How best to drive the my Boston Whaler Ventura

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Author Topic:   How best to drive the my Boston Whaler Ventura

pred02 posted 07-30-2011 04:28 PM ET (US)
Ok,
I am newbie to the Ventura 210 and planning boats in general. I took the Ventura 210 first time for a spin today in Croatia (will post photos) and its great but I am trying to figure out what is the best way to drive in terms of rpm, engine trim, and trim tabs.
It's a 2006 Boston Whaler Ventura 210 with a Verado 225 not sure the prop but will report tomorrow.
So there was 5 of us, about 40 gallons of fuel. I had the engine trim all the way down, drove at about 4800 rpm drove only about 23mph consumption was about 15/16 gallons/hour which seemed a bit excessive as against the spec sheet.
Even at WOT I could not get it above 30mpg which I think is a little bit low. At 4200rpm, I was at about 18mph and getting about 10/12 gallons / hour.
What am I doing wrong? I trim the engine down and use the trim tabs to get the bow down (start position is trim tabs are up).
1. How do I use the engine trim?
2. How do I use the trim tabs?
3. What is the optimal RPM / speed to run the boat?
Thanks - and apologie for newbie question!
TC posted 07-30-2011 06:46 PM ET (US)
Hello- welcome to CW. Once your boat is up on plane on top of the water, you can trim the motor up to raise the bow and run with less hull in the water. This makes the boat much faster and more efficient. You can plat around with the trim and get a feel for it. The tilt feature is to raisethe motor for trailering or beaching, but the trim, which runs much slower at the bottom of the trim range, is to adjust the boat's attitude while on plane.
pred02 posted 07-31-2011 02:59 PM ET (US)
I think I'm getting a bit better at it, but just wanted to confirm the performance numbers. With 5 people I can stay on plane at about 4200 rpm and go about 20-23mph. The fuel consumption at that speed is about 10 gallons/hour. \
At WOP I can only go about 32mph which seems a bit low and its indicating that perhaps I am not trimming the boat correctly. Or maybe those numbers are all right with 5 people onboard?
Thanks!
bluewaterpirate posted 07-31-2011 09:08 PM ET (US)
You should have no problem staying on plane at 4200 rpms. Take a look at how you're loading the boat. Have two passangers sit forward and the remaining two aft the captain at the helm once on plane play with your trim. Trim the motor up until it starts to porpoise then trim it down to it stops porpoising that's your sweet spot. You should get close to 28 - 30 at 4200 rpms top end around 44 depending on whay prop your using.
Tombro should chime in shortly he has your exact rig mine has a 225 Opti.
Know you're excited to have the boat in Croatia.
Tom
bluewaterpirate posted 07-31-2011 09:11 PM ET (US)
Using the tabs ....
Great for leveling the boat for offset loading, preventing excess bow rise when getting on plane from dead in the water and changing the boats ruff water handling characteristics.
Your sweet spot for the Verado should be 4300 - 4600 rpms.
tonyj1 posted 07-31-2011 09:31 PM ET (US)
Pred02
I have the same boat and motor (2008 model)
I can get about 43 MPH WOT with a similar load. I am quite pleased with the boat, you will get the "feel" for proper trim with practice.
Have fun
Tony
OIA posted 08-01-2011 01:58 AM ET (US)
Hey Croatia, congratulations on the new boat.
Ah, many an article and vidoe have been produced to answer this age old question. This is what I’ve learned.
Gear distribution, where your crew is on the boat, are they sitting or standing, and sea conditions will determine the best position for motor tilt and trim tabs. That, and as my father made it very clear, safety first, then comfort of the crew or most important, then performance.
Before pushing the throttle down the trim and tilt and trim tabs should be near or all the way down. If the motor and tabs are too high your boat will let you know pretty quick as she will not plane (Perhaps another reason we refer to boats as “she” :) Also, typically, the "down" positions, especially the motor, are better for maneuvering around a harbor and when docking.
Once on plane only you, as the captain of your vessel, can determine the safest, most comfortable and best performing positions for the motor and trim tabs.
In the down position the motor and tabs will force your bow down, where more of the hull is in the water. The more of the boat in the water the more gas it will take to push her through the seas. When raised to their highest (running) levels, much less of the boat will be in the water. The problem comes in, the less of the boat in the water the less control the captain has over his/her vessel.
