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VESSEL OPERATION (continued)
Trim
There are many factors that influence the proper trim of your vessel. These include wind and wave forces, loading,
heading, and so forth. Proper trim applies to both the fore and aft and the athwart ships angle of the boat when
running at a given RPM.
The boat should really be operated with a running angle of 1-2 degrees fore and aft and zero angle athwart ships.
You have two main tools at your disposal to alter trim for given conditions and loadings. These are the engine and
the trim tabs. While there exists an infinite number of setting combinations, a few guidelines are helpful as follows:
Engine Trim Down
•
Lowers the bow in the water.
•
Best position for starting and acceleration.
Engine Trim Up
•
Raises bow from the water.
•
Best position for fuel economy.
Generally, you should operate somewhere in the middle, for best all-around performance. When running in heavy
following seas, special care must be taken with respect to trim and boat speed.
Trim Tabs
The NorthCoast 255 Hard Top is designed to run at the proper fore and aft angle by virtue of the bottom shape. The
trim tabs are very effective in modifying the trim angle. Some helpful hints for using the trim tabs are:
•
Use the bow up/bow down individually to modify athwart ships trim particularly useful when wind, sea or
loading conditions are causing the boat to list.
•
Use the bow up/bow down controls to change the running angle. This comes in handy when running in larger
following seas.
