Boat roll issue ?? 1989 wellcraft 3.0 i/o help!

When you turn the wheel, how far do you have to trun before something happens. In other words, if you turn it a little bit, I take it that the boat leans over to port. If you turn it further, does it begin to turn?
Your boat has a single engine, with the prop turning clockwise. The natural response to this is for the propellor to try to stay still and turn the boat anticlockwise - ie to port.
I'm wondering if this may be a sort of torque-steering effect.
Have you checked the anode that is immediately aft of the prop? It should be skewed a little to the left (clockwise if looking down from above that cav-plate). It should also be reasonably intact. If not, replace it and ensure that it is pointing in the right direction. If it is ok, try turning it a little more - onle a couple of degrees though.
While running at speed, is the steering easier in one direction than the other? This is also a sure sign of the anode not being set properly.

 

Just a thought.... sounds like it's riding forward on the keel. How much rocker does it have? Try getting a couple of your larger buddies (or ballast) to sit as far aft as possible, see if the condition improves
Just my 2 cents. Hope you come up with a soloution!

 

listing and rolling

your 17ft craft with a 3.0l engine...i assume has a mercruiser Alpha 1 outdrive. A couple of things to try are at the dock, turn the wheel lock to lock and make sure the drive follows. Do this in a few different trim levels from full in to full out. You may not be vectoring your thrust as you think. As well on plane try with a spotter on the drive. Another thing to take in to account is gas tank place ment. Assuming it is a built in tank, fill to the top, place all significant weight on the centre line ie. batteries . step off the boat and lock for any major listing to one side or the other. The last thing is your prop is slipping to much therefore the vectored thrust is mor of a slide than a turn thus causeing hull roll with little turn. try it out. as for outdrive to power you are set up right ...you could go to the real expense of switching to a volvo or omc complete drive but that is costly and personally don't think would help. going to a bravo drive is to much drag for that size hull. Good Luck

 

Tabs and Turning

On shaft-drive boats that roll to the rudder rather than make much of a turn, putting the tab down on the side you wish to turn to makes the boat corner like on rails!
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Just try it!!!

 

CHeck out this post, in particular reply #9, for someone with a similar problem.
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=23894

 

hi i agree with preformer. sounds to me leg has been set to high with cav plate above keel line.and skeg not biteing enough.

 

I have seen this issue before with the leg mounted too low. i had a small experimental boat and we tried a long shaft outboard on it. the boat did exactly as explaned here. and when we tried to turn with power on it would roll over completly throwing the rider in to the drink.
Nick