Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

hello my name is tj my wife and i just bought our first boat. it is a 2012 avalon ls2300 with a 115 mercury four stroke. my first question (and im sure to have a bunch more) is when we are crusing at any speed if you take your hand off of the steering wheel you are pulled sharply to the right,is this normal or should i be looking for something loose or broken? thanks tj

Sounds like the steering tab needs to be adjusted. It's a small 2" or so fin that sticks down behind the prop, a small adjustment goes along way. What concerns me is that it turns when you let go of the wheel, most modern steering systems have some sort of safety to prevent that. I know my newly installed teleflex 4.2nfb steering holds the motor straight even if the tab is way out of adjustment.

I get a little turning to the right when I let go of the wheel also. It is caused by the toque of the prop. You or your dealer can adjust the fin just above the prop to help this.

If your boat is on a trailer then you can adjust it easy enough. Google it and it will show you how to do it. It won't take a lot of adjustment. Trial and Error is always the best way.

its on the trailer ill have to take a look at it latter. thanks for the replies

You can also try adjusting the trim while underway. My motor sits beyond level when trimmed all the way down and is almost pushing the back of the boat up. It will pull a little when trimmed down that far at cruising speed. When I trim it up speed increases and the steering is not pulling at all.

There's sometimes a plug on top of the back end above the anticavitation plate. Remove the plug and look down in the hole. There's usually a bolt that can be loosened to move the tab.

If it's harder to turn to the left, move the tab a notch to the left and tighten it back down. Then, try it out. If still hard, move it another notch. Like it was said, small adjustments sometimes solve the problem. The adjustments can be made with the boat in the water.

Is there any water in the toons I had a seal go bad on mine an I had a lot of water in one it caused that issue, something to check, an it did still sat level in the water too.

captainjack wrote:Is there any water in the toons I had a seal go bad on mine an I had a lot of water in one it caused that issue, something to check, an it did still sat level in the water too.

It may not be a seal...my Playcraft inhales rain water in both pontoons from somewhere under the decking. So much so the previous owner installed bilge pumps in each pontoon. It never picks up water just sitting or underway, just after a good rainstorm. Since you store on a trailer, you can drain your pontoons each outing. I keep the barge in a slip, so it needs a pumping after a good rain or two.

playcat wrote:

captainjack wrote:Is there any water in the toons I had a seal go bad on mine an I had a lot of water in one it caused that issue, something to check, an it did still sat level in the water too.

It may not be a seal...my Playcraft inhales rain water in both pontoons from somewhere under the decking. So much so the previous owner installed bilge pumps in each pontoon. It never picks up water just sitting or underway, just after a good rainstorm. Since you store on a trailer, you can drain your pontoons each outing. I keep the barge in a slip, so it needs a pumping after a good rain or two.

Thanks I never thought they good get rain water in them but that be because every time I have pulled the plugs I can get some water out of them! Thanks for the tip!

Hook up a vacuum cleaner on "blow" (an air compressor may be too much) and check for leaks with soapy water.
Usually the cracks are at the corners of the support risers from what I have seen. That is where racking stresses are the highest.

Rainwater in the toons? Man you guys teach me something else to worry about every day! Just kidding.... sorta...

playcat wrote:It may not be a seal...my Playcraft inhales rain water in both pontoons from somewhere under the decking. So much so the previous owner installed bilge pumps in each pontoon. It never picks up water just sitting or underway, just after a good rainstorm. Since you store on a trailer, you can drain your pontoons each outing. I keep the barge in a slip, so it needs a pumping after a good rain or two.

Do all toons have a way of getting water out? I have a 2003 Lowe Suncruiser. It's on a trailer right now. This morning I went to raise the tongue of the trailer to let rain water drain off the back instead of the front. I thought I heard the sloshing of water in one (if not both) toons. How do I get it out?

edit: sorry to hijack the thread.

wow dident realize there was so many ways to get water in the toons actualy dident relize you could. more things to check. i hope no water in them it is only a month old.

OK Toon wrote:

playcat wrote:It may not be a seal...my Playcraft inhales rain water in both pontoons from somewhere under the decking. So much so the previous owner installed bilge pumps in each pontoon. It never picks up water just sitting or underway, just after a good rainstorm. Since you store on a trailer, you can drain your pontoons each outing. I keep the barge in a slip, so it needs a pumping after a good rain or two.

Do all toons have a way of getting water out? I have a 2003 Lowe Suncruiser. It's on a trailer right now. This morning I went to raise the tongue of the trailer to let rain water drain off the back instead of the front. I thought I heard the sloshing of water in one (if not both) toons. How do I get it out?

edit: sorry to hijack the thread.

Most are sealed so water should not get in them. The pressure test them (not MUCH pressure) after fixing a leak to make sure they got it fixed.