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Boat pulls hard to the left

D

doug4320

Contributing Member
My boat with a 1985 mercruiser engine and outboards pulls hard to the left while trying to travel straight. Its bad enough it takes excessive strength to stay straight. If i let go of the wheel im sure it eould do a 90 degree left turn. We have no trim boards on the boat its a 1985 18'4" open bow Thompson.
 
does it pull that hard to the left at slow speeds? does the trim tab on the drive still have the tab to offset propeller torque?
 
Left would be to Port side.

You need to install a "torque fin"... aka "trim fin" (or sometimes called a "trim tab"), and adjust this as to force the water towards Port side, of which will bring the drive towards Stbd.
It may require several adjustments, and don't be surprised if it does not correct this at all speeds.

.
 
It has no trim fins whatsoever. The boat does have two brackets up higher where trim plates can be installed. I have a trim plate that says "trim-step" on it. It is for trim and doubles as a step to get back in the boat.It is not adjustable though. It just bolts into place. It doesnt pull badly at low speeds but is basically uncontrollable at higher speeds. I do not see a trim
tab to off set proppeler torque.
 
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Ok I do see a anode that can be turned in either direction. I guess the rule of thu,b is to turn it whichever direction the boat pulls. My anode looks a lil small tho doesnt seem like it would make much of a difference. If used in combination with the '"trim step" i have maybe I can correct it. Which side do I install it tho?
 
Untitled02.jpg

trailing edge turned away from the direction boat wants to go, trailing edge is the rearmost opposite letterA
 
What about that trim step that I have which side should i put it on? I wouldnt think the anode would make a huge difference its not very big.
 
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