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I posted this on CW and no results. I was hoping to find some one with knowledge on transom wedges to improve the hole shot on the older 18' Dauntless series. I picked up on this on the FS forum talking about Contender boats. I have trim tabs and a stingray but it could still use some help.
I know this minor but pain in the but problem has been addressed many time but not with transom wedge and any knowledge would be helpful. By the way transom wedges are inexpensive.
Can we have a little more information?
1. What year Dauntless 18 ?
2. What size and brand of motor ?
I can't imagine that you are having this much trouble getting a good hole shot when you have trim tabs and a stingray. Something just does not sound right...
The trim tabs should have been enough by themselves.
Off the top of my head, maybe the stingray is a problem.
Have your tried other props?
What height is your engine set at?
Many times the correct prop will help solve the problem.
I have a 2000 18 Dauntless, with a 135 opti and running a factory 17 pitch Mirage SS prop turning 53K to 55K depending on conditions, just right for that engine. Engine is mounted with the top bolt in the 3 hole from the top on the mount, I tried moving it down to the second from the top but I did not like it there. I have m80 tabs and the sting ray, I tried it with without the sting ray after putting the tabs on but like it better with the sting ray.
I get or I should say most owners get a great deal of bow rise even with the motor trimmed in all the way, I have been a boater for 50 years with many boats and never had this problem before, my last boat was a Grady 22 it would jump up on plane instantly with no effort, the Dauntless wants to bow rise with motor tucked in and it seems to me, takes an unusual amount of power(it seems to me) to get it out of the hole.
This issue with the harder than normal planing (98 to model change) has been address many time on the forums, most seem to resolve it with tabs and the tabs do help, but I was wondering if if by putting transom wedges allowing the motor a few more degrees of inward travel, might help with the problem. The newer models with out the cut out in the transom do not seem to have this problem or at least not as much.
Well a wedge will give you more negative trim which in turn and in theory should give you a shorter time to plane. I'm just not sure about how it will affect your performance otherwise.
Have you considered checking the balance of weight in your boat. Where the gear is stored, battery's etc. Its quite possible you have too much weight towards the rear of the boat.
Every thing in the boat is original factory positions, I carry a few thing in the seat/box but not much weight, since this minor problem is common, I was just trying to find information out about transom wedges and if indeed someone had tried them on a Dauntless, which no one had though about or used to help with the issues on the Dauntless 18. At least I got some replies on this forum. I might give Bobs marine a call, they make some wedges, and ask some questions of angle and how it might effect the boats performance.
I like the boat, I'm just trying to improve it, not getting rid of it anytime soon, unless, in the unlikely event I find a 19 Nantucket for a steal price.