Hence, first rule: Safety first. Also, as a captain you are in charge of not only safety but comfort of your crew (and the fun for that matter). You may feel comfortable with a trimmed up squirrely boat but, you may be scaring the hell out of your crew.
So, experiment with different motor and trim tab positions, airing on the side of caution and always keeping in mind gas mileage, although important, is toward the bottom of the list.
Hope this helps,
John Mirassou
pred02 posted 08-01-2011 03:25 AM ET (US)
Hi everyone,
Thank you for the info, today we are taking a longer trip to an adjacent island Lastovo (about 15-20 miles out) and I will definitely experiment with the tabs to ensure they are in the best position and report results.
I've finally managed to upload a few photos to share, so you can see this Massachusetts registered Ventura 210 at her new home in the Adriatic.
I am amazed how well she performs in the small chop here and how dry the ride is.
Thanks for everyone's help!
Photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/george.bozovic/July312011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCN2sgvrzz8mqiAE&feat=directlink
poker13 posted 08-01-2011 09:50 AM ET (US)
https://picasaweb.google.com/george.bozovic/July312011?authuser=0& authkey=Gv1sRgCN2sgvrzz8mqiAE&feat=directlink
Tohsgib posted 08-01-2011 10:37 AM ET (US)
Forget about the trim tabs for now, get to know the boat with the engine trim. You want to trim it up so the steering gets light and maybe the prop starts to slip then bring it down till it grabs. At WOT you trim it till it slips and bring it down a tap or 2 till it grabs. Trim at WOT will be much more than at 4200.
Tabs are generally used for side to side leveling due to weight or wind conditions. They can also be used to lower the bow in say rough seas so you can plane at a slower speed. Remember how a trim tab works? It is basically causing major drag. Running your boat at high speeds with the tabs all the way down not only cripples your top speed but could be potentially dangerous. My 24' boat you could almost lay her on her side if you just put one tab down all the way....scary.
Tohsgib posted 08-01-2011 11:22 AM ET (US)
Lastly is your GPS in knots or Stat mph?
tombro posted 08-01-2011 11:55 AM ET (US)
Hi,
I rarely run our 2005 Ventura, which is the same as yours with a Verado 225, with more than 3 adults aboard. I like engine trim a LOT, and whenever possible keep it between 4 and 5 on the Smartcraft guage. This gives me around 2.5 nmpg at about 4200rpm. I always run with the bimini and drop curtains, which may influence my ultimate mileage and speed, but keeps the rare spray off of the occupants.
The only time I use the tabs is to level the boat from a crosswind OR in a headsea to utilize the forward vee more for a flatter ride. We run in New Jerseys Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, both rough rides.
Best of luck with her; we love ours.
~Tom
boatdryver posted 08-02-2011 11:29 AM ET (US)
Pred02, all the comments so far seem to assume you have the correct prop on your Verado 225, but it would be good if you looked at the prop and told the panel which pitch you have.
To maximize the life of that superb and very expensive motor, you need a prop that will allow the motor to reach the max rpm range at WOT(trimmed up) , which is 5800-6400 rpm
JimL
pred02 posted 08-03-2011 08:33 AM ET (US)
Ok, I checked the gps its running at stat mph. The prop is a Mirage plus 17p three blade prop. Today at 4200rpm with trim at about 5 I got approximately 23mph spending approximately 10gph and getting about 2.5-3.0 mpg with 4 people and about 55 gallons of petrol.
This fuel economy ia better than previous days but at 4200rpm was hoping to get optimal cruising speed of about 30mph ( seems like comfortable speed).
Yesterday at wop got about 39mph not sure what ia the approximate trim at that speed.
Thanks
pred02 posted 08-04-2011 04:50 AM ET (US)
One more quick question - does anyone know where I can find a lockable entry knob for the port side head / storage compartment - like on the starboard side. Plenty of thieves here, they snatched up some of our ropes and flare gun, also the little Croatian flag... want to be safe and secure as possible.
I've emailed our local dealer but if there is any other place where I can order this stat it would be great as my brother is Boston based and Croatia bound the Thursday.
