Boat lean 87 Ski Supreme

I have an issue with an 87 ski Supreme leaning to the starboard side while sitting in the water. I have emptied the boat out of all gear and fuel and the craft will still lean about 3 inches to starboard side. The ski platform will be 3 inches out of the water on the left and touching the water on the right. Any help??

 

Is it a left hand drive? if it is and you sit in it and it levels out!!

what is the wake like?

 

It is a left turn screw counterclockwise four blade and it does not level out while moving down the lake. Turning is good both ways and wake is flat across the middle with about a 4 inch or so rooster tail in the center. The wake on the right side is considerably larger than on the left. With me (215 lbs}. in it and a half a tank of fuel it tips even more. Just wondering if the bottom of the hull is soaked on one side, is this a foam core?

 

These boats are made for skiing I spent half my life behind Mastercrafts, the wakes as you know should be the same both sides.

I would not have thought it was foam core but get a hole cutter and cut a plug out --its the only way. do it somewhere where it will reveal the result required without damage.

I take out the center drill of a common hole cutter and starting at 45 degrees slowly start the hole and then when its got hold straighten the drill up. This way you don't put a hole through to the outside of the hull. Then with a screw driver pop it out.

No point doing it at a high place do it at a low where water will accumulate.

 

If there is no inspection port to probe thru, Frosty is right, you'll need to access the void area and have a look.

I didn't think the ski supremes had foam except at the bow, but I'm not too familiar with them. I googled and came back here with this post from Paul about a hull change in 87 http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/powerboats/porpoising-ski-supreme-13036-2.html#post106606 If you've removed anything movable that's on the 3" low side at rest, there's not many other possibilities.

There was a cruiser out front which had a noticeable list to starboard at anchor. I figured they had 3 batteries and their refrigerator or an obese person sleeping on that side. Drove me nuts seeing it like that day after day.

The boat wasn't repaired after an accident was it?

 

same issue

I have a 1988 with the same issue. Sitting in the water it leans noticeably to the starboard. Going slow to full throttle same thing. Drives me nuts and produces a different wake shape for skiing. The bilge is dry and the anchor and a bunch of equipment is locates on the port... Any updates would be appreciated Dreamgirl.

 

Dream and derf,

See if you can find an owners forum for your boats. A lot of these ski boats have false bilges, and lost areas that can and do fill up with water if a limber hole gets plugged. Alternatively I would suggest calling the manufacturer and asking if they have seen this before.

 

I tournament waterski and have used sand bags to level our boats when skiing at our private club with just driver aboard pulling skier (2005 and newer boats). With a driver and observer it is not necessary. Maybe your driver's seat cushion is waterlogged. That plus controls, steering system and left hand rotation are all adding up to the list. Others have also made good points.

 

so this weekend we went skiing and it is driving me crazy this lean. I got home and took out the fuel tank and found a spot in the right rear corner about four inches from the back and two from the outside hull, and started a nice 2 in hole saw. Then I drilled 3 more in a square and connected the hole saws with a sawzall and popped out a 5 inch piece of decking. The foam is soaked .... went in towards the center about 2 more in inches on the opposite side of a stringer to check the next foam core....it is dry. My ski platform has the bottom bolt that has been letting water in an filling up that foam core. I have removed all the foam out of the 5 inch opening and that foam is really soaked.. Jacked the front of the boat to the sky and hoping the water will run out to the opening. Next question How do I get all that water out of the foam??? Dryers or cut the floor out all the way to the front of the boat? soaked Dreamgirl

 

I wouldn't start hacking away just yet. Fix the leak then do as you said and keep the bow pointed at the sky when you are not playing with her and you will get much of it out and maybe all you need to. Hopefully it will not rot the deck but if it does you were thinking of cutting it out anyway. If you want to be more proactive make a plate to cover the hole you have made an attach a vacuum pump to try and hurry the water out.

 

I believe this has fiberglass stringers as I cannot see any wood with fiberglass over it. Rot I think is not the issue it is the weight of the water held in the foam core in that section. What is water 9 lbs per gallon. There is some water coming to the back but I am afraid that the water soaked into the foam ( who knows how far it goes towards the front) will take a long time to drain. The vacuum pump is a great idea to help pull the water out of the foam. My problem is that I like to ski a couple times a week. I hope I can get it out relatively fast. Thanks for the insight. Still soaked

 

Remove swim platform,--your going to have to anyway to make the bolts sound and sealed properly. If you have some kind of bottom paint like antifouling try to keep all intrusive repair under that line.

I would consider cutting another hole from the bottom. Probably making the bolt hole that leaked into another 2 inch hole, this will be filled with solid epoxy after and should have been done that way in the first place with all the flex from a swim P.

All the bolts on the platform need the same procedure, so cut em out.

Water wont come out if air can not get in, like a a straw with your finger on the top,-- it will hold water.

Although you've found a serious leak I don't think this is going to fix your tilt.

 

I have been working through the 5 in square hole that I have made in the deck on the starboard side and removed that section of foam out, cleaned it all out with a vacuum shop vac and tilted the trailer to the sky in the front. 3 hours later I now have 1 inch of water in that opening. I will repair the swim platform bolts and seal to eliminate further water intrusion. I am thinking about opening another hole either under the drivers seat or under the foot rest to allow some flow through drainage or possible pump air through the foam to the back. "Bglad" suggested building a plate and pulling a vacuum on that section of foam to draw the water out of it. The foam is really tight almost closed cell foam and the section that I took out is really heavy with water.

 

I've seen foam take literally years to dry out. It never really does completely. The only cure is to remove the deck cap, liner and sole. Sometimes, depending on model, you can just cut open the sole and pull the foam out. The foam used in your boat isn't closed cell and this will be a continuous problem, unless you find and fix all the leaks (next to impossible without a complete strip and seal job). Condensation alone can form, be absorbed by the foam, then more condensation forms, etc., etc., etc. Sorry about the bad news, but it's a common issue and really has only one finite cure.

 

Yeah Par has made me think . If this is on the floor only I would cut the floor out and glass in a new one with no foam at all. Its not big job on your boat, seats out and start cutting, leave the engine where it is,-- weeks work and done.

OR once you get the distance of floor supports cut holes , dig out foam and make replaceable floor hatches.