List to Port - Fletcher 19 GTS

[Ianfs]

Oh, I didn't answer the wandering thing, did I?

OK, here we go...

Lets go back to boat building before efficient 2/4 stroke petrol/diesel engines and revert to wind power or steam, back in time, several thousand years and more. Boats have been built for centuries with keels, which is generically known as a keelson. This is the main piece of wood selected to support all the bulkheads as well as the bow. The keelson being the major action in which the boat keeps straight whilst under way. This would run the length of the boat/ship and would be known as the keel. This with the incorporation of a rudder would keep the boat in a straight line a slow speeds without constant correction. Most displacement boats have a keel or rudder and those designed to run on the Thames or at low speeds would be the same.

Faster sports boats, planning hulls however don't have keels or rudder and at high speed, corrections are easily made. At low speeds, it takes a lot of course changes to keep them straight, including a Fletcher 19GTS.

[Bigplumbs]

Went out today for another blast in the GTS and I think I have sussed the listing thing. Others told me to trim the leg up more and this indeed seemed to do the trick. If you slightly over trim it though I get porpoiseing a bit. Still learning about here but one thing is correct I love the old girl already.

I think I might give those smart tabs a try after all

Dennis

[Ianfs]

Sorry to be a pain, but I dont think lifting the leg actually answers the overall problem but merely hides it, if you see what I mean. Altering the angle of the prop will take away some of the torque and look as if its cured the problem. Plus, as you say lifting the leg too much will cause the boat to porpoise on and off the bow wave.

Surely you would want to be able to trim the leg in for comfort on some occasions, so finding a cure for the Cure would be good!

Could you alter the trim anode from your tender?

[BruceK]

He's right you know Altering the trim alters the angle of attack of the blade in the paddle wheel effect.

Smart Tabs will not cure this. You need trim tabs for that. All smart tabs will do will push the bow down while trimming the leg up tries to lift the bow. Very inefficient in the exercise of balancing a boat. Trim tabs, prop or trim anode in that order will lend best results over the whole range. Aren't you glad you never went Smart Tabs

[Bugbird]

I have taken the smart tabs off for this season, the plastic pins kept breaking and that caused a big list !

[ColinR]

I have a finned anode, with hydraulic steering.

I think all planing hulled sports boats meander around at low speed. The Monterey is better that my old Maxum which really had a mind of it's own.

If it is really a problem you could fit a barge board

[BruceK]

well with a leg /OB you are pushing from behind the stern a hefty bit of kit that doesn't want to go forward and with no keel to stabilise. It's like balancing a plate on it's edge along a tightrope. It's a balancing act that requires very small adjustments in advance of any tipping momentum. People tend to over cook it way too late causing the metaphoric tightrope to wobble