Cheers and thanks for the help.
bluewaterpirate posted 08-04-2011 08:06 AM ET (US)
I've looked but never found one.
pred02 posted 08-05-2011 01:44 PM ET (US)
Hey,
It has to be custom made. I ordered one and though not for this season we will hopefully have it for next to prevent the thieves from stealing anything from the compartment.
I've taken a bunch of stuff from the boat which made it lighter and with three people I am getting at the top 20's at about 4200 rpm.
Is the prop configuration currently good (Mirage Plus 3-blade 17p)?
Here are a few more photos I've uploaded to the album - the Whaler in Croatia:
Glavat Lighthouse near the Island of Lastovo:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/z9Ffz43HCK2f7MERzYdnarOo7qvYwVkrjP_mcgMLDYg?feat=directlink
Whaler anchored in a cove off a Korcula island
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0nuxM3qiAf7QCJstciLJ3rOo7qvYwVkrjP_mcgMLDYg?feat=directlink
The bay off of which we anchored on the island of Lastovo
https://picasaweb.google.com/george.bozovic/July312011?authkey=Gv1sRgCN2sgvrzz8mqiAE#5637427459291631650
Moored having a beer and watching the sunset near Loviste, Peljesac Peninsula. Then we made a ride back with the sunset in the background
https://picasaweb.google.com/george.bozovic/July312011?authkey=Gv1sRgCN2sgvrzz8mqiAE#5637427473930944770
Thanks for all the info and help!
George
pred02 posted 08-12-2011 05:34 PM ET (US)
I am getting about 5700-5800rpm with the Whaler and topping out at about 39mph wot. Will retest tomorrow with only 2 people in the boat but beginning to feel that the Mirage 17p isn't an ideal prop for my config.
Would like to get closer to 30mph with the 4200-4400 rpm where as I am now getting about 23mph when trimmed up. Also - the sea here is very salty - not sure if that could affect the performance.
Went out to an adjacent island Mljet on an the way back actually caught pretty nasty winds out in open sea, not sure but I think the waves were at least 6ft in height. Got a bit of scary I have to admit, but made it through - pulled back and waited until they started coming down then made a nighttime sprint across to our main island (will post pictures / video when back). Got a pretty good pounding but made it back safe.
Starting to wonder when it's too much? We did not take any water, just afraid that the boat will roll over with the waves.
Thanks

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Author	Topic: How best to drive the my Boston Whaler Ventura
pred02	posted 07-30-2011 04:28 PM ET (US) Ok, I am newbie to the Ventura 210 and planning boats in general. I took the Ventura 210 first time for a spin today in Croatia (will post photos) and its great but I am trying to figure out what is the best way to drive in terms of rpm, engine trim, and trim tabs. It's a 2006 Boston Whaler Ventura 210 with a Verado 225 not sure the prop but will report tomorrow. So there was 5 of us, about 40 gallons of fuel. I had the engine trim all the way down, drove at about 4800 rpm drove only about 23mph consumption was about 15/16 gallons/hour which seemed a bit excessive as against the spec sheet. Even at WOT I could not get it above 30mpg which I think is a little bit low. At 4200rpm, I was at about 18mph and getting about 10/12 gallons / hour. What am I doing wrong? I trim the engine down and use the trim tabs to get the bow down (start position is trim tabs are up). 1. How do I use the engine trim? 2. How do I use the trim tabs? 3. What is the optimal RPM / speed to run the boat? Thanks - and apologie for newbie question!
TC	posted 07-30-2011 06:46 PM ET (US) Hello- welcome to CW. Once your boat is up on plane on top of the water, you can trim the motor up to raise the bow and run with less hull in the water. This makes the boat much faster and more efficient. You can plat around with the trim and get a feel for it. The tilt feature is to raisethe motor for trailering or beaching, but the trim, which runs much slower at the bottom of the trim range, is to adjust the boat's attitude while on plane.
pred02	posted 07-31-2011 02:59 PM ET (US) I think I'm getting a bit better at it, but just wanted to confirm the performance numbers. With 5 people I can stay on plane at about 4200 rpm and go about 20-23mph. The fuel consumption at that speed is about 10 gallons/hour. \ At WOP I can only go about 32mph which seems a bit low and its indicating that perhaps I am not trimming the boat correctly. Or maybe those numbers are all right with 5 people onboard? Thanks!
