Coming off of Plane

raybo3

So in an other thread @reneechris14 say's "note to self come off plane slowly". So question is, how does people come off of plane? Here is what I do. #1 make sure drives are fully down. #2 I lower my trim tabs. #3 I slow down a little one engine at a time. Kind of a back and forth between the 2 until  boat is off of plane. #4 raise tabs back up or boat will not reverse....lol. Now I will be curious to see who else does this.........BTW this is to prevent water from coming over the swimplatform and to prevent water from going into the bilge. 

McGarnicle

I just slam my sticks in neutral and hope for the best 

Ian

Oh dear....

McGarnicle

I’m kidding, I gradually slow down both motors at the same time till I’m off plane, haven’t tried using my tabs but I almost always have water on the platform. 

aero3113

I pull the throttle back slowly, then trim down. I never thought of using tabs. @raybo3 , is there a reason you like to use your tabs? 

raybo3

aero3113 said:

I pull the throttle back slowly, then trim down. I never thought of using tabs. @raybo3 , is there a reason you like to use your tabs? 

Yes 2 reasons. #1 it slows the boat a little bit and #2 it raises the back higher so that helps keeping the water off the platform. 

LaRea

Depends on whether I'm worried about throwing a wake (i.e., coming into a marina).  If yes, I bring it down a little more abruptly to minimize the time spent plowing.  Either way, I throttle down gradually with drives trimmed down, but I don't usually bother with tabs.  

laureniac1

You HAVE to come off plane slowly or like me in 2017 you will hydraulically lock the engine is water gets through exhaust ports. The rubber flaps on exhaust get old and will not hold back a hush of water. I had to be towed in after coming of plane fast shifting into neutral 

RustyS

Since my buddy lost both motors due to water inversion (failed flappers allowing water to enter) I pay very close attention to coming off plane. Although, unlike his SeaRay, my Rinker 300 does not seem to squat in the manner his does allowing a flood of water to enter cockpit up and over swim platform.

My method is to make sure both drives are in full down position, then tabs fully down. As @raybo3 states, this makes the bow dig in more and brings the stern up and level. Then slowly bring both throttles back (simultaneously). Only in an emergency would I ever pull back quickly; and even then I would burp throttles forward just before the rush of water approached the transom/swim platform. My belief is that this method will keep the rush of water from coming into the exhaust bellows, and eventually entering manifolds, and your cylinders.

I do not see any advantage to bring the throttles back 1 at a time; would cause port/starboard listing I presume. But if that works for you more power to you!

skuter99

I once watched a video demonstration showing how to come off plane quickly in an emergency and the guy turned the boat 90 degrees so the wake did not come over the back at all.

aero3113

skuter99 said:

I once watched a video demonstration showing how to come off plane quickly in an emergency and the guy turned the boat 90 degrees so the wake did not come over the back at all.

You just triggered my memory, I saw that video also.

aero3113

Here’s the video I saw

https://youtu.be/L1SZiMJ0vx8

Lake_Bum

Just a single engine on mine, but I just back down slowly.  I've always seemed to give just a tad bit of throttle as the swell approaches the platform, then I back off and let it squat.  I've done this the same with all my boats. 

DanD2

Lake_Bum said:

Just a single engine on mine, but I just back down slowly.  I've always seemed to give just a tad bit of throttle as the swell approaches the platform, then I back off and let it squat.  I've done this the same with all my boats. 

That's pretty much what I do with my 342.....If I need to come off quick,  I do the 90deg turn

Liberty44140

I just come off plane very slow so no rush 

Ian

Ditto on the slow back off but then a couple of thrusts forward to keep ahead of the wake backwash.

rasbury

That's what I do.....but I did catch a fish once when the water came over the platform...had a fish flopping around in it!

Black_Diamond

Drives down. Tabs down. Slowly back off plane then as the backwash comes in I’ll throttle up a bit. I always get water over the platform though. 

Willhound

Liberty44140 said:

I just come off plane very slow so no rush 

Yep. I run drive full down all the time anyway. Leave tabs up and just back off slowly in stages. Probably doesn't matter but in my head I think it's easier on a 20 year old engine to ease in and out of throttle. If some jacka$$ zooms in front of me or something and I have to chop the throttle I'll either do the turn away trick or burp the throttle. New platform sits high enough I never get any wake on top.

aero3113

@Willhound , you don’t trim your drive up once you get on plane? You’ll get better performance and less fuel burn.

GMSLITHO

I’m with Willhound  I never trim the drive just use the tabs  

raybo3

@Willhound and @GMSLITHO why don't you trim your drives? 

aero3113

@Willhound and @GMSLITHO check out the link below.

https://www.boatus.com/magazine/2014/june/staying-in-trim.asp

Lake_Bum

Every single boat will handle different than others.  I only get planed out with the drive all the way down, tabs as well.   I will immediately raise the drive, until it is basically riding level in the water.  You can tell easily, because there is WAY less drag, and that is the most efficient way to run it.  Tabs are the only adjustment I will use while cruising, unless there is more significant chop....

GMSLITHO

It seems I don’t trim the drive I leave it down and start with the tabs all the way down once on plane I just raise the tabs if I raise the drive the bow comes up too much 

aero3113

@GMSLITHO you want to get the bow up to get the hull out of the water. You just have to find the sweet spot.

GMSLITHO

The bow comes up fine with the tabs  if I raise the drive up  the bow comes up to much and she just bounces 

aero3113

That’s normal, when it starts to bounce that’s when you trim the drive down slightly till it stops bouncing.

Willhound

GMSLITHO said:

It seems I don’t trim the drive I leave it down and start with the tabs all the way down once on plane I just raise the tabs if I raise the drive the bow comes up too much 

That's also my experience exactly. Trimming my drive up doesn't seem to help much as far as speed or RPM and in fact often leads to a slight porpoising in all but the calmest waters. Boat seems to like drive down.
Edit: and I'll add, even the slightest bit of drive up will cause this. May be partly because I tend to run with full fuel and water most of the time. Once on plane, tabs up and she just floats along nice, my usual cruise is 24mph at 3400 RPM.

raybo3

@Willhound I am not sure about a 270 but on my 342 trimming the drives is a must. Boat runs faster,smoother and better fuel economy. Sounds to me like your trimming too much. If I were you I would play with it until you find the right spot..... Just say'n  

GMSLITHO

the 270 is like driving a bus compared to my 268 cris craft with a 454 but my family loves the Rinker its a great boat