2008 Nitro 482 leans hard right after hole shot

HotRod34a · June 28, 2010, 12:46:07 PM

Hi everyone,

I am new to UB, so first I just want to say hello to everyone. I have been reading some of the post and I think the site is a marvelous source to make new friends and also to learn. I am looking forward to reading much more on the site, and maybe even be able to contribute one day.
I could use a little help. I have just recently purchased my first Nitro boat. I have had many other brands and hull designs for the past 30 plus years. I am experiencing something that I have never ran across before. I bought this boat from an elderly gentleman and he only had it out several times and I don't believe that he ever put it on top of the water as all he did was troll some. Boat and motor only had 28 hours on it, it is just a little over a year old, and absolute showroom condition and doesn't have a mark or scratch on it anywhere. Here is the setup info:

2008 Nitro 482 single console
115hp Mercury Optimax
Laser II 21p prop
Motor is hung in the second hole from the top so it is about an inch above the transom

The problem I am having is the after the boat comes out of the hole shot. As soon as the nose comes down the boat leans hard to the right and actually turns a little to the left with out moving the steering wheel. Not pulling hard right, just leans hard right. The moment you get on the pad as you trim up, it immediately levels out and runs and handles perfect. When you start slowing down and trimming down and drop off the pad, it immediately leans hard right again and the nose turns to the left. The boat leans a little to the right side when sitting still in the water with me in it. I have loaded everything in the boat to the left side and doesn't seem to help any at all. This particular model has the trolling motor battery in the center in the front. I have moved it to the rear left side as a test. The boat sits level in the water with me not in it now, but again, leans a little right as soon as I get in it and sit down behind the console. Results are the same. The motor trim tab was all the way to the right when I got it. I set it to the center position as a test, made no difference at all with the leaning problem, but it did make the steering pull a little more to the right until the boat was trimmed and on the pad. I now have it set to one notch from full right, and the boat doesn't pull to the right hardly at all on takeoff. This has really got me puzzled as I just have not experienced this before with any hull that I have owned. I really like the boat, the layout, the room, the way it rides the rough water, everything. But this leaning issue is a pain and a constant fight until you get on the pad.
Sorry to be so long winded, but wanted everyone to have all the info that I had to offer. Any input will be greatly appreciated. Just wanting to know if any of you 482 or Z-6 owners are experiencing the same thing, and if so, were you able to correct it. Thanks again everyone,

Larry...

-Shawn- · June 29, 2010, 12:16:02 PM

Welcome to UB!

With the smaller hull weight placement is definately a bigger issue. Sounds like what the boat is doing is hanging a chine on the right side when the nose comes down after the holeshot. This could be a slight dogleg in the hull. But First I would set the tourque tab to zero, then ajust the weight in the boat to where it sits level or slightly leans left when sitting in the water with you at the helm. That should help some. Then as soon as the nose of the boat statrs coming down get on the trim and try to keep the bow from digging.

The more I think about it the more it sounds like the hull is not straight though.

Ron Fogelson · June 29, 2010, 12:19:30 PM

My Nitro 640 with a 75hp did the same thing the only thing I could get to work was to trim up as I was getting on pad and not trim down as much when getting off pad. I'd still start with the motor trimmed all the way down, hit the gas and as you said just before the boat nosed over I'd hit the trim, same when coming off, running WOT I'd start to get off the gas and just before the boat wanted to bounce I'd trim it down a bit, slow more trim more it just became a feel and it took care of the toque issue.

HotRod34a · June 29, 2010, 04:44:36 PM

Ron & Shawn,

Thanks for the input from both of you. I also have some more info. I am now doing what both of you had suggested, getting on the trim before the nose comes down on the hole shot and not coming down on the trim until the boat starts to stall when slowing down. I did shift all the weight I had in the boat to the left side as a test, and the results were better. Boat still leans to the right when I am sitting in it, but not as bad as it originally did, and it doesn't lean as much now when putting the boat on top. My concern is if someone else has to drive this boat for some reason. One thing I haven't tried yet is to run the boat with someone else in it with me. My wife has been out of town for the past few days and just home home today. So my next step without making any further changes is to take it out with her in the boat. My gut hunch is that now that I have it loaded with everything left, when I add her to the mix, things might get a lot better, and may even lean to the left side then. Now, don't take that wrong, I am not insinuating that my wife is large or anything...lol.. I can hear you guys laughing from here.... Good thing my wife doesn't read these forums.... I would be looking for a place to lay my head tonight if she did... She is small by the way... Whew.... The only weight that I can shift left now without adding weight to the boat is to move the starting battery to the left side. But again, going to wait until I make a run with the wifey in the boat. Will have to wait a few days now as Hurricane Alex has the winds starting to kick up here where I live. I am in East Texas, but we are already feeling some of the winds and starting to get some rain. The wind and rains will increase for the next few days, and then everything should be back to normal. Then the 4th of July weekend will be upon us, and it would be a death wish for me to take my boat out then with all of the holiday traffic that will be on the water... Being polite here, but an excellent weekend for sitting on the shore sippin on a cold one watching all of the other #$%&s on the water....
I spent the better part of the morning after the test run under the hull looking, measuring the motor installation, pad height, etc. Shawn, I looked down every runner on both sides of the hull along with the bottom of the hull, and they all look dead straight to me. Of course, I may not be able to see what you are talking about with my eyes, but as best I can tell, I see nothing that would cause what I am experiencing. Then I went to the local Tracker/Nitro dealer here this afternoon and spent some time with their shop guys. I wanted to make sure that the boat had been set up correctly from the start. They looked up the set up info on line, and everything is where it is supposed to be, right prop, right motor height, etc. So that is one less thing I need to worry about. Also, none of them had experienced anything like I was describing to them.
If anything else comes to mind, please jump in as I am still looking and will keep everyone informed as to what I find. May help someone else down the road. Again, thanks to you both for the much welcomed input...

