27'2" Serious Questions

[johnnyboy]

Good evening to all, its been a while since i've posted. I had some crappy experiences this weekend and wondered if anyone had advice/insight.

We filled up the boat with gas and went to a local fishing spot. On the way there, we hit some nasty surf (i'm a new grady owner) and really felt while going through the waves, the ocean really steered my boat at times rather than I. Basically I don't feel like i'm handling the water as good as I should in my grady.

Another issue I ran into, when I really started to pick up speed the boat began to list very badly towards port, thinking it was my trim tabs I tired adjusting those. Finding out after returning to the dock, the tabs didn't work and I need to put in oil. Manual says any power steering fluid works great. Anyone object or have a better idea.

Another really crappy issue. Almost took a piece of my dads finger off when we had issues with our anchor. Ive been having an ongoing issue that when releasing the anchor, it always jambs and also doesnt have any control on the actual line, it basically free spools. It wont pull in without someone holding tension on the receiving end and sometimes apply firm pressure to top of anchor housing. Forgot the anchor company of my unit but I know its canadien. Anyone have clues?

I appreciate you guys taking sometime looking at the post, new grady owner and just got loads of questions.

Thanks :-|

 

[wspitler]

Trim tabs make a big difference. Also make sure there's no air in your steering, it's hydraulic also I'm sure. Bleeding it isn't hard, do it by the book. Grady's can be a handfull in a following sea due to the deep vee/wide beam and experience makes us all better. A steering system that has air in it or low on fluid will make it even more challenging. As for the windlass, the size of the anchor rode makes all the difference, but the freefall problem, if it's a Lewmar Profish model might be solved by using the provided (wrench) tool to tighten the gypsy clutch, again by the book. Hope that helps some.

 

[GulfSea]

I'm no seasoned Grady Capt, only been using my 228 for a year. But those trim tabs are your friends; it'll take time to learn exactly how to set them for your boat but when you do, all will be fine. You probably experienced motor prop torque for the listing. Heck, I just learned the power in using down trim to make a 1-2' chop smooth.

You may want to consider an auto pilot. They're incredibly helpful and make those long trips soooooo much more fun and enjoyable. They allow you to focus on power settings rather than trying to constantly stay on coarse.

 

[Doc Stressor]

You shouldn't have a torque related list if you have twin engines with counter rotating props. With a single engine, most SV2 Gradies seem to have that port list that needs to be corrected with the tabs.

If it gets really snotty, more than a 3' chop, it's best to trim the bow up using the engine tilt mechanism and slog it out by running at 15-18 mph. That is just off plane. It will give you a softer and drier ride. Trimming the engines up will help you track straighter in a following sea, but you need to use enough throttle to maintain solid steerage.

In general, you always want to trim the bow up with a following sea. With head seas, you can use the tabs to bring the bow down for a smoother ride. But only up to a point. If the head seas are really bad, trim up and slog as described.

It's best to quarter into a head sea. Sometimes you need to tack rather than run a straight course in order to be safe. Just steer to the right of you course for a while and then to the left of it for a while, keeping the bow quartered into the waves.

I have an autopilot, but I don't use it in rough seas. You can feel out the waves better if you are running the helm youself.

 

[johnnyboy]

As per my boat it has two engines. I saw someone bring up having a single. I measured my anchor rode and its 3/4". Im wondering if its better i step up to 1 "?. As for the power steering reservior, what kind of oil do you guys use in that? Lets say your out and its getting nasty, from what it seems everyone tells me-- motor trimmed fully down and trim tabs full engaged as well? Is that true?

 

[wspitler]

The size of the anchor rode depends on the gypsy on your particular windlass and it makes a huge difference I've learned. Your 3/4" is pretty big unless you have a very large gypsy on your windlass. I have a Lewmar 1000 Profish with freefall on my 330 express and it had a 1/2" three strand rode. It was essentially useless and kept jamming both in and out. If you have a Lewmar, find the model number ( most common are 700 and 1000) on the windlass and go to the Lewmar website and they have the specifications for each model. For instance the Lewmar 1000 series is set up for 9/16" three strand or 5/8" 8-plait. There is usually a choice between three strand and what they call 8-plait braid. Not "double braid" that's different. The 8 plait works much better and even better when it's wet. It requires less room to fall into the anchor locker and in my limited experience doesn't jam on the gypsy as much as three strand. Too small or too big won't work well.

As for the steering, most just use ATF or what is essentially Mil Spec H-5606 Hydraulic fluid but you can buy the steering and power trim and tilt fluid at Walmart. If you find the model numbers on most of your equipment, many of the manufacturers websites have free on-line manuals that come in pretty handy if you don't have them for your equipment.

Good Luck!

 

[Capt Bill]

The steering and listing issues can be caused by the same thing; if one if your trim tabs is stuck down, it will cause the boat to list to the opposide side, and severely affect steering, but also, with tab/s down, a following sea will really push your boat around in ways that can be downright dangerous. Tabs should be retracted in a following sea. So get the tabs working, then retract them, and run the boat and see how she handles. When trimmed out right for conditions, she is a joy to run.

