Listing to port side

[The Hooj]

Hi Jet Boat Fam,

Just bought an AR250 (love it) and noticed it’s leaning to the port side to the point it’s easily visible to the naked eye. I saw a thread from 4 years ago but wanted to see if anyone is still having this issue. The dealer stated it’s bc of the 160lbs of batteries but I find that hard to believe…why would Yamaha sell boats that were off balance and it just doesn’t seem like 160 lbs is enough to make a big difference in balance. The dealer seems like a good group of guys but I’m trying to figure out if I push on them to balance the boat.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[sastocky]

I have a 2021 AR250 and do not notice any listing. On the port side I have both batteries and a 10 gallon water tank.

 

[Babin Farms]

Batteries, head, towels, cooler or anything else that is in storage is going to affect it. I can tell when my 80lb daughter moves from one side of the boat to the other I notice a difference.

 

[David Martin]

Hummmmmmm............all things being equal ask a 160aprox body to stand on the other side if she levels out..........for the record when my brother sets his 260lbs on my side my side of the boat she lists starboard with only my wife on the post side.

 

[Patricko315]

I have a 24 Ar250 and also lists to the port with the boat empty drives me crazy. When running with people I try to balance the load and if 3 people sit 2 on the starboard side. I may pick up some sand and place it on the starboard side storage area. The other thing these boats lack is trim tabs, they should come standard from the factory on boats this big.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I have to ask the questions, does the boat list to port when the boat is just sitting tied up with no one on board? Or does it list to port when you’re sitting in the drivers seat with only the driver on board?

My boat, a 210 FSH center console, will list to port if the live well is not full while sitting tied up and with just me on board standing at the helm. I thought that was some pretty good engineering on Yamahas part to make the boat level when it’s sitting there ready to accomplish its mission.

Like @Babin Farms I can feel when 50-60 pounds is not where it should be as it affects how the boat drives hands free at cruise with no wind, too much weight on the port side and the boat will want to keep making a slow drift to the right. When I was at Lake Mohave last March I had this slow turn to the right happening, at one point I stepped to the right of the helm and the boat went straight, I stopped and moved the down rigger balls from the port battery compartment to the aft starboard storage area and WaLa! the boat went arrow straight. I’ve had to move weight around a bit between the two aforementioned aft compartments after I swapped out the group 24 lead acid battery 60 pounds) for a group 27/31 100 Ah LFP battery (30 pounds) a difference of 30 pounds to keep the boat level.

So my guess is that when a driver is seated at the helm the boat sits level and the boat goes straight at cruise.

The only time I’ve ever desired trim tabs is when I’ve got people on board and would want tabs to correct the list at cruise and to keep from having to hold opposite steering input to counter the off balance weight. I just ask my guests to move around to help balance the weight, and I put the heaviest person in the centerline seat in front of the helm. One of our 255 FSH folks reported here recently that with the installation of tabs and when they’re down it greatly affects the steering of his boat, something I had not seen reported before but totally makes since that would affect the boats’ ability to roll into the turn. The other negative aspect of deployed tabs are increased drag and increased fuel consumption. I know to a lot of folks they are a godsend for the improved ride through chop and I can see the advantage in that as well.

 

[Beachbummer]

Tabs also level the boat when there is heavy side wind and reduce the amount of input required to keep the boat heading in those conditions.

I second the suggestion if determining how much weight it takes to get the boat level and go from there.

 

[H2OBoy]

I have found that my ‘23 AR220 is MUCH more sensitive to weight distribution than my ‘17 AR210. Not sure if it’s due to hull design but it is much more prone to listing if the weight balance is off.

 

[F.M.]

I think it might just be the new hull design. My 255xd is much smoother at speed than my 242x was, but movement in the cabin is definitely felt a whole not more. If it’s tied to the dock with no gear in it, it does list ever so slightly to port. Once I’m in it at the helm, it would be level but it lists a tad to the strbd side, but then I am kind of a big boy.

If someone moves in their seat while underway in the 255, I do notice it immediately in the steering though.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I think it might just be the new hull design. My 255xd is much smoother at speed than my 242x was, but movement in the cabin is definitely felt a whole not more. If it’s tied to the dock with no gear in it, it does list ever so slightly to port. Once I’m in it at the helm, it would be level but it lists a tad to the strbd side, but then I am kind of a big boy.

If someone moves in their seat while underway in the 255, I do notice it immediately in the steering though.

Based on that description it sounds like the 20* dead rise portion of the hull was pulled back further / shortened.

 

[kgower]

Our 24 222SE lists slightly to port even when no one is on board. The gear on the boat is spread out pretty evenly which only leads me to believe it has to be the batteries that causing it.

 

[The Hooj]

I have to ask the questions, does the boat list to port when the boat is just sitting tied up with no one on board? Or does it list to port when you’re sitting in the drivers seat with only the driver on board?

My boat, a 210 FSH center console, will list to port if the live well is not full while sitting tied up and with just me on board standing at the helm. I thought that was some pretty good engineering on Yamahas part to make the boat level when it’s sitting there ready to accomplish its mission.

Like @Babin Farms I can feel when 50-60 pounds is not where it should be as it affects how the boat drives hands free at cruise with no wind, too much weight on the port side and the boat will want to keep making a slow drift to the right. When I was at Lake Mohave last March I had this slow turn to the right happening, at one point I stepped to the right of the helm and the boat went straight, I stopped and moved the down rigger balls from the port battery compartment to the aft starboard storage area and WaLa! the boat went arrow straight. I’ve had to move weight around a bit between the two aforementioned aft compartments after I swapped out the group 24 lead acid battery 60 pounds) for a group 27/31 100 Ah LFP battery (30 pounds) a difference of 30 pounds to keep the boat level.

So my guess is that when a driver is seated at the helm the boat sits level and the boat goes straight at cruise.

The only time I’ve ever desired trim tabs is when I’ve got people on board and would want tabs to correct the list at cruise and to keep from having to hold opposite steering input to counter the off balance weight. I just ask my guests to move around to help balance the weight, and I put the heaviest person in the centerline seat in front of the helm. One of our 255 FSH folks reported here recently that with the installation of tabs and when they’re down it greatly affects the steering of his boat, something I had not seen reported before but totally makes since that would affect the boats’ ability to roll into the turn. The other negative aspect of deployed tabs are increased drag and increased fuel consumption. I know to a lot of folks they are a godsend for the improved ride through chop and I can see the advantage in that as well.

Thanks! When no one is in it and tied up in a boat slip it leans to port. No water in compartments and ran the bilge until nothing is coming out.