Boat nose plowing water

I have a 1650 Lowe flat bottom with a 55hp Suzuki jet. When the boat gets on plane the front seems to just plow through the water. Making it hard to steer and pretty slow. I can trim the motor up and it helps a bit but just doesn't seem to be riding on the water like it should. Would my motor being to low cause this or what? All the weight is in the rear. If the motor is to low will a jack plate work okay since it is a jet? Thanks in advance.

Post up some pics of your layout as well as the current side profile of your jet foot in relation to the bottom of the hull.

A couple pics are worth a lot of words.

Agree with Ranchero. Some pics of your layout and motor set up should help as this is quite the opposite of what I hear with most outboard jets.

If you don't have power trim you can move the trim out 1 or 2 holes. Check the height by placing a straight edge on the bottom of the hull extending out to the shoe. The front lip should be above this line, and it should hit near the front pin that holds the grates in the shoe.

Jack plates are not recommended because they set the engine farther back from the hull in more turbulent water and makes it more difficult to get it adjusted. If possible build transom up and mount it higher if needed.

Okay I'll try to get some pics here soon. I've got the shoe off right now cause I'm sharpening the impeller. When I get it back on I'll put some pics up.

This is a reference to were mine's height is set at.

One easy thing to check is your gate. Make sure it is operating properly. We'll know more once the pics are up.

What's the best way to upload pics from an iPhone?

Get the taptalk app thats the easiest way I know

I got this off Specialty Mfg. Co. website. They made your jet drive. It shows the angle and location the drive was designed to be used. The foot should be angled as shown to produce the RAM effect. The forward motion helps force the water up the drive, reducing cavitation. Depending on your hull design the motor may need to be raised or lowered slightly but this is a starting point. Each hull is different, what works on one may not work on another.

On most applications, if you set it like the picture shows, you will loose a couple mph because water will go over the lip dragging and causing backspray. Most boats especially stern heavy ones will run at a slight to moderate angle on plane forcing more water over the lip.

It is true all will run different. It works best to use a straight edge and line the bottom of the hull up with the front pin in the grates. Some can run higher and some lower, but that keeps the water under the lip and reduces the drag.

Yeah he's right you normally want the straight edge to hit the pin.
I really wish that outboard jets would do some more research and do some updating on there info, seems like everything they have about setting up a outboard jet is from a long time ago. Like they say to mount the motor like that when most mount it higher to gain performance and they say a stainless impeller won't help anything under 100hp but I've seen gains in motors between 40-60hp. Would be nice to see them try to make some kind of advancement in the design too.

Okay so I finally got it all put back together with the sharpened impellar and whales tail. And it will jump right on plane now. But still is plowing water. I took a few pics with a straight edge so maybe this helps.

Try raising the motor 1 hole, it is to low. The straight edge should hit under the front edge of the lip. If it is even or below the water will force over it causing drag and plowing. The whaletail will increase this effect.

Assuming you have power trim, when you take off motor should be trimmed down or tucked under, as it comes out of the hole and starts to plane start trimming up. You will feel a little surge when you get it trimmed out correctly. If it starts to porpoise (bounce), bump the trim down just till it stops, won't take much.

See I would do that but I'm up all the way. I have no more holes to go. So I don't really know how to raise it up any more.

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=364757#p364757 said:

River runner » Today, 18:25[/url]"]See I would do that but I'm up all the way. I have no more holes to go. So I don't really know how to raise it up any more.

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From the pics it appears the heel of the foot might be to low. Your motor seems to be trimmed down too much.I don't know you can adjust this? Forcing your jet stream at such a downward angle can cause plowing in the front. Notice the amount of heel below your straight edge vs. the pics provided.

Looks like you are gonna need one if these. Much cheaper than a jackplate and it wont be set waaay back causing more spray.

That would be a good option. Some build up the transom with 1" square tubing. You can also get a transom riser from most boat shops, especially ones that deal with jets. They usually slide over the transom, bolt them on and then bolt the motor on at the correct height. There are several ways to do it, just have to decide what works best for you, how much you want to spend , and how you want the end result to look.

If you want to get the best performance out of it, it needs to be raised.

And in reference to my earlier pic that is trimmed level, where it runs while on plane. Trimmed all the way down it is still lined up with the pin. Motors will have a different arc, before you get it set for the final time see where it is at tucked under and trimmed level.