 

[Grog]

If it's listing that bad, one tab is most likely stuck. Twice the problem has been the solenoid at the power unit. The solenoid would let the tab down but would not open enough to let the hydraulic oil back in the resivour.

 

[Clockwork]

the waves steering you is a trim issue. gradys are heavily built and smash through waves alot more than alot of other boats i have been used to. as a result you need to trim the bow up.

if the bow is down and you run into or into the back of a wave it will veer you off course. i noticed this when i got mine.

as said, small chop bow down, big chop and waves bow up.

i have had my 20' grady for 1 year and my dad also has a 226 grady and i found that the grady is typically a better ride and more solid but it does not bounce over the waves as nimbly as others, its a tradeoff.

 

[richie rich]

As per my boat it has two engines. I saw someone bring up having a single. I measured my anchor rode and its 3/4". Im wondering if its better i step up to 1 "?. As for the power steering reservior, what kind of oil do you guys use in that? Lets say your out and its getting nasty, from what it seems everyone tells me-- motor trimmed fully down and trim tabs full engaged as well? Is that true?

Just use ATF for the trim tabs.....ATF is a hydraulic fluid...you don't need special trim tab fluid...and the Bennet system usually bleeds itself when recirculating through the reservoir...

 

[johnnyboy]

Hey guys, added the atf trans fluid and saw better operation of the tri m tabs. Eventually I got everything at neutral trim. One weird issue I am still noticing: in between my two outboards I see alot of water splashing aginst my starboard engine, Ive never seen this happen before. Also my fish finder doesnt show any dept or height, only on rare occasion. Is it possible theres something stuck under the boat>? My navi works and the other functions of the unit so I know the units operable. Any ideas?

 

[richie rich]

or maybe something broke loose...maybe your depth finder is wobbling around

 

[grady23]

Just an FYI --- DO NOT put the trans fluid in the steering system. The hydraulic steering uses a special fluid. As for your sounder, check and see how the GAIN is set it may be way too low. Also check if it is a "Manual" setting it may be set for a depth that is shallower than what your running in. How do you KNOW that the sounder works?

 

[freddy063]

I have the same boat 1994 vintages ,It does well in bad seas when you plant the bow down into the waves and keep off the power, sore of plow through the waves . If you try flying off the tops , it hurts when you land. Any seas over 4 feet you are better to just wade through. one thing you might try is adding some bow weight to balance out the load, I have about 300 lbs forward that helps.

if your fish finder is giving you faults readings, first what kind do you have? check a connections ,see if your lines are hanging over some where, see if you dragging a lobster trap or two,don't ask but yes I've have, night time they are hard to see. but most likely it's time to get a new transducer, they only last about 5 years tops. well for me anyways. I'm sure it is something easily solved and you will fix it. where do you boat out of?

 

[alashley]

I would like to comment on the windlass problem. If you have a factory installed windlass, it is probably a product
by Simpson-Lawrence (S/L), either a Horizon or Lewmar. Jamming and uncontrolled freefall are two problems I am
familiar with.
1. Jamming: The anchor line has a tendency to kink and knot in the locker upon retrieval. It will bunch up in the locker
and when it feeds back out through the hole the knots catch the sides. We solved that problem by a 2-person retrieval, with
one person coiling the line as it comes into the locker and laying the coils flat. It is a PIA but I have 600 feet of rode for
deep water fishing and the locker is full. Using the soft braid is good, because the line wants to lay down. The line MUST
be the correct diameter for the windlass. A windlass is a great labor saver, but it is a handfull to manage.
2. Freefall: Having to put tension on the line during retrieval is symptomatic of 2 conditions:
a. Either you have the wrong size line in the windlass and the gypsy cannot grab it, or
b. Your rope/chain gipsy is worn and cannot grab the line.
Based on you comment that someone has to "hold tension on the receiving end and apply pressure to the top of the
anchor housing", I would suspect the problem is as stated in "b". Assuming you have a Simpson-Lawrence of some
brand, the rope/chain gipsy is made of hardened plastic. The teeth should be semi-pyramidal with squared off ends.
When the points become rounded off, the line slides more than getting gripped. When you apply tension to the receiving end,
you are pulling the line tighter into the teeth so it gets gripped. Also, the control arm (that is the little
spring loader lever that rides on top of the line and presses the line into the gipsy) may have a weak spring.
I have replaced my gipsy twice just from wear.
Simpson-Lawrence is a foreign (UK) manufacturer. That is close to being Canadian.
Here is the USA supplier of S/L products, per Grady White. I have ordered repair parts for my Horizon 400. If your
problem turns out to be a worn rope/chain gipsy, order 2 and keep the spare and Allen wrenches in your boat toolbox.

http://www.rigginghydraulics.com/
They have parts lists by model number on their webpage. The change out is not difficult, just precise.

CAUTION: Having any body parts around the moving parts of the windlass while in operation is dangerous.
Think tree limb chipper or fan belt and pulley. I just had to give the caution, not trying to be insulting.