washout

(drknute3) · (drknute3) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 09-12-2008, 6:33 AM

My 2000 Cobalt 206 had real bad washout all the way back. I have tried all levels of trim. the boat does have smart tabs. Are the tabs causing the washout? Can this be overcome with ballast? Dont really want to get rid of the tabs cuz they work quite well for everything except what they do to the wake.

(drknute3) · (drknute3) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 09-12-2008, 6:34 AM

Sorry, should have posted this in the boat discussion.

(vanagonwake) · (vanagonwake) **Join Date: Oct 2007** 09-12-2008, 6:50 AM

I have about 1500 pounds in my I/O with no tabs. I now only get slight washout on my left side. you really have to play with it to figure out what works with your boat. Try moving people around and so on.

(drknute3) · (drknute3) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 09-12-2008, 7:12 AM

Where you putting that ballast, up front or in the back?

(robertr720) · (robertr720) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 09-12-2008, 8:35 AM

I have found that in I/O's you really want to put most of the weight up front. The other day we rode behind a buddies 21ft caravelle and I put 600lbs front, on the walkway floor a 370 with a 250 on top of it. and another 400 on the floor right in front of the back seat. Then we trimmed the motor up about a 1/4 from all the way down and the wake was pretty good. Just had to ride a little shorter rope at 21.5 to make everything balance out. I don't know about trim tabs, but I would say that you should put them all the way up so that they aren't really doing anything. Every boat is diff. You will have to play with the speed, rope length, and weight distribution to get it dialed.

(rallyart) · (rallyart) **Join Date: Nov 2006** 09-12-2008, 8:44 AM

Bill, as soon as your close to speed retract the trim tabs so only the hull shape is affecting the water. Having them down will help you start. That is assuming you can move them both up or down instead of one up, one down.
When underway trim the outdrive up some and as mentioned above weight the front. I've seen a nice wake behind a Cobalt.

(drknute3) · (drknute3) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 09-12-2008, 11:34 AM

Actually, they are smart tabs and are automatic. I tried adjusting them to decrease lift to no avail. the company is sending me lighter shocks to see if that helps. Otherwise, I may take the tabs off completely and see what the wake looks like.

(drknute3) · (drknute3) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 09-12-2008, 11:36 AM

Wife already thinks the boat is too small, gonna have hard time convincing her to fill up locker and storage with ballast.

(drknute3) · (drknute3) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 09-13-2008, 7:30 PM

Took the tabs off completely tonight and the wake was amazing. Nice ramp with no washout at all. Gonna have to do some more tuning with them back on so I can still get better holeshot, but not have them affecting the wake at 20mph.