glued & screwed to the hull about 3" apart, but equally spaced between center rib and outside of the boat. He filled the gap with regular styrofoam insulation. He glued it in- and I remember him trimming it with an electric carving knife. Then he fiberglassed the whole things to the hull. He also sealed/glassed over the screws through the hull.
We never had any trouble with leaks or them breaking on the trailer-rollers.
I was only 7 or 8 years old at the time.. and didn't pay any attention if the boat handled differently. It also didn't lift the back that much... But I don't see why it wouldn't work the same in this instance.

That is more or less what I was thinking. Till I get my boat lift made I guess I will have to get 4 big guys over to lift and trun the boat over. A case of beer should do for pay.
Mike