290 Larson needing help

"My boating friend put this ou

"My boating friend put this out a while ago and he is mixed on what to do.So on his behalf I am writing this.He has a 2000 Larson 290 with 4.3 engines.The problem he has is cavitation.Even with 5 people onboard,if he gets into waters that are choppy he must actually keep neutralling out and start again, where all the other boats(8 or 9) his size go right thru it no problem.Rick Sweeten has mentioned Larson mounted the drives too high and I agree.This boat has 2-6cylinders instead of big blocks,so the weight was a thought until we added more people.Trimming up only slows him so he is limited there.He is ok in small waves,but a mess if it gets windy.By the way he has SX drives with stainless duo-props.
So?.....Any other Larson-ers having this problem?What would you do?Ideas greatly appreciated.
The 1" spacer seems hardly worth it at all as we simulated this by far with extra people and full fuel.As of now adding dol-fins of some sort is his plan,but I think there is probably more things we could try............Todd"

"Trim tabs and Dol-Fins will n

"Trim tabs and Dol-Fins will not help, for they are designed for the opposite problem--a low stern.

If he can get a 1 inch spacer installed at a reasonable price, that would do wonders for the problem--and it's the best solution I can think of.

I can tell you from running outboard motors high on the transom, that an inch is a FOOT if the cavitation plate is a bit too high.

Jeff"

"Todd,
When you say "t

"Todd,
When you say "trimming up", do you mean using the power trim for the outdrive? If so, the outdrive power trim is primarily used to adjust the propellers angle of attack in the water, thereby improving the props efficiency by minimizing cavitation, which in turn does have some affect on boat-hull trim (and engine load, of course). To adjust boat-hull trim effectively, boat owners install either hydraulic or electric trim tabs. Believe me, they work very well! My boat had trouble when driving into the wind with a head-on sea. After installing hydraulic trim tabs, I have greater control over the attitude of the bow (up or down) and the ride through bumpy seas is much smoother now that I can trim the hull properly. Has your friend entertained the idea of adding trim tabs?
BZ"