# Boat nose plowing water



## River runner (Aug 20, 2014)

I have a 1650 Lowe flat bottom with a 55hp Suzuki jet. When the boat gets on plane the front seems to just plow through the water. Making it hard to steer and pretty slow. I can trim the motor up and it helps a bit but just doesn't seem to be riding on the water like it should. Would my motor being to low cause this or what? All the weight is in the rear. If the motor is to low will a jack plate work okay since it is a jet? Thanks in advance.


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## Ranchero50 (Aug 20, 2014)

Post up some pics of your layout as well as the current side profile of your jet foot in relation to the bottom of the hull.

A couple pics are worth a lot of words.


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## AllOutdoors (Aug 20, 2014)

Agree with Ranchero. Some pics of your layout and motor set up should help as this is quite the opposite of what I hear with most outboard jets.


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## dhoganjr (Aug 20, 2014)

If you don't have power trim you can move the trim out 1 or 2 holes. Check the height by placing a straight edge on the bottom of the hull extending out to the shoe. The front lip should be above this line, and it should hit near the front pin that holds the grates in the shoe. 

Jack plates are not recommended because they set the engine farther back from the hull in more turbulent water and makes it more difficult to get it adjusted. If possible build transom up and mount it higher if needed.


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## River runner (Aug 20, 2014)

Okay I'll try to get some pics here soon. I've got the shoe off right now cause I'm sharpening the impeller. When I get it back on I'll put some pics up.


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## dhoganjr (Aug 21, 2014)

This is a reference to were mine's height is set at.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Aug 21, 2014)

One easy thing to check is your gate. Make sure it is operating properly. We'll know more once the pics are up.


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## River runner (Aug 21, 2014)

What's the best way to upload pics from an iPhone?


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## cphill (Aug 21, 2014)

Get the taptalk app thats the easiest way I know


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## SaltyGhost (Aug 22, 2014)

I got this off Specialty Mfg. Co. website. They made your jet drive. It shows the angle and location the drive was designed to be used. The foot should be angled as shown to produce the RAM effect. The forward motion helps force the water up the drive, reducing cavitation. Depending on your hull design the motor may need to be raised or lowered slightly but this is a starting point. Each hull is different, what works on one may not work on another.


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## dhoganjr (Aug 22, 2014)

On most applications, if you set it like the picture shows, you will loose a couple mph because water will go over the lip dragging and causing backspray. Most boats especially stern heavy ones will run at a slight to moderate angle on plane forcing more water over the lip. 

It is true all will run different. It works best to use a straight edge and line the bottom of the hull up with the front pin in the grates. Some can run higher and some lower, but that keeps the water under the lip and reduces the drag.


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## Lil' Blue Rude (Aug 23, 2014)

Yeah he's right you normally want the straight edge to hit the pin. 
I really wish that outboard jets would do some more research and do some updating on there info, seems like everything they have about setting up a outboard jet is from a long time ago. Like they say to mount the motor like that when most mount it higher to gain performance and they say a stainless impeller won't help anything under 100hp but I've seen gains in motors between 40-60hp. Would be nice to see them try to make some kind of advancement in the design too.


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## River runner (Aug 28, 2014)

Okay so I finally got it all put back together with the sharpened impellar and whales tail. And it will jump right on plane now. But still is plowing water. I took a few pics with a straight edge so maybe this helps.


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## River runner (Aug 28, 2014)




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## River runner (Aug 28, 2014)




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## dhoganjr (Aug 28, 2014)

Try raising the motor 1 hole, it is to low. The straight edge should hit under the front edge of the lip. If it is even or below the water will force over it causing drag and plowing. The whaletail will increase this effect.

Assuming you have power trim, when you take off motor should be trimmed down or tucked under, as it comes out of the hole and starts to plane start trimming up. You will feel a little surge when you get it trimmed out correctly. If it starts to porpoise (bounce), bump the trim down just till it stops, won't take much.


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## River runner (Aug 28, 2014)

See I would do that but I'm up all the way. I have no more holes to go. So I don't really know how to raise it up any more.


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## AllOutdoors (Aug 28, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=364757#p364757 said:


> River runner » Today, 18:25[/url]"]See I would do that but I'm up all the way. I have no more holes to go. So I don't really know how to raise it up any more.



From the pics it appears the heel of the foot might be to low. Your motor seems to be trimmed down too much.I don't know you can adjust this? Forcing your jet stream at such a downward angle can cause plowing in the front. Notice the amount of heel below your straight edge vs. the pics provided.


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## reedjj (Aug 29, 2014)

Looks like you are gonna need one if these. Much cheaper than a jackplate and it wont be set waaay back causing more spray.


