502KC

I've got about ten hours behind the wheel of my 2000 29 with a 500efi, stock Bravo 1 drive, with the stock 24 hydro, spinning lefty. The boat is great, but she starts walking around 73 with the drive at about 5. I am used to it and expect it, so it doesn't spook me anymore. I drop the tabs a bit which helps, but scrubs speed. Any suggestions on eliminating it? Swap out the hydro for a bravo 1? I plan on adding a blower at some point and wonder if the problem will worsen with more mph. Any help is much appreciated.

Riverrunner

502kc. I dont own it but I have been 93mph in an 98 Fever
I have driven it to 88mph.You are right about the walk.But
you can drive through it. Heck of a ride over 90. Word
of caution about the Big HP. My Buddy has been through alot of
Drives.2 Modified Bravos and 2 Imco's.The Fountains Dont like to
Plane Without the tabs down. This is were alot of the carnage
seems to come from..Good Luck

P.S. I think The tall Lever on the left has the Most to with it.

Dredgeking

i get the same chine walk. i have also found mine to run a little faster and smoother with less trim and walks less. try different trim positions and see how it affects your speed and walk.

Jana

I haven't noticed any chine walking in my '96, but then I can't get it over 70 (GPS) either. Even last week with a good chop on the lake, she felt steady at WOT, trim around 5-5.5.

Jana

Mike, I do have an HP500 (carb) and 24 pitch Hydro. The previous owner said 73 on the speedo before he installed a nose cone on the drive. (Think that had anything to with it?) The numbers I'm getting are from a Garmin 176 GPS.
I'm going to try whatever left-hand props my mechanic has tomorrow. I'll get in touch with you after that. Something doesn't seem quite right with the top end, except that my test sheet says only 70 with a 26 Hydro.

502KC

Thanks for the replies guys and gal. Hey Riverrunner, what motor does that 98 have that gets it to 93? And what did you mean by "heck of a ride over 90"? Scary???? Mike, we actually have the exact same boat. Except, I don't have the gold/yellow shading on the ribbon. I noticed in an earlier post that you have spun Bravo 1's on yours. Did it change any of the walking characteristics or high speed handling (other than slower). How much speed did you lose? Jana, good luck with your prop swapping.

Dr. Fred

I have a 2001 500 EFI 29'.
Factory rep was in town and I asked him why the boat would chine walk above 70 with the planes under 2.

He said "with the planes set at 2 the plans are flat and add length but no real drag to the boat."

With the planes at 2, my boat goes just as fast as with them up or even faster, but there is no chine walk.

He also told me that if you keep your boat on a lift, it needs to be supported just like the trailer supports it. If you have a flat lift with the step, you will change the shape of the hull and it will chine walk.

My lift now has a step. Fortunately with the fever 29, an 8' section of 2x4 on top of the regular 4x4 bunks found on most platform lifts running all the way to the transom yields a virtually perfect fit.

Just lift up the carpet, nail down the 2x4's and recarpet. The 2x4's will extend from the transom to the step.

Hope this helps.

Dr. Fred

502KC

Thanks for the replies guys. I believe in 2001 Fountain started shipping the 29 Fever with a Bravo 1 26p with a raised x-dimension. I was curious to see if this eliminated the walking at higher speeds, but Dr. Freds post appears to kill that theory. Mike, I am surprised you don't experience any walking. How often are you in smooth water?

Dr. Fred

I probably erred.

I should say the boat will get "squirrely" above 70 with the tabs up. I'm very new to this kind of boating and I'm not exactly sure the difference between chine walk and a sloppy side to side motion of the boat. Maybe I was just having trouble keeping it on the pad. I guess I'm that inexperienced driver they modified the boat for.

Out this weekend with a full tank of gas and 5 adults and 4 kids in the boat. Boat ran 71 on the speedo, which I think is pretty close to GPS but I will check it. With light fuel, it will run 75-76 with just me.

Here are the specs:

500 EFI Mercruiser, Bravo I OL750250 1.5:1 (I believe this is a XR not a ZR)
x-dimension 17 1/2 x D
Prop 26 LH Mercury

4000 RPM Drive 3, Tabs 2, 60 MPH
5300 rpm (WOT) 76.5 mph drives 5, tabs 2, (reggie driving and 40 gal fuel)
Again, factory rep claims no performance increase with tabs above 2 and the best I can tell he is right.

Dr Fred