cav plate

[Seahorse]

i have attached couple pics. When i put moter up today, i noticed that the plate was not straight. I always thought that this plate had to straight. Mine is of to one side. Prob abouy 2.00 o'clock on a watch.
I do notice that steering does get a little stiff. Would this have anything to do with it.

thanks
greg

[Blackened]

G'day greg
You are referreing to the little fin mounted under the anti cavitation plate? these are adjusted either way to cancell out the torque created by the propellor so give the steering a no bias feedback.
Dave

[marlinqld]

Mine is slightly to starboard, about the same as yours.

Mike

[FNQCairns]

That part is designed to negate torque steer, this becomes worse the faster you travel, if it is set to counteract the degree of torque steer at a low speed it will then be less effective as you go faster and the opposite also applys. Trim will also have an effect on steering stiffness.

The general idea is to set this tab to suit your most common on the plane speed so that you hit a sweet spot where effort at the wheel is minimised.

If you decide to set it do a run see if the turnes left or right and/or the steering is stiffer in one direction than the other at your chosen speed then point the tab in the same direction (pretty sure been a while)by a few deg, trial and error.

cheers fnq

[Spaniard_King]

Seahorse,

she's pointin the wrong way, it's adding to the steering stiffness ;)

cheers

Garry

[Seahorse]

gary,
do u mean i have to turn it around so the bevelled end is at back.

cheers
greg

[Spaniard_King]

Greg,

you need to kick it around so the very back of the tab is on the stbd side not the port side as shown in the pic

Garry

[Seahorse]

i take that all u do is undo the nut on top, then it turns. do i still have at same angle? how will this benefic performance

cheers
greg

[Spaniard_King]

Greg, yes you are on the right track with the bolt on top.

The tab actually conteracts the torque of the prop by steering the engine. I bet your engine/boat when under way turns easilly to STBD and hard to PORT

It will take a few trips and adjustments to get it right

Garry

[Dignity]

Greg, do not over tighten if you do change the setting - It is usually a zinc anode and as such is very soft - do not know what the torque setting should be but certainly no much pressure required. Too much and the the female section will surely split.

sam

[Seahorse]

i dont know gary. i know its bit hard to steer but then i just trim till it frees up. it doesnt really pull to left or right.
is there any trick to undoing nut. is there anything to line up, or do u just loosen, turn and then retighten.
when i go out on sat i will take particulat notice to the steering. i suppose u can just keep adjusting while out on the water?

thanks mate
greg

[Dignity]

greg, not much to it - loosen bolt and turn to desired direction - just don't overtighten. mine is facing the other direction by about the same amount

[Spaniard_King]

greg, not much to it - loosen bolt and turn to desired direction - just don't overtighten. mine is facing the other direction by about the same amount
;)

[yalta]

if steering free's up when you trim it and it dont pull
to left or dont pull to right then do not adjust it.
it is there for a reason to balance your boat.

[Noelm]

spot on yalta, you do NOT adjust it if it is OK, just because someone else's is set differently, that's why it is adjustable!

[Spaniard_King]

Yes, Thats fine to say do not adjust it, but if it's not working to peak performance how will he ever know if he does not try. IMO he needs to try it in several positions to find the best one.

yes you can make the steering lighter by triming the engine up whilst under way but what happens when he needs to run into a chop with the engine hard down ::) I guess hes gunna have to go to the Gym a bit more 8-)

Garry

[Seahorse]

thanks garry. u do make sense. i guess just play around with it on next trip. i take that its easy to do once on the water.

cheers
greg

[Dignity]

Greg, wander around a boat yard and have a look at all their motors

sam