Trimming your pontoon

[pote]

The goal of optimal trimming is to get the prop shaft parallel with the water surface when on plane. You will get a pretty good feel for it by letting go of the wheel at cruising speed. If she turns, play with the trim till she tracks true.

[GXPWeasel]

LOL, my boat will increase 1/10 mph if I trim it right. It does seem to make turning a little smoother though.

X2

Doesn't make much of a difference at all on my 26 footer as far as speed goes. I do notice that the engine sounds like it's working a little less when trimmed correctly though.

[wickedgoodtrader]

Anybody know what would cause me to not be able to trim way up when going at fast speeds? I've got a 250 merc that will trim up and down perfectly while going slow. When I am at full speed though, I hold the trim up and it stops about half way up on the gauge. About at that point it is starting to throw a small rooster tail so I know it's higher then optimal. I however want to throw a monster tail while going a decent speed. I initially figured it might be some sort of safety for the motor to keep you from frying it, but I don't know if that's the case.

As of right now I can putz along and trim way up.. rev it.. throw a 20 ft tail in the air.. then it kinda trims down a bit and the tail is gone.

[GXPWeasel]

I would say this is a safety measure, both for your engnine, and for you on the boat. Not a great idea for engines of any typer (marine, car, lawn mower, etc) to rev up to high rpm's with no load on them. And, in essence by you going faster through the water, and wanting to trim above where is necessary, this could cause some type of engine failure, and therefore is probably prohibited by some programming or limit switch. Now, if one wanted to bad enough, I'm sure a guy could figure out how to raise that limiter or switch, in order to create such havoc, but do so at your own risk.

[Ray Jr.]

Yep, on the Mercs it will only let you use the "trim cylinder" at any rpm above idle, you can use the "Tilt cylinder" at idle or with the motor off.