A Guide to Trimming Your Boat
Knowing how to trim your boat is essential. Properly adjusting your boat’s trim not only ensures a smoother ride on the water, but it also improves your fuel efficiency and overall performance. If you’re in the market for a new boat or simply need more information on boating, contact L&M Marine LLC. We are located in Stapleton, Alabama and also serve the communities of Pensacola, Florida and Mobile, Alabama.
What Does Trim Mean?
The term trim refers to the angle of the boat as it cruises through the water or, more specifically, the position of the bow as it relates to the transom. Adjusting the trim means raising or lowering the bow to ensure the boat travels smoothly on top of the water instead of struggling to push its way through. All of this is accomplished through the boat’s trim control, which adjusts the angle of the propeller shaft to the top of the water.
The Importance of Getting the Boat on Plane
Starting from a dead stop requires you to get the boat on plane, which means raising the bow out of the water. When the boat is sitting still in the water, it rests on top of the water due to buoyancy, also known as hydrostatic lift. Once you start moving, you shift from hydrostatic to hydrodynamic lift. Essentially, this means lifting most of the hull out of the water so that you’re supported by the power of the engine instead of the buoyancy of the hull. This is important as it allows the boat to sit higher on top of the water so it skims over it instead of slogging through the waves.
How to Trim a Boat
When starting from a dead stop, you should always be on negative trim to make it easier to properly get up on plane. Pressing the trim button all the way up achieves this by adjusting the propeller shaft so it points straight downward. The result is that it pushes the stern of the boat down and lifts the bow so the boat can get up on plane.
As the boat begins to gain speed, it is necessary to lower the trim level so that the stern is raised and the bow lowered. It is important to gradually trim the boat down as it reaches plane or else the bow will raise higher out of the water and block your view. Failing to adjust the trim at this point also makes it much more difficult to get the boat on plane and results in increased fuel usage.
Many new boaters struggle to understand how trim works or why it is important. Nonetheless, your trim controls are quite easy to understand. All you need to know is that pressing the trim button up raises the bow of the boat up and lowering the trim also lowers the bow. For more information, stop by L&M Marine LLC in Stapleton, Alabama, also serving Pensacola, Florida and Mobile, Alabama.