Maiden Voyage in my new Element-gctid828883

[claws]

Just took my 16' Element out by myself for the first time today. It was a beautiful day on the Mokulmne river with no wind and smooth water. I had a blast! I should have put up the Bimini because it was very hot out and I got a bit too much sun. The boat handled very well but had a bit of porpoising at planing speeds. Should I trim the motor up a bit? Also, my speedometer quit working on the way back to the launch ramp. I'm thinking that the speedo sensor may have gotten fouled by some floating vegetation. Does anyone know where the sensor is located on this boat? Before the speedo failed I was clocking 35mph at wide open throttle with my 75hp motor. Does that sound about right? 35mph is plenty fast for me. One last newbie question; can the deployed Bimini top withstand the breeze at planing speeds?

Thanks,

Kim

[efarstad]

Congrats on the new boat! Trimming up will help with the porpoising, many including myself have installed SmartTabs to help as well. By trimming up you should see an increase in overall mph as well. Most bimini's can withstand being in the open position up to 40 mph. Most importantly...enjoy!

[6104696]

maybe trimming "up" will stop porpoising in Australia or the PNW....but here in the east coast of the US of A, trimming DOWN (bow down....down button on engine trim) will stop porpoising.....as will weight in the bow.....

[Jesse K]

im thinking possibly the pin in bracket that stops trim down is 1 hole too high. and is not allowing the motor to trim down where it needs to be.

[claws]

"6104696" post=828895 wrote:
maybe trimming "up" will stop porpoising in Australia or the PNW....but here in the east coast of the US of A, trimming DOWN (bow down....down button on engine trim) will stop porpoising.....as will weight in the bow.....

Now I'm confused. I left the launch ramp and pushed the down trim button and motored away. The outboard was in the full down position when I went on plane. I noticed some porpoising when I increased speed over some very minor ripples in the water. Since I can't trim the motor down anymore, and I'm the only person aboard, what can I do to minimize the porpising?

Thanks,

Kim

[seadoorider]

I start in the down position and trim up until she porpoises then take a little trim off until the porpoising stops or is minimal. I use my Bimini at any speed though my top speed with the bimini deployed is about 40. My boat is also an 18' model but I'd assume they respond similarly.

[6104696]

"claws" post=828909 wrote:

"6104696" post=828895 wrote:
maybe trimming "up" will stop porpoising in Australia or the PNW....but here in the east coast of the US of A, trimming DOWN (bow down....down button on engine trim) will stop porpoising.....as will weight in the bow.....

Now I'm confused. I left the launch ramp and pushed the down trim button and motored away. The outboard was in the full down position when I went on plane. I noticed some porpoising when I increased speed over some very minor ripples in the water. Since I can't trim the motor down anymore, and I'm the only person aboard, what can I do to minimize the porpising?

Thanks,

Kim

Kim,

It shouldn't porpoise with engine in the full down position....that puts plenty of pressure on the bow (my caveat is that my element experience is on the e18 (and about a zillion other boats), not the e16). Seadoorider's post about trimming up till she porpoises and then trimming down till it stops is the proper trimming method....but you really need flat calm water to get a "feel" for how the boat reacts.

Another possibility is that the engine trim is malfunctioning and it is not tilting "down" all the way; unlikely, but possible. When trimmed all the way down, the anti-cavitation plate should be providing a few degrees of "down elevator" (to use an aviation term) relative to the keel.

The bimini is fine to be deployed at all operating speeds. Furl it for towing.....and for longer-distance or higher-speed towing, I lay mine down or remove it completely.

[efarstad]

LOL...oops, as 6104696 said, trimming "down" will indeed fix the porpoising. But if you are trimmed all the way down, trimming up slightly will help increase the overall speed (but not too much or you will begin to poropoise), you need to find that sweet spot! I was mixing those two ideas in my head in the original post, apologies to all! :-)

[Pichy]

E16s will porpoise even trimmed all the way down, at least with my 60 hp Bigfoot. My dealer didn't have a response when I mentioned it. It is an inherent problem with the design. I had to put on smart tabs. No more porpoising.

[nclexman]

I had trim tabs installed at time of purchase. 75 horse, 4 blade prop. Have not had an issue with porpoising at all and I use on the coast of Maine in some fairly choppy conditions at times.

[jcbrown630]

My E16 does not porpoise in full down trim with 75hp. I hit about 35mph with the wife and I in it.