KarmicMishap
05.06.2021 20:02:38
Although you should load the boat after it’s in the water, if you choose to load prior, distribute
that load evenly. [links]
See full version: Mistakes When Using Your Boat Lift
Although you should load the boat after it’s in the water, if you choose to load prior, distribute
that load evenly. [links]
Do not try to raise the lift once it is fully raised. Continuing to crank the winch places stress on
all parts of the mechanism, including pulleys and cables. This may cause damage or failure of
any one of these components. Some winches automatically shut off when the lift reaches its
maximum height. Make sure this mechanism works as part of the lift’s routine boat lift maintenance. [links]
Like with a rowboat in water, balance is essential. When a lift is rated, manufacturers are
assuming the load will be balanced when the purchaser uses the lift. On a lift, a boat should be
as equally balanced at the front as it is at the back. The left and right sides also should be
centered. If the boat is properly balanced, you should not be able to raise the bow at all with
your hands. here
A boat that is too far back on the lift creates a light front — much like the imbalance of a 100-
pound kid on one end of a seesaw with a 30-pound kid at the other end. Waves can easily wash
up beneath the front and free the boat. Too much weight also creates additional strain on the
cables; if the cables aren’t in perfect shape, they could break. [links]
No one wants to see their boat sinking or floating away, and losing it even before getting it out on the water can be embarrassing. Boat lifts are designed for specific weights and balancing. If you don’t follow the manufacturer’s instructions as well as common sense, you’re looking at a
boat in the water instead of on it. To keep you and your boat safe, ShoreMaster has some tips to avoid boat lift mistakes.
One or more chambers could have water in it while the others do not.
Remember in choppy water speed is not your friend on a pontoon boat. [links]
When a pontoon boat is heavy at the front it will sit low in the water at the front and tend to lurch forward during acceleration and thus be more prone to dipping below the surface.
Make sure your passengers are aware that bunching up into large groups is a bad idea on a pontoon boat and that they should stay pretty well separated, within reason of course. more
To avoid your pontoon being too front heavy be sure that you do not have heavy items at the front of the boat such as furniture and storage units with heavy items in them. These should always be placed nearer the back but evenly distributed.
However, you may encounter a problem if the pontoons on your boat are sectioned/chambered. If the pontoon tubes are sectioned then they will be divided up into different chambers with each pontoon tube having two or even three chambers that are separated from each other.
The size of the wake is an easy concept to understand and visualize (more weight = bigger wake). The shape of the wake will be determined by the configuration of the ballast throughout your boat. Each boat is different and the ballast configuration that works best on your friend's boat might not work as well on your boat. Do some experimentation.
Fast forward to today and every top wakeboard boat manufacturer has released their own wakesurf system. Mastercraft has the Gen 2 Surf System. Nautique has their Natique Surf System (NSS). These wakesurf systems on the newer boats remove the need to weight your boat to one side. Using a wakesurf system will allow you to evenly weight the boat. This allows you to fill more bags and place more weight inside the boat, therefore creating a bigger wake. here
If you only have one or two extra ballast bags, place them in the back corner of the boat on the side that you will be surfing. This will help you get the most out of your ballast in creating a bigger wake. If you have additional ballast bags you can play around with placing more weight in the front of the boat to create a better shaped wake. The optimal ballast configuration will place the majority of the weight in the back of the boat with a smaller amount of weight near the bow of the boat. Many people suggest a 60/40 ratio for configuring the weight between the back and front of the boat. This is a loose rule but is good to generally follow while configuring your boat's ballast. more
Key point: Your boat might produce a better surf wake on one side. This is due to the rotation of the prop. [links]
Shifting 50 pounds of weight to the back will net you a better top end and handling than if you’re boat is front-heavy. In this feature, Elite Series pro Mark Menendez says that carrying your heavier items in the back of the boat makes for an all-around better ride. Stephen Browning, on the other hand, has a plan on where his gear goes based on the kind of water he’ll be fishing or the conditions he might encounter. here
Things like PFDs, a spare prop, flare gun, tools and all that goodness are no-brainers. You’ve got to have them. Also put other necessities into this category. These are things like your depthfinders, jackplate and other items not easily removed.
Though you might lose a few pounds by taking out unnecessary tackle, where you carry the weight in your boat is perhaps more important than what you’re carrying. Aluminum boats are more susceptible to weight issues than are fiberglass rigs because their hulls are lighter to start with. here
But we might be calling your boat a little chunky, especially if you know in your heart that you’re not getting everything possible out of it performance-wise. The first step in regaining lost miles per hour and hole shot is taking an honest-to-goodness inventory of all the “stuff” in your boat.