Driving

[bmaybee]

I am new to this sight and hope someone can help with an issue I am having. I am 183 cm tall, weigh 87 kgs, and ski on an O'Brien Seven Double Boot behind a Haines Signature 550BR Bowrider powered by a Mercury 135 hp outboard. The boat has lots of power to get me out of the water on the double boot and I can easily ski on a 13 metre rope at 55 kph. The issue is that my wife (the driver) says that when I cut it feels like the boat is going to flip over on its side. Unfortunately, as I am behind the boat I cannot get a sense of what it feels like as my son is not as heavy as me (60 kgs), and that is who I drive for. I grew up skiing behind an outboard and never remember this feeling when I drove. Could it be something with the trim? She trims down all the way for the hole shot, but then leaves the trim down while I ski. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I love to ski, but unfortunately do not get to as often as I would like, as my driver does not feel safe.

[MISkier]

Can you post any video of you skiing from the boat with some of the stern of the boat included in the view? It could help explain what your wife is sensing versus what the boat is actually doing.

[bmaybee]

It is an older version of this boat, but still goes great. I think you are correct with the bow being overly engaged, and thus having the V part of the hull dig-in too much. I will try to get her working with the trim when we get out again and see if that helps.

[ScottScott]

The attachment point at the top of a pylon with an outboard is going to be a little higher than an inboard. That higher point will likely pull the boat into a little bit of lean as the line starts to get shortish. Probably feels worse to her than it is, but I'm sure it can be a little concerning to her. With the I/O I had we left it trimmed all the way down for the best wake, but with an outboard a little trim up may give a better wake and possibly help the handling as @Gloersen suggested. If you find a good trim spot, maybe try your start with that trim to see if you can still get up ok so she doesn't have to change it while underway.

[BlueSki]

I say this not to be a smart-alec, but to keep your driver happy. If you have the opportunity to find and test drive an inboard, you, and she, will find an inboard much easier to drive for skiing than an outboard. Based on your post, I assume that you are not in the states. Nevertheless, there are many boats out there at almost every price point. If a boat is an option, you may want to explore it. Happy wife = happy life.

[6balls]

Our first small outboard the boat would tip left, tip right with each cut of an aggressive skier. We then got Ski Centurion outboards--our first ski boats and they were really solid. Later we got into inboards and I would definitely agree with @BlueSki above.

 

The other tip for you would be lengthen the line. The shorter you are when you turn likely the higher you are on the boat creating more lateral force.

[aspski]

The real issue is the boat. When I pulled my Dad ~210 lbs cutting hard on an older 18 foot outboard you can pull that back end of the boat around on turns. This is because the tow point is at the back of the boat VS the middle in a direct drive. You also have the weight of the engine in the middle in a DD and you have 2-3 tracking fins under a direct drive to keep it point straight. You don't have any of these in an outboard plus most of the weight with the engine is at the very back. Unfortunately playing around with the trim will only help slightly.

[BraceMaker]

You just need to find another heavy pulling skier and drive them with her spotting so she can get used to that being normal.

[VONMAN]

Wrong, you just need the right outboard boat. 26 gallon gas tank in bow, 2 tracking fins under the center mounted pylon.

 

 

[GregHind]

Looking at the photo of the haynes above, you can see that the ski pole is high above the engine. Slide the rope further down the pole and it will make a big difference. Put it as low as you can while still clearing the engine when you ski. If it wants to slide up and down the pole, just put a lap or two of duct tape to hold it in position, it won't take much. It is the principal of leverage and moving further down the pole will make a big difference. Also as you said try trimming the motor up a bit. Do you need it trimmed all the way in for holeshot? Can you just trim it into the optimal running position for her before you start or will that make the boat stand up in the nose and scare her? Note that having the rope further down the pole will help this too.

[Ski_Dad]

We had a 19' Bayliner outboard boat until we got our Malibu 3 years ago - what I did was set the trim for cruising angle and just got up with it that way. It was just easier for my wife that way - i left the angle the same all day. It was a little tipped forward at idle. It varies on each boat but it was maybe 1/3 trimmed out. This will also clean up the wake a bit.

 

And if you don't have a stainless prop i would get one - the one I had held speed much easier and kept the rear planted. You can also play with the height of the outboard on the transom, what is ideal for speed is not ideal for a ski boat IMHO.

 

 

[ReallyGottaSki]

I concur, lowering the rope on the pylon will help, as well the trim

 

 

the boat, looks like a great little bay boat.

 

However, it has a lot of deadrise at the stern, and very little reverse chine in the water, its going to heel over with very little force.

 

 

[NZswerver]

My brother and I went though a similar scenario, we were young and had no money so he bought a wee 17ft outboard. It was all fun and games until we discovered the course and became better skiers then the boat was being pulled around and tipping from side to side to the point of being dangerous.

 

We ended up putting a trim plate on it, putting 80kg of sand bags in the bow, we pulled the rear seats out and moved and the pylon from the rear to the centre of the boat (basically between the front seats) it all made the boat way better for the driver. it had a real sweet spot where it just stuck to the water with the motor trimmed up about 1/4 of the way. any lower and it was too hard to steer and higher it was all over the place.

 

But in saying all that we ended up buying a 196

[Vernon Reeve]

Carry your speed around the turn and wait until your ski passes under the rope before you pull. In other words, do the work behind the boat instead of at the apex of the turn. One can really feel the difference between pulling an advanced skier through the course that pulls behind the boat versus one that pulls at the buoy. But maybe you're already doing this, in which case, hopefully the boat mods will work. My biggest issue with my first boat, a 175hp I/O boat, was that I could pull the boats speed down about 4mph, then when I let up, the boat would surge forward. Getting an inboard was a huge improvement with every aspect of skiing and having fun swimming at the back of the boat.

[BraceMaker]

@vernonreeve I don't even like people who do that behind inboards. I used to have to regularly tighten the U-Bolts on my old boat when my brother skied. Always flat through the wakes though.

 

Problem with these types of boats is that you sort of need to be a super hero to cut through the wakes on edge.