dloftis

So I was out on the lake this weekend in my Hammer, and for fun tried to play with an outlaw I say in the distance. Was too far off to tell if it was a 25 or 29, so I head for it and run parallel (at 40) --- he gets the hint and goes for it.

Well, long story short, turns out it was a 29 with twin engines, and had no trouble brutally kicking my ass...

But, the reason for the post --- as I got up towards 68-70 (speedo) the boat starting bouncing back and forth, port to starboard, pretty violently. I could not bring it back under control so I just let off the throttle.

So, is this the "chine walking" that I keep hearing about? If so, is there anything I can do about it? Will trim tabs fix it?

Thanks!

bajadude

I had a Hammer a few years ago, fun boat! Does your's have tabs? I put a set of single ram (Bennets if I recall) and it quited the boat down quite a bit.

Don't recall a lot of chine walk. Is your steering tight?

dloftis

No tabs... just outdrive trim.

To be honest, I couldn't tell you how tight my steering is. Only other boats I've "steered" were 20-35 foot sailboats.

Compared to my car, it steers like $hit. Does that help?

97BossHammer

I have trim tabs on my hammer and they do help greatly. I'm still figuring out where she runs the best at, I just recently bought it a few months ago. Right now they are all the way up. I don't have it down to a science yet but I'm finding out where she runs the best, if you don't have trim tabs I'd surely look into getting some because they will help you out a bunch. I do know what your talking about though because at high speed I get the occasional pat on the arm from the wife yelling "OK OK OK" HAHAHA

dloftis

To clarify, when I said "bouncing" what would have been more correct would have been "rolling" but in a bouncy, quick way. Felt like the boat wanted to lay down on one side or the other and just kept going from laying on the port to laying on the starboard and so on.

OK, so are Bennett's a good bet? If so, what size? Single or Dual? Sporttabs? Are trim indicators helpful at all? And has anybody tried the Bennett auto-trim thing?

Thanks again!

liquid asset

I was at the lake yesterday with Brad Perry from this board ( chck out the picks in readers rides and engine compartments that I posted ) he ran probably 95 plus in not to good water, but he does have external hydralic steering the boat is capable of, I belive about 105, one bad ass boat, makes me want to yank my 502, possible winter project

SledgeHammer

Hey dloftis

Chine walking is exactly what you are experiencing. Try not to over correct. It just makes it worse. I have a new Hammer as well and did not feel the chine walk was bad at all. I do have tabs, but have been running with them all the way up. If you put it in ever so slight of a turn, it takes up the slack in the steering and you can run level. Have fun.

WETTE VETTE

Hydraulic steering will help you drive through the chine walk, but you will need the system that goes all the way to the helm. I have a similar hull (210 Sport) that runs 95 mph plus and you have to drive the boat in order to keep it rock solid. The corrections required are very small. It will take some seat time to get really good at it. Keep practicing and if you just cannot stop the chine walking go to a full hyd. steering system. My opinion.
If Brad Perry's can go 100 plus the hull is obviously very capable and probably just needs to be driven. Keep practicing and be safe.

liquid asset

Brad's steering is to the helm and I believe it is WPM, Where ya at Brad tell these guys what your hammer feels like

Brad Perry

No, really, you HAVE to pick your water with that boat. I wouldn't really call what it does chine walking as much as just rolling back and forth. I've experienced chine walking in boats on glass smooth water that were impossible to get out of (for me). It just kept getting worse and worse until you had to get out of it. It goes against all natural reflexes to steer out of it. Some describe it as the nose of the boat slowly carving ever larger vertical circles in front of the boat. I think what you are experiencing is a small boat in big water. Many say that tabs help in this case. I have it all the time in confused water, but get me in a wind blown empty lake going into or with the wind in 1 to 2' and she is rock steady and fast. Get out on the lake early when other rollers aren't there, wind or not and experiment, to see how the boat behaves. All waves aren't the same.