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Driving with trim up? How far up or down?

Dmonnny123

Dmonnny123

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Sorry for the newbie question. But on my 2008 2275 rli with a Yamaha 90 outboard. How far should I be with my trim on an average daily basis? The reason I ask is when it's all the way down and fully throttled I feel like I'm dragging. I feel it runs and sounds the best with the trim half up (according to gauge). Is that ok or is that awful for the hydrolics / mount etc ?? Max speed is 25 mph FYI
 
Usually between 1/2 to 3/4 up is the best performance for cruising. Every boat and set up and gauge accuracy are a bit different and have different sweet spots but from my experience anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4 normal cruising and then top end one has to feel that one out too.
 
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You will know if you are trimmed up too much.  You will lose rpm's and this will make you lose speed.

If trimmed to far up you will get high temp alarm because your holes on the lower unit for cooling will be out of the water and not getting sufficient cooling.

You can start trimming up and watch your rpm's and speed, if you start losing one of those you are trimmed too far up.
 
Thanks for the input guys! Am I causing damage by having it trimmed up? As in is it too much pressure on the trim hydraulics motor setup while driving??
 
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Dmonnny123 said:
Thanks for the input guys! Am I causing damage by having it trimmed up? As in is it too much pressure on the trim hydraulics motor setup while driving??
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No.  This is how they are supposed to run.  The damage can come from trailering with your motor trimmed up and not on the trim stop/lock.  The bouncing up and down on the hydraulics can cause them to leak.  You don't get that type of force on them when in the water.
 
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For me 1/4 is as far as I go. You can hear the place where trim ceases to yield results.
 
MCSD12 said:
For me 1/4 is as far as I go. You can hear the place where trim ceases to yield results.
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Yes, according to my trim gauge there is no way I can run past 1/2 or even close to 3/4 up.  I guess I need to see how my gauge is calibrated compared to actual position of of lower unit to get a better idea.
 
3/4 is the sweet spot for me.
 
Very little trim up is best for our boat.  Every boat is different.  It depends on your center of gravity and engine height.  Just keep playing with it until  you know what your boat needs.  You will not hurt anything. 
 
So many of those talking about using 3/4 trim are probably tritoon owners with straked hulls.  They've got to have trim added to get the nosecones out fo the water--for speed and efficiency.  What we're doing is taking a displacement hull and fooling it (with the power trim) into being a planing hull.

Those with pontoons should just run with their anticavitation plates parallel to the bottom of their hulls.  Raising the triim does about nothing to a twin toon boat that's going to plow through the water anyway.
 
It's easy to check trim to gauge calibration, watch the gauge and see if it moves along with the engine all the way from full lower to full height of trim just before it hits the lift portion or the second stage cylinders. If the gauge stops moving one way or the other before the engine hits the upper or lower limit or visa versa then the little clamp that holds the lever that follows the proximity switch needs slight adjustment, it is a single screw that needs to be loosened and jut needs to be rotated a small bit at a time. It is on the engine pivot shaft above the trim and lift cylinders.
 
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I think some of these people that can trim up so high have their motor mounted too low in the water to start with.  Not many people have their pontoons set up properly with the anti ventilation plate right on top of the water.  Most dealers set them up so they are under the water, which causes drag and is incorrect.
 
I think that is what is going on with mine. It seems raising it up would cause issues in tight turns unless you really trim down. Has anyone raised their motor themselves? I'm thinking while it is on the trailer using a floor jack, and a 4x4 to gently raise it a hole.
 
My cavitation plate appears to be even with the bottom of my middle tube. I still trim up to 3/4.
 
lakeliving said:
I think that is what is going on with mine. It seems raising it up would cause issues in tight turns unless you really trim down. Has anyone raised their motor themselves? I'm thinking while it is on the trailer using a floor jack, and a 4x4 to gently raise it a hole.
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You can look it up on youtube.  lower your trailer all the way down with the wheel handle on the front.  Block up your lower unit.  Loosen your bottom two bolts, remove the top ones (Motor mount).  Start to raise your front of the trailer until the holes line up where you want them, insert your top bolts and tighten, tighten the bottom ones.  Done :)
 
20SPS said:
My cavitation plate appears to be even with the bottom of my middle tube. I still trim up to 3/4.
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It all depends on where it rides when at cruise speed trimmed properly.
 
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