Adding weight to cut down on chop

[ruztew]

Has anyone ever thought about adding weight to the front of their boat to help it cut through the chop better? My SX190 bounces around quite a bit in choppy water... I was wondering if placing a couple hundred pounds of weight under the front seats would help it push through the chop more? Like maybe two 50lb bags on cement under each seat

Just a crazy thought I had in the middle of the night while up with a 3 month old....

 

[GiddYupJoe]

@ruztew Yes adding weight will help. In my 24' I have a ~750LB ballast bag in the ski locker if it gets real bad in our lake. However... Since you have been up late, I will let the cement part slide! That would be a bad idea. You would have quite a mess if those bags of cement got wet! They make weight sacs to assist with ballast, maybe start there.

 

[jcyamaharider]

A lot of people with ballast in their boats ( locker location ) fill their bag half way or all the way up for this reason.

Edit* @GiddYupJoe beat me too it.

 

[Bruce]

When you say chop I think of the ocean. I might add weight to smooth the ride on lake but not in the ocean. Adding weight reduces freeboard bringing you closer to taking on water.

Trim tabs are a much better option to smooth out that rough water. Our boats tend to jump over waves and crash down on the relatively flat stern. Trim tabs push the bow down so that the boat does not rise as far out of the water and allowing the bow to land first. This creates a splash but cushions the landing.

 

[bronze_10]

When you say chop I think of the ocean. I might add weight to smooth the ride on lake but not in the ocean. Adding weight reduces freeboard bringing you closer to taking on water.

Trim tabs are a much better option to smooth out that rough water. Our boats tend to jump over waves and crash down on the relatively flat stern. Trim tabs push the bow down so that the boat does not rise as far out of the water and allowing the bow to land first. This creates a splash but cushions the landing.

I was getting ready to post how many instal trim tabs.... but u beat me too it... as usual.!

 

[swatski]

Trim tabs for sure. If you are not crossing the ocean, you would be super happy with self adjusting Nauticus smart tabs.

Those do cost a tad more than two bags of cement, LOL, but still super inexpensive and easy to install.

 

[ruztew]

Cement was just on my mind from doing some construction stuff at my house.... I figured if the concept was sound something besides bags of cement would be used. Trim tabs do seem like the ideal option... I'm just scared of drilling holes in the hull (though I know it shouldn't be an issue)

 

[ruztew]

The Nauticus smart tabs look intriguing....has anyone out them on an SX190?

 

[Bruce]

The Nauticus smart tabs look intriguing....has anyone out them on an SX190?

This is one of the rare times that @swatski and I disagree. I want my trim tabs to be controllable. Smart Tabs are likely a huge help for boats that plane slowly. Our boats do not need any assistance planing. I want to be able to raise the tabs to decrease drag when the water is smooth and I want to be able to increase the trim when the water get rougher. On the lake I primarily use the tabs momentarily to smooth out crossing wake. On the ocean when waves are constant I increase the trim to decrease the impact of the waves we are crossing.

 

[swatski]

This is one of the rare times that @swatski and I disagree. I want my trim tabs to be controllable. Smart Tabs are likely a huge help for boats that plane slowly. Our boats do not need any assistance planing. I want to be able to raise the tabs to decrease drag when the water is smooth and I want to be able to increase the trim when the water get rougher. On the lake I primarily use the tabs momentarily to smooth out crossing wake. On the ocean when waves are constant I increase the trim to decrease the impact of the waves we are crossing.

@Bruce is right about trim tabs in general, and Smart Tabs being primarily designed to assist in planning in traditional roundabouts. No argument here -- there is no substitute for the real thing. Still, the Smart Tabs allure would be the easy install and price, and -- I have to say -- those can do a pretty good job in ride cushioning in rough water.

--

 

[RightStuff]

Here's something to consider if you want to go lead/steel ballast, all are about $1/lb for weight:
http://www.leadwake.com/ or http://wakeballast.com/ or http://pop-products.com/

Note: There is a safety concern with lead/steel ballast in a boat since it's not neutrally buoyant like a water filled sac. Doing a couple 50 lb bags up front or in the front of the ski locker just might do the trick and not be that unsafe. One benefit of these is not having to fill/unfill a bag and it's just always there.

 

[ruztew]

But bags of cement are $4 for 50lbs!

 

[MrMoose]

Y'all need to trust @Bruce on this one. Nobody knows more about this topic on a Yamaha than he does. Maybe @1948Isaac would like to add some input.

 

[RightStuff]

Your boat, your mess!

 

[MrMoose]

I loaded my 2015 AR240 with a full ski locker during the 2015 Bimini Crossing. Tabs would have been a safer way to go for sure.

 

[dan144k]

Trim Tabs work great for this. I have the Volvo Trim system manual and works well.

Another modification I did was adjusted the angle of my steering nozzles downward a few degrees, welded the holes and redrilled at an offset angle. pushes the bow down and less jet spray on the tubers

 

[MattFX4]

If I were you I would want to spread the weight out evenly over a large area such as ballast. Small heavy objects bouncing up and down may cause damage to your gel coat on the outside.

 

[ruztew]

Trim tabs sound like the way to go for sure!

 

[1948Isaac]

Trim taps and problem solve