'96 ProStar slides around

[2Valve]

I'm helping a buddy diagnose a '96 ProStar.

 

When pulling a skier, the boat is constantly sliding around and the driver needs both hands on the wheel to get it straight down the course. I'm suspecting the skegs are out of alignment. Is there any documentation available to reference if that is the problem?

 

Thanks!

[MISkier]

Any play in the rudder/steering cable?

[UWSkier]

That hull has awesome wakes but it's light on strakes and pretty flat across the back. Best bet is to ensure you have proper rudder torque and try a little bow weight to plant a bit more of the keel when running at slalom speed. If you let go of the wheel and it doesn't try to pull to the right, you need to get out the grinder.

[swbca]

Even with the mechanical items checked out, all earlier hulls put a greater burden on the driver to anticipating the lateral pull from the skier. This is more true when pulling strong skiers in the 30 and 32 mph age divisions. Being centered on the boat gates is possible but it requires a good driver. Hopefully you find some mechanical adjustments to make the 96 as good as it can be.

[2Valve]

Zero play in the rudder/steering cable. We added 60 lbs. of weight to the front, with no improvement. That's why I thought the thought could be an issue. Haven't gotten under there yet, but my first thought was to get a straight edge and check for alignment.

 

The boat drives perfectly straight going down the lake, no skier.

[BraceMaker]

Certainly check out the underwater gear, grab a straight edge and go across them, they should all line up and be pretty straight. If not you can loosen any culprit, clamp it to the straight edge and use a small round file to oblong the holes then add 3m 5300 and torque the screws back down. Doubt that is the issue.

 

There are two other items to check besides the cable and the actual rack that can really help, the steerer support tube has a ball joint - that can get sloppy at the ball.

 

The whole design is that this can pivot left to right slightly which allows the tube to line up with the rudder - but since the rudder is a push/pull system any slop in there means the boat can squirrel around.

 

The other bit is the tilt helm the steering wheel rides on a shaft mounted in these chintzy white plastic bushings that tend to wear out. As they wear the shaft can wiggle and that wiggle can be enough to add a couple degrees of steering wheel slop.

 

 

 

 

 

[DW]

@2Valve - given the boat tracks straight or neutral it probably needs to have some steering torque to solve the complaint. Neutral steering requires left and right direction steering input or load on the wheel to follow a straight path as the skier alternately loads the pylon right/left. Adding a pull to the right then results with a steer slightly to the left and no right steer input to track a straight path as the skier pulls side to side. As noted, accomplished via a rudder grind or if a tab exists on the rudder an adjustment there. This assumes all the running gear is in good shape. I think a misaligned skeg would introduce a yaw force rather than result in a straight path. Might be worth checking the shaft strut to verify its not bent.

[Andre]

My 94 was sliding around too.Grinding the rudder made the boat handling totally different from before.All for the best.

I use to be able to let go of the steering wheel and the boat kept on going straight as an arrow.Now,if i let go of the wheel,the boat turn hard right .Best tracking of my old 94 since i modified the rudder.Way easier to drive in the course.

If your rudder is neutral,it's kind of normal for that era of boat to ''slide '' around the pylon IMO.

[LukeB]

Slides around compared to what? SN200 100%. All ski boats move around a little bit some more so than others.

[vtjc]

That hull is sensitive to loading. When I had one, I found it tracked allot better when it was level. If you have only a driver or a weight discrepancy between driver and observer, get some movable weight to level the boat out.

 

[KRoundy]

Drove a ‘93 ProStar recently and it was like wrestling a greased weasel on ice compared to modern boats. It’s just a lot more slippery.

[JohnN]

Our 97 PS 190 will go to the right if you let go of the wheel. And, we have 70 lbs under the passenger seat and 50lbs moveable weight. Tracks great in the course with a skier - not like our 2015 200, but, really good. If you're going straight without holding the wheel you need to add rudder load, if you're out of level, add weight. You should be able to get a great pull from that boat.

[2Valve]

Thanks everyone. I'll report back our findings.

[Skoot1123]

@2Valve - might also want to check the screws that hold the steering wheel to the helm. I noticed the steering on my boat seemed to be a little “off” and was preparing for the worst when I noticed a very small gap between the screw and the countersink in the wheel. Turned out that all 6 weren’t as tight as they should have been. Today’s ski set it felt like held the “course” and line I choose much better. Trust you can find the issue.