Rinker 280 Low Speed Hunting

Squatch68

I previously had a Four Winns Sundowner 235 with a VP Duoprop and that thing would hold a perfectly straight line at all speeds.  Now with my new (to me) 280 I was really surprised at how much the boat hunts and wanders and low speeds. Just curious if others have the same wandering at low speeds and if there is anything I can do to either minimize or eliminate the hunting/wandering.  

We want to run the Trent Severn Waterway or the Rideau canal which has lots of low speed sections, would love to not have to compensate slightly continuously.  

YYZRC

Drop the tabs. 

LaRea

@YYZRC is on target ... put the trim tabs down.  Some hulls track straight at low speed, but most will wander.  Tabs will reduce, but not eliminate, the steering effort.  

Aqua_Aura

Even with the tabs down it will still wander but it does get better 

Squatch68

Thanks for the great info and quick responses. I will give that a shot next time we head out. Even a reduction in the wander would be great. 

Willhound

270 was the same. Tabs down, and also (sounds obvious) but make sure drive fully down also. 

PickleRick

My Bayliner  2859 also had terrible low speed tracking. 

First trick was tabs down, this helped.

Next trick was installing  a huge hydrofoil.   This  gave the stern a little more lift and improved plane time.   This also helped the tracking. 

The biggest improvement was the hill marine 4 blade prop. Again, improving  stern lift. 

It doesn't track like a duo prop but I troll for bass at 3mph  with ease.  


I lost about 1 mph top speed but my boat barely hit 23 mph anyway so not much of an issue for me. I usually cruise  at idle or 17-18mph.

My boat is diesel so fuel sipping trolling  speeds are important to me. Hull speeds around 7mph are also very easy to navigate now

Squatch68

Willhound said:

270 was the same. Tabs down, and also (sounds obvious) but make sure drive fully down also. 

I was kind of wondering if trimming up would help at all to break up the oscillating low pressure on either side of the hull but maybe not?

I am completely new to trim tabs, do they have integrated limit switches for end of travel?  The indicating lights on my lenco control switch are intermittent at best so I'm not positive when I am at end of travel. Don't want to damage anything. 

Squatch68

PickleRick said:

Next trick was installing  a huge hydrofoil.   This  gave the stern a little more lift and improved plane time.   This also helped the tracking. 

Interesting idea with the hydrofoil

Aqua_Aura

They have limit switches on them so you can't extend or retract beyond the limits.