Seacraft Explorer 400

[Josiek]

Hi,

I just recently upgraded from my 12-foot Savage Snipe with a 15hp 2 stroke merc, which the entire setup I loved, but hubby kept whingeing it was too small.

I purchased a Seacraft Explorer 400 with a near new Yamaha 25 four stroke motor.

The problem I am having is this boat is terrifying. It handles like a pig. It cavitates and wants to lean to one side or the other and it feels like it is going to flip us out.

We have tried raising the transom 25mm and 50mm, to lift the motor - no good, motor is going back down. 

We have adjusted the trim, also the little skeg/tab above the prop.

Nothing seems to work in this boat. It just wants to pull or lean to one side, and if we adjust the weight by moving sideways, it then does it on the other side. It isnt too bad at lower speeds, but I certainly can't use the motor to its full potential.

The only feedback I can find on these boats isnt too positive, and it also says that, even though the boat is rated to 30hp, a 15 is the optimum, which is a bit small for a 4mt high side tinny. Seacraft Explorer 400 reviews | ProductReview.com.au

I called Seatrail, the sellers in Adelaide, and of course he wasn't going to say it is the hull design. He reckoned the Yamaha at approx 80 kgs is too heavy for the back of the boat.  Our local boat people, both the Merc and Yamaha dealer (who sold the motor to the person I bought it off), both say it is okay.

Hubby thinks it looks like someone has had a go at tapering the keel at the stern end.

I just don't know where to go now, and I don't want to send good money after bad. 

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of this boat brand as we had never heard of them and certainly didnt expect to have this problem when buying what seemed to be a very nice boat.

thanks in advance for your help..

[ellicat]

Sounds like too much weight at the back. Try moving all the weighty items to the front.

[Josiek]

Thanks.  We are going to try moving weight around. Might put the fuel tank up the front too. 

Lots of experimenting to do.   Would one of those foils on the motor make a difference at all?

I have searched for hours on the internet for information on these boats and there is a total deficit of anything. Surely other people must own them somewhere?

cheers Jo

Edited September 11 by Josiek
adding more information

[ellicat]

1 hour ago, Josiek said:

Would one of those foils on the motor make a difference at all?

I think one would, but I'm not certain.

Another member may know, but forums are a bit slow. Hopefully, someone will chip in soon.

I can't say that I have heard of them before, but small manufacturers spring up and disappear not that infrequently. Do you know how old the hull is ?

[Rebel]

Go & see somebody who builds boats. Especially somebody that designs & builds aluminum hulls.

Good luck.

[mangajack]

From my experience with a 4.1m tinny with a 25hp I had for 18 years...Aquamaster hull - 25hp Evinrude 2st

Weight distribution is #1 - Fuel at stern, Batteries and most other heavy items forward....I had 2 x 100ah batteries forward, 1 each side for balance. Esky with 3 bags of ice and drinks etc, behind the passenger seat port side to balance my weight....this was moved forward when the decky was on board....carpet glued to bottom, 2 x strips 50mm wide stopped that moving about on the water.

Keels  are often tapered to the stern over the last 300mm of so to minimise aeration of the prop when turning...I presume that is what you are seeing.

Trim I could leave in the 2nd pin hole on this boat, but either side of that made it a wallowing pig or hard to get onto the plane.

I did a lot of open water running chasing tuna in this tub in the early years...I added a stingray foil to it to get on the plane easier ... it did get on the plane better, but destroyed the capability of chasing tuna in open water, made it an absolute pig in the slop, was better without it. In the rivers and creeks it was an improvement....I binned the foil for safety.

The vane behind the prop adjusts the amount of torque you feel on the tiller handle, nothing else...you do not wants to be fighting the tiller pulling one way when driving....adjust it so it is comfortable for your normal cruising speed....mine was flat out as normal....

After roughly 8000 hours on the old rude I upgraded to a 30hp yam 2 stroke...maybe 3kph faster and a little bit better hole shot to the plane....would I upgrade 25 to 30hp again? Not unless it really struggles getting onto the plane loaded....if you do have troubles with getting onto the plane decrease your prop pitch 1 inch, it will help.

 

[Neil Stratford]

Appears you have a lot of weight at the back ie motor , fuel,battery and possibly two people - I'd have 1 person driving , seat next to driver always free  , move the battery towards the mid ship to front end. Have the fuel tank at the rear opposite side to the driver for balance.

Any eskys bags etc stow in the mid ship area. Dont put too much weight up the front , as it will upset the balance very dramatically if not evenly distributed.Experiment with the trim pin  on  the motor till its good . I presume there's no water leaks in the hull, as water  will cause significant  balance issues if it moves from side to side  . Try motoring at higher speed with the canopy folded down . A foil may help getting u up on the plane and with stability to a small degree. Just keep in mind its not the Queen Mary , and it has a fairly sharp V , maybe a flatter bottomed hull may have suited you a bit better for stability ??

Good Luck