What's with the rooster tails?

chesapeake724

chesapeake724

Junior Member
I've taken two trips so far and the last one was on a really calm day. I looked back and noticed that there seems to be a lot of spray coming up behind the transom. ('87 Step w/ 175 Johnson on a notched transom. Is it because the keel is flatter? Maybe it's because I've had an underpowered boat or the other one had a bracket. Performance doesn't seem to be affected, but on either side of the motor there's pronounced spray shooting up high. Anyone else notice this?
 
Hey Chesapeake,

Ever since I reinstalled my motor Iv'e had a rooster tail also. I'm sure I got the motor back in the same holes. As you said, the performance is still good. Beats the heck out of me. ???
 
Chesapeake, my Honda does that, too...really annoyin' as it sprays off of the swim platform on the port side and really goes everywhere...wonder if those trim-tabs are gonna help?... ::)...Old gas-suckin' Rude didn't do that as bad...
 
When I had my Robalo 1820 CC it had a Merc 150, lot of power with a stainless hole shot type of prop, when gas was less than half and just two guys on it I would get a decent rooster tail under certain trim spots. My older fishing and boating friend tells me it was because the high torque prop was sitting high in the water column because the boat was planing high back on the pad at rear of hull. Just a thought for ya.
 
''Rooster-Tail'' doesn't really describe mine...it's more like two sprays comin' off each side of the foot and out on a 45* angle...much more pronounced than old Rude...have adjusted motor up/down, best performance where it is, but I'd like to eliminate some of the spray...
 
CB,
The trim didn't seem too high. The hull wasn't porpoising or squirrely like it is when you're trimmed up too much.

RAP,
Yeah, it's more like that. Rooster tail is more like a fan or fountain shape arching up and behind the boat. Next time I'll have someone take the wheel and I'll peek over the transom. With a mod or deep V right to the keel, the hull sort of diverts the water to either side of the lower unit. I'm thinking with the flat section of keel (I thought it was a "pad", but I think it's called something different...can't remember it though) right in front of the lower unit, it's just water running "square" into the lower unit.

I'm not finding the spray is going into the boat, so I guess I won't complain too much. It's just odd while running in flat seas to see all that spray coming up.
 
Chesapeake, I believe that flat spot IS called a pad...course, that was there w/Old Rude and there was some of this spray, but not nearly what it is w/this new motor...like you, I'll have to turn over the wheel to some one and take a look...if it didn't shoot directly into the swim-platform, I may have not even noticed it...

When you asked above, ''keel flatter?", I assume you meant on newer models...mine bein' an old '74 and doin' this, that's probably not the cause...on the other hand, what year is your motor?...
 
Just saw this thread . . .
My old boat had an interesting past, which some of you already know. Before I acquired her, she had sunk and and had another motor mounted. The "new" motor had a shorter foot, so they cut down the transom. When that motor went south, they mounted another with the correct foot . . . but because of the cut the new foot was too long. ::) That combination produced a heckofalotta spray, didn't seem to affect performance although it may have a little. To make a short story long, make sure your motor/foot/mount height is correct.

Happy ending for me at least: rebuilt transom and new motor with correct length foot = no rooster tails or spray! :)
 
My old 20' Chaparral did that too it would wet the whole inside back area of the boat >:( but i bought one of these and it planed twice as fast and stopped the spray on that boat.

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