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New boat doesn't steer straight


Eloisec93

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hey

I got my new boat road transported and craned in yesterday.

I cruised her along the canal and moored up.

 

As i was cruising I noticed she wasn't steering straight and kept veering off to the left.

 

She was also listing towards the left as everything is built on one side and potentially the ballast has shifted in transportation.

 

Could the list cause her to veer off on her own accord when steering straight? Or am I looking at a tiller problem.?

 

She definitely felt like she had a mind of her own when cruising!

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Yes a list could affect it but my guess is that if you let go of the tiller to test this its prop walk. Most boat will tend to track to one side when in clear water. This is true it the rudder (not the tiller) was pointing straight back. if many boats allow it to be moved back in line but not all do. is offset then check it is in line with the rudder and if not

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Was she steering to the left at all speeds or only when you built the RPMs up?    It could be that the canal is shallow and as you build up speed the boat is trying to find the channel in the canal?   If you reduce the RPM it might be easier to control.   
 

certainly worth having a think about the ballast if you can access it To look at it?

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13 minutes ago, Eloisec93 said:

I got my new boat road transported and craned in yesterday.

When you say 'new boat' is this your first boat ?

Is it a 'new boat' or a 2nd hand boat ?

 

If not how does it compare with your previous boats ?

 

You have identified a couple of 'problems' :

 

The loading on boats varies (almost) daily as fuel is used and tank refilled, as the water is used and the tank refilled and a full pump-out tank (which is often on one side) can make a big difference. So it is not abnormal for a boat to list at times.

 

Re veering off, again this is not unusual it could be that the boat is a bit 'banana-shaped' (not uncommon with Liverpool boats) but is more likely to be a combination of prop-walk and a misaligned rudder.

If it is a real problem for you it is fairly simple to weld a small 'trim tab' onto the rudder blade which will take the load off  the rudder and the boat should track 'true'.

 

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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24 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

When you say 'new boat' is this your first boat ?

Is it a 'new boat' or a 2nd hand boat ?

 

If not how does it compare with your previous boats ?

 

You have identified a couple of 'problems' :

 

The loading on boats varies (almost) daily as fuel is used and tank refilled, as the water is used and the tank refilled and a full pump-out tank (which is often on one side) can make a big difference. So it is not abnormal for a boat to list at times.

 

Re veering off, again this is not unusual it could be that the boat is a bit 'banana-shaped' (not uncommon with Liverpool boats) but is more likely to be a combination of prop-walk and a misaligned rudder.

If it is a real problem for you it is fairly simple to weld a small 'trim tab' onto the rudder blade which will take the load off  the rudder and the boat should track 'true'.

 

So she is my third boat. She's second hand and made by sagar marine.

 

She seemed to steer to the left at all speeds

 

Compared to my old boat "millie fleur" my new boat seemed to have a mind of her own. Millie fleur did exactly what i wanted her to do.

 

I'm going to see if i can access the ballast in the hull today. But yesterday I added two slabs of concrete to one side and she looks a little bit more balanced but its hard to tell.

 

I'm not sure the pump out was empty when I got her yesterday as she was very smelly but it soon went after airing her out and letting her settle after being craned in.

 

Water tank is full

 

I will check Diesel today

Edited by Eloisec93
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Does the tiller have a tendancy to keep pushing against you,''lee helm'',' sailing boat term really'.  if so the rudders balance plate, the bit forward of the stocks centre line might be too big in relation to the trailing part.

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my boat steers to the right with the tiller straight.  So I keep the tiller slightly off-centre. One time it was out of the water, the boatyard pointed out that my rudder was bent which was causing it.  They asked it I wanted it straightening.  I said I was used to it like that now, so they left it.:icecream:

  • Greenie 1
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Sagar built excellent shells. I would look elsewhere for an answer unless there is obvious damage to rudder or skeg. Did you see any when it was craned in?

Has the boat been cut and lengthened?

Is the bottom rudder bearing hugely worn letting the rudder get out of line with the hull and prop. center?

Is it lacking ballast at the forend?

TD'

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Also remember that steering a canal boat, like riding a bike, is a continuous process of small adjustments, before linb uf becomes subconscious. 

 

Also, the depth of water affects the direction especially if you are not exactly in the middle of the channel, which may be anywhere from one bank to the other.

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10 hours ago, bizzard said:

Does the tiller have a tendancy to keep pushing against you,''lee helm'',' sailing boat term really'.  if so the rudders balance plate, the bit forward of the stocks centre line might be too big in relation to the trailing part.

Too much leading edge can make steering a real pain. I know from bitter experience. If the tiller swings to port and/or starboard in forward gear it is likely the OP's rudder has too much leading edge.

Edited by PhilR
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50 minutes ago, PhilR said:

Too much leading edge can make steering a real pain. I know from bitter experience. If the tiller swings to port and/or starboard in forward gear it is likely the OP's rudder has too much leading edge.

Mine was tender like that, it could fling you of the back if you powered up whilst not ready for it.

There is too much leading edge but I like it as it turns like a dodgem so I welded another 4" on the tailing edge. Now it swims well, turns brilliantly, and steers with no power on, or even out of gear.

TD'

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12 hours ago, Eloisec93 said:

hey

I got my new boat road transported and craned in yesterday.

I cruised her along the canal and moored up.

 

As i was cruising I noticed she wasn't steering straight and kept veering off to the left.

 

She was also listing towards the left as everything is built on one side and potentially the ballast has shifted in transportation.

 

Could the list cause her to veer off on her own accord when steering straight? Or am I looking at a tiller problem.?

 

She definitely felt like she had a mind of her own when cruising!

Pissed again?

 

 

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12 hours ago, Eloisec93 said:

So she is my third boat. She's second hand and made by sagar marine.

 

She seemed to steer to the left at all speeds .........

 

 

What did your surveyor say regarding the stern gear?

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13 hours ago, Dharl said:

It could be that the canal is shallow and as you build up speed the boat is trying to find the channel in the canal?   

Yes, if you tend to keep to the right of the canal the boat will usually veer to the left. It's always best to stay in the middle and follow the channel.

 

What happens when you keep more to the left of the canal? Does it veer to the right? 

 

The best way to check for prop walk effects is to find a deep stretch of canal or river.

 

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My boat steers to the right if I let go the tiller.  I regard this as an advantage, as it lets me steer with my hip while leaving both hands free to do other things, like taking photos.  If the veer was inconsistent, I would have far fewer and more blurred photos!

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