bluewaterpirate	posted 07-31-2011 09:08 PM ET (US) You should have no problem staying on plane at 4200 rpms. Take a look at how you're loading the boat. Have two passangers sit forward and the remaining two aft the captain at the helm once on plane play with your trim. Trim the motor up until it starts to porpoise then trim it down to it stops porpoising that's your sweet spot. You should get close to 28 - 30 at 4200 rpms top end around 44 depending on whay prop your using. Tombro should chime in shortly he has your exact rig mine has a 225 Opti. Know you're excited to have the boat in Croatia. Tom
bluewaterpirate	posted 07-31-2011 09:11 PM ET (US) Using the tabs .... Great for leveling the boat for offset loading, preventing excess bow rise when getting on plane from dead in the water and changing the boats ruff water handling characteristics. Your sweet spot for the Verado should be 4300 - 4600 rpms.
tonyj1	posted 07-31-2011 09:31 PM ET (US) Pred02 I have the same boat and motor (2008 model) I can get about 43 MPH WOT with a similar load. I am quite pleased with the boat, you will get the "feel" for proper trim with practice. Have fun Tony
OIA	posted 08-01-2011 01:58 AM ET (US) Hey Croatia, congratulations on the new boat. Ah, many an article and vidoe have been produced to answer this age old question. This is what I’ve learned. Gear distribution, where your crew is on the boat, are they sitting or standing, and sea conditions will determine the best position for motor tilt and trim tabs. That, and as my father made it very clear, safety first, then comfort of the crew or most important, then performance. Before pushing the throttle down the trim and tilt and trim tabs should be near or all the way down. If the motor and tabs are too high your boat will let you know pretty quick as she will not plane (Perhaps another reason we refer to boats as “she” :) Also, typically, the "down" positions, especially the motor, are better for maneuvering around a harbor and when docking. Once on plane only you, as the captain of your vessel, can determine the safest, most comfortable and best performing positions for the motor and trim tabs. In the down position the motor and tabs will force your bow down, where more of the hull is in the water. The more of the boat in the water the more gas it will take to push her through the seas. When raised to their highest (running) levels, much less of the boat will be in the water. The problem comes in, the less of the boat in the water the less control the captain has over his/her vessel. Hence, first rule: Safety first. Also, as a captain you are in charge of not only safety but comfort of your crew (and the fun for that matter). You may feel comfortable with a trimmed up squirrely boat but, you may be scaring the hell out of your crew. So, experiment with different motor and trim tab positions, airing on the side of caution and always keeping in mind gas mileage, although important, is toward the bottom of the list. Hope this helps, John Mirassou
pred02	posted 08-01-2011 03:25 AM ET (US) Hi everyone, Thank you for the info, today we are taking a longer trip to an adjacent island Lastovo (about 15-20 miles out) and I will definitely experiment with the tabs to ensure they are in the best position and report results. I've finally managed to upload a few photos to share, so you can see this Massachusetts registered Ventura 210 at her new home in the Adriatic. I am amazed how well she performs in the small chop here and how dry the ride is. Thanks for everyone's help! Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/george.bozovic/July312011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCN2sgvrzz8mqiAE&feat=directlink
poker13	posted 08-01-2011 09:50 AM ET (US) https://picasaweb.google.com/george.bozovic/July312011?authuser=0& authkey=Gv1sRgCN2sgvrzz8mqiAE&feat=directlink
Tohsgib	posted 08-01-2011 10:37 AM ET (US) Forget about the trim tabs for now, get to know the boat with the engine trim. You want to trim it up so the steering gets light and maybe the prop starts to slip then bring it down till it grabs. At WOT you trim it till it slips and bring it down a tap or 2 till it grabs. Trim at WOT will be much more than at 4200. Tabs are generally used for side to side leveling due to weight or wind conditions. They can also be used to lower the bow in say rough seas so you can plane at a slower speed. Remember how a trim tab works? It is basically causing major drag. Running your boat at high speeds with the tabs all the way down not only cripples your top speed but could be potentially dangerous. My 24' boat you could almost lay her on her side if you just put one tab down all the way....scary.