Larry

transamzz9 · June 29, 2010, 10:14:29 PM

I had an 07 with the same set up. Mine did the same thing.The thing with that hull is that it is what I call a sleeper boat.That boat has a HP rating of 150 hp and it handles it like a champ.I have see people get mid 60's out of them with the 150s.The 115 weighs 375#'s and the 150 goes 431#'s. Add a jack plate and that puts the weight out farther over the rear. See where I am going with this? I know it don't help with your problem just trying to explain what is happening.The 482 with the 90 -125 is nose heavy until you get her up on the pad. Things you can do is add a plate and get the prop worked to get the nose up.Fill your live wells with water and keep your fuel full. Yes ithis will hurt your hole shot but you just have to deside what you can put up with.What I did is pined my trim so it would not go all the way down.Leave the trim up a little when you take off so when you trimm up as you break over it don't have as far to trip up to keep up.

HotRod34a · June 30, 2010, 07:02:54 PM

Trans,

Thanks for your feedback. I have been thinking about your response most of the day. I spent more time under my hull studying it again today, and I actually believe that you are 100% right. The only way I can possibly see how the boat can go left when leaning right is for the outside edge of the hull on the right side where it starts to rise towards the nose has to be catching water. And the only way for that to happen is the nose has to be down quite a bit, definitely more than it needs to be. I was also thinking of pinning the motor so it could not go all the way down like you did as I experienced the same thing when using the trim. In fact, several times I started off with it trimmed off the bottom some and the boat came up fine with no issues. The Optimax motor trim works much faster than I am used to with my other motors as they were much slower in movement. So I think I am off to the boat shop tomorrow and pick up a pin if they have it, if not, a SST bolt and lock nut should do the trick just fine. Thanks for your input and I will post what I find out after I get a chance to test it again.

HotRod34a · July 01, 2010, 04:38:49 PM

Hey Everyone,

Rainy and gloomy here all day so I thought I would search the net a little more about the problems some of us are having with our Nitros. Lo and behold, here is what I ran across. It sure seems to fit our issues and right in line with your thoughts and inputs...

Trim "In" Angle Adjustment

MODELS WITH POWER TRIM

!!! WARNING !!!

Operating some boats with outboard trimmed to the full "in" trim angle [not using trim adjustment bolt (a)] at planing speed will cause undesirable and/or unsafe steering conditions. each boat MUST BE water tested for handling characteristics after outboard installation and after any trim adjustments.

IMPORTANT: Some boat/outboard motor combinations, that do not use the trim adjustment bolt (a) and are trimmed to the full "in" angle, will not experience any undesirable and/or unsafe steering conditions during planing speed. Thus, not using trim adjustment bolt may be desired. However, some boats with outboard trimmed to the full "in" trim angle at planing speeds will cause undesirable and/or unsafe steering conditions. If these steering conditions are experienced, under no circumstances should the outboard be operated without the trim adjustment bolt and without the bolt adjusted in the proper holes to prevent unsafe handling characteristics.

Water test the boat not using the trim adjustment bolt. If undesirable and/or unsafe steering conditions are experienced (boat run with nose down), install trim adjustment bolt in proper hole to prevent unsafe handling characteristics.

I then jumped in the truck and went to the local Tracker dealer again and asked about these adjustment bolts, and they didn't know what I was talking about nor could find anything in their motor parts list for Mercury motors. Guess I will make my own and will let everyone know the results. I am sure this will resolve the issues, at least with my boat, and hopefully others who are experiencing the same problems. This is what Trans was talking about. With the motor trimmed in so far, it just forces the nose down not having the additional weight of the 150hp on the rear, and depending on which way your particular boat is leaning, the outside edge of the forward hull catches the water and causes the boat to turn drastically in the opposite direction. To me this is a real safety concern and should have been addressed at the dealer level. Anyway, just food for thought for all interested.....

Vanover270 · April 17, 2013, 03:38:18 PM

Did pinning the trim help? I bought an 06 482 with 150 optimax and I have the same type of issue.