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I'm a newbie boater and purchased a 1989 17' Montauk as my first boat. I LOVE IT. I have soaked up a ton of knowledge from this site and will continue to do so- Thank you. I obviously have a trim button on my shifter and realize it raises and lowers the outboard but really don't understand the logistics of how trim works and what the difference between trim and tilt. For example: if I trim down does the bow raise and bring the boat to plane??? I realize this is a really novice question but any help you can give me would be much appreciated.
Thanks again- I really have enjoyed this learning on this site and you guys are the reason why I purchased a Whaler.
Trimming UP means that the engine tilts away from the transom of the boat & this has the effect of raising the bow. It effectively reduces the amount of boat in the water. This is a good general position for smooth water, or fast speeds, or while in following seas, i.e. you are running in the same direction the waves are.
Trimming DOWN means the engine tilts toward the transom and this has the effect of lowering the bow. It increases the amount of boat in the water. This is a good general position for getting initially on plane with a heavy load, to plane at a slow speed, and to reduce pounding when running into the seas.
To see the effect of different trim settings, while running in smooth water, (with no traffic!) & adjust the trim up & down & you will notice that as you look along the side of the boat the postion of where your spray originates changes. The more up trim moves the spray AFT. The more down trim moves the spray forward.
These are general statements & you'll find over time that your Montauk responds quickly to small adjustments & you'll get the feel over time. A good rule of thumb is if you think you have too much up trip, you probably do & should trim down. Same applies if you think you have too much down trim, you probably do and you should trim up. Small adjustments every time.
I hope that helps & have fun in your Montauk. They are great boats.
Also, if your boat begins "porpoising" in smooth water - where the bow raises and drops as though it were rising up and down waves, you've raised the engine too much. The bow will rise to the point where the engine can no longer keep it up that high and it will drop back down quickly. This will rob your fuel mileage as well as making for a less than smooth ride.
Always start out tucked in get on plane and trim it out. Getting the boat out of the water will let you run the same speed with less rpm. Everybody wants to save some gas. In rough water or pulling water sports and tight turns you should find you will have to trim it in a little as opposed to running straight on flat water. It will not take long to get the feel of it.