Tohsgib	posted 08-01-2011 11:22 AM ET (US) Lastly is your GPS in knots or Stat mph?
tombro	posted 08-01-2011 11:55 AM ET (US) Hi, I rarely run our 2005 Ventura, which is the same as yours with a Verado 225, with more than 3 adults aboard. I like engine trim a LOT, and whenever possible keep it between 4 and 5 on the Smartcraft guage. This gives me around 2.5 nmpg at about 4200rpm. I always run with the bimini and drop curtains, which may influence my ultimate mileage and speed, but keeps the rare spray off of the occupants. The only time I use the tabs is to level the boat from a crosswind OR in a headsea to utilize the forward vee more for a flatter ride. We run in New Jerseys Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, both rough rides. Best of luck with her; we love ours. ~Tom
boatdryver	posted 08-02-2011 11:29 AM ET (US) Pred02, all the comments so far seem to assume you have the correct prop on your Verado 225, but it would be good if you looked at the prop and told the panel which pitch you have. To maximize the life of that superb and very expensive motor, you need a prop that will allow the motor to reach the max rpm range at WOT(trimmed up) , which is 5800-6400 rpm JimL
pred02	posted 08-03-2011 08:33 AM ET (US) Ok, I checked the gps its running at stat mph. The prop is a Mirage plus 17p three blade prop. Today at 4200rpm with trim at about 5 I got approximately 23mph spending approximately 10gph and getting about 2.5-3.0 mpg with 4 people and about 55 gallons of petrol. This fuel economy ia better than previous days but at 4200rpm was hoping to get optimal cruising speed of about 30mph ( seems like comfortable speed). Yesterday at wop got about 39mph not sure what ia the approximate trim at that speed. Thanks
pred02	posted 08-04-2011 04:50 AM ET (US) One more quick question - does anyone know where I can find a lockable entry knob for the port side head / storage compartment - like on the starboard side. Plenty of thieves here, they snatched up some of our ropes and flare gun, also the little Croatian flag... want to be safe and secure as possible. I've emailed our local dealer but if there is any other place where I can order this stat it would be great as my brother is Boston based and Croatia bound the Thursday. Cheers and thanks for the help.
bluewaterpirate	posted 08-04-2011 08:06 AM ET (US) I've looked but never found one.
pred02	posted 08-05-2011 01:44 PM ET (US) Hey, It has to be custom made. I ordered one and though not for this season we will hopefully have it for next to prevent the thieves from stealing anything from the compartment. I've taken a bunch of stuff from the boat which made it lighter and with three people I am getting at the top 20's at about 4200 rpm. Is the prop configuration currently good (Mirage Plus 3-blade 17p)? Here are a few more photos I've uploaded to the album - the Whaler in Croatia: Glavat Lighthouse near the Island of Lastovo: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/z9Ffz43HCK2f7MERzYdnarOo7qvYwVkrjP_mcgMLDYg?feat=directlink Whaler anchored in a cove off a Korcula island https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0nuxM3qiAf7QCJstciLJ3rOo7qvYwVkrjP_mcgMLDYg?feat=directlink The bay off of which we anchored on the island of Lastovo https://picasaweb.google.com/george.bozovic/July312011?authkey=Gv1sRgCN2sgvrzz8mqiAE#5637427459291631650 Moored having a beer and watching the sunset near Loviste, Peljesac Peninsula. Then we made a ride back with the sunset in the background https://picasaweb.google.com/george.bozovic/July312011?authkey=Gv1sRgCN2sgvrzz8mqiAE#5637427473930944770 Thanks for all the info and help! George
pred02	posted 08-12-2011 05:34 PM ET (US) I am getting about 5700-5800rpm with the Whaler and topping out at about 39mph wot. Will retest tomorrow with only 2 people in the boat but beginning to feel that the Mirage 17p isn't an ideal prop for my config. Would like to get closer to 30mph with the 4200-4400 rpm where as I am now getting about 23mph when trimmed up. Also - the sea here is very salty - not sure if that could affect the performance. Went out to an adjacent island Mljet on an the way back actually caught pretty nasty winds out in open sea, not sure but I think the waves were at least 6ft in height. Got a bit of scary I have to admit, but made it through - pulled back and waited until they started coming down then made a nighttime sprint across to our main island (will post pictures / video when back). Got a pretty good pounding but made it back safe. Starting to wonder when it's too much? We did not take any water, just afraid that the boat will roll over with the waves. Thanks