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## dhoganjr (Aug 29, 2014)

That would be a good option. Some build up the transom with 1" square tubing. You can also get a transom riser from most boat shops, especially ones that deal with jets. They usually slide over the transom, bolt them on and then bolt the motor on at the correct height. There are several ways to do it, just have to decide what works best for you, how much you want to spend , and how you want the end result to look.

If you want to get the best performance out of it, it needs to be raised.

And in reference to my earlier pic that is trimmed level, where it runs while on plane. Trimmed all the way down it is still lined up with the pin. Motors will have a different arc, before you get it set for the final time see where it is at tucked under and trimmed level.


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## River runner (Sep 1, 2014)

It looks like you could about make a extension like that.


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## River runner (Sep 2, 2014)

Do you think it'd be very hard to build one of those? Also would it still work with the power trim pump being mounted where it is?


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## River runner (Sep 2, 2014)




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## dhoganjr (Sep 2, 2014)

How tall is your transom?


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## River runner (Sep 3, 2014)

27 inches.


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## dhoganjr (Sep 3, 2014)

27" is standard height for a jet transom. You should be able to raise it and drill new mounting holes.


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## River runner (Sep 3, 2014)

Okay well as soon as I get time I'll back it in the shop and start working on it. Thanks for all the help!


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## dhoganjr (Sep 3, 2014)

It works best if you have a hoist to support it. Cut 2 2.5" blocks out of a 2x4 and put them between top of transom and motor bracket, that should give you 29.5" from bottom of the hull to the top of the motor bracket. That should line in up with the pin, check with straight edge before drilling. 1/2" drill bit for holes. You can fill the old ones with quicksteel or something comparable. 

I used a floor jack to raise mine, it is harder but will work.


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## River runner (Sep 3, 2014)

Okay. Should the front pins be level with the bottom of the boat or can it be a little higher? And I have a aluminum spool gun I could maybe weld the old holes with that.


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## dhoganjr (Sep 3, 2014)

Front pin about level, you almost have to have a perfect bottom to go any higher. Mine ran ok a little higher but got too much cavitation in chop and waves, so lined up with the pin worked best. The main thing is you want the edge to hit somewhere under the lip, not even or above. This is where mine is now after moving it 3 times to find the sweet spot.


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## Ranchero50 (Sep 3, 2014)

How about some pictures of it running? So much goes into decent performance I think were are looking at trees instead of the forest.


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## River runner (Sep 3, 2014)

I'll try to get out on the river in the next few days and get some pictures or videos of it running.


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## River runner (Sep 3, 2014)

Okay so I was told the boat had a 27inch transom. Me being at work the other day when you asked I said 27. Well the top of the transom is actually 25 inches. Then the motor brackets sit up 2 inches higher than that. Here is a few pictures.


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## dhoganjr (Sep 4, 2014)

Since you have an aluminum spool gun it should be fairly easy to build a 2 inch riser on top of the transom. That will get you the 27" needed with extra support. Then remount for the correct height.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Sep 4, 2014)

I don't think motor height is your problem id your boat struggles to get on plane. Raising it an inch is not going to give you miracle results. I'm with Ranchero....we need to see what it's doing.


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## JL8Jeff (Sep 4, 2014)

Do you still have the whale tail on it? That might be causing it to push down too much and plow. I have a Lowe 1652 tunnel with a Merc 60/45 jet and I had to put transom wedges in to keep it from porpoising so i had the opposite problem. They told me the whale tail doesn't work with a tunnel setup and I still had to add weight up front even with the wedges. I wonder if the whale tail is too much.


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## River runner (Sep 4, 2014)

Well it has done it since I got the boat a year ago. I just put the whale tail on a couple weeks ago along with the resharpened impellar and it hops right on plane now but it still is plowing. All the weight is in the back of the boat. Battery, gas tanks, and seats. It doesn't plow as bad when there is two people in back but still does it a little bit.


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## dhoganjr (Sep 4, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=364717#p364717 said:


> River runner » 28 Aug 2014, 09:07[/url]"]


Pic did not repost, first pic you posted on Aug, 28
I went back and started at the beginning. In this pic, what is the area on the bottom of the hull in the center left? Is that a tunnel or is that damage that has been repaired? I never seen you mention tunnel anywhere and if it is not that area is causing major disruption of clean water to the intake. If I am correct on this you are getting a ton of spray and water is going over the shoe, around the pump, hitting the transom and shooting down further disrupting the clean water flow.

You also if possible need to get some weight forward to balance it out.

With a whaletail you have to trim out to near level while running on plane, by design they help with porpoising. If you keep the motor tucked under while on plane it will force the bow down causing it to plow and the increased pressure will make it harder to steer.

I looked at your pics on the computer and was able to zoom in to get a good look. You have enough room to drill new holes without adding anything to raise it.


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