We just bought jmc's allison grand sport with the 280 and have a couple questions. I've been out practicing in the boat and once I get to about 60mph it becomes real snakey, can't seem to get over 65mph with only two people in the boat. When we went down to Arkansas to buy the boat from Jay, he took us out and we had four people in the boat and we got to 92mph, and it didn't seem snakey at all. Any suggestions?
Another new allison owner
- Thread starter mootsb
- Start date
GFinch
Well-Known Member
Call the factory and get the little Red book. Read it a few times. You will have to learn to DRIVE the boat.
It's not like any other boat iv'e owned, have had other high performance boats, and haven't had this problem, but from what I gather it is just going to take time and practice. I am always open to suggestions though. Hey bassracer what is the red book, and where do I get it?
M-Wiggy
Active Member
If your in it by yourself, you may have to use some type of counter weight on the passenger side.
K
Kevin from FL
Guest
Sounds like you are trimming up to much for the speed you are running in comparison to the other boats you have owned that needed the extra trim to fly for the boat to get snakey at that slow of a speed. Try less trim and more gas
PS: Welcome to the Allison family.
John S
Active Member
mootsb, while I'm not going to sell myself as the most experienced pilot in this club, I can run straight and a helluva a lot faster than I used to. My fiance and buddies were terrified to get in (there used to be a lot of lords prayers before entering my rig, so I guess my rigs blessed) :lol: All these guys have given you some good info, the most important being saddle time. A guy that knows allys really well told me to cover my tach and speedo, to get the focus on the feel of it, and not what the guages are telling you. In the beginning, you aint gonna be worrying about overrevving, anyways. It worked really good at getting my attention on what the boat was doing to everyone of my inputs, and very small inputs cause pretty big reactions. Also, I marked and recorded a lot of my settings (height,trim). Whenever I would get out of shape a little, I would slowly back off without trimming, and mark the spot where the motor was at. Like Kevin said every time, I was trimmed out too much. My motor had more stripes than a zebra :shock: I didnt know about this site, so it was really just trial and error. Little by little speeds went up, and the terror factor went down. I'm being long winded, I know, but I got nothing else to do.
I've got a good story about my learning curve. The little lady and me went out for a nice day of cruisin(no scary stuff, dear, I PROMISE). Well, a guy with an stv came up on me and his buddy was giving me the go signal. We went alright, I didn't have much seat time at this point, so it got ugly early. I was counter steering, trimming in, out and the rig was all over the place, rockinandarollin :shock: :shock:! We had a good run at eachother and curled around to BS. When we got in close the guy said, "wild ride, ma...." He had a wierd look on his face, looking at my fiance and started up his motor again. I then looked over to my lovely gal, tears flowing down her face, MAD AS :evil:! She wouldn't even talk to me for the rest of the day. But I think I got the stv by a length or two!!! :twisted: :twisted:
Anyways, sorry for the rambling, but I'm bored. I had better luck when I switched to a fourblade while learning(trainingwheels ?). Hopefully, I gave you somethin.
John S
I've got a good story about my learning curve. The little lady and me went out for a nice day of cruisin(no scary stuff, dear, I PROMISE). Well, a guy with an stv came up on me and his buddy was giving me the go signal. We went alright, I didn't have much seat time at this point, so it got ugly early. I was counter steering, trimming in, out and the rig was all over the place, rockinandarollin :shock: :shock:! We had a good run at eachother and curled around to BS. When we got in close the guy said, "wild ride, ma...." He had a wierd look on his face, looking at my fiance and started up his motor again. I then looked over to my lovely gal, tears flowing down her face, MAD AS :evil:! She wouldn't even talk to me for the rest of the day. But I think I got the stv by a length or two!!! :twisted: :twisted:
Anyways, sorry for the rambling, but I'm bored. I had better luck when I switched to a fourblade while learning(trainingwheels ?). Hopefully, I gave you somethin.
John S
GFinch
Well-Known Member
Call the factory 423-983-5920 you will probably speak to Bill. Ask for the little red book/ Allison Boats Performance Handbook. Read the whole book a few times.
Page 6 Section 4. Learning to Drive My New Boat. This will get you started. If there is an Allison Owner near you they will possably take you under their wing, so to say.
There are not many Allisons out here in Ca., at least not near where I live. In other words no help.
I've only seen 4 or 5 since the mid 1980's including the one I have 1994 XB2003 that used to belong to Bill Nelson, he had a 280ss on it. I totally rerigged it and put a stock 200 Johnson on to learn to drive it. I knew from reading the book and from lurking on this site, not to over trim, don't chop the throttle and don't jack the motor too high.
It was very much a hand full at the start. Can you say CHINE WALK! Moved the engine higher. Ah thats better. Seat time and concentration to what the boat tells you. Don't fear it Respect it. If you push It, It will push you back in spades.
The grey sheep of the family.
XB2003 Johnson/sportsmaster
Thanks to Al Stoker, Wayne Taylor
A Work In Progress....
Gary
Page 6 Section 4. Learning to Drive My New Boat. This will get you started. If there is an Allison Owner near you they will possably take you under their wing, so to say.
There are not many Allisons out here in Ca., at least not near where I live. In other words no help.
I've only seen 4 or 5 since the mid 1980's including the one I have 1994 XB2003 that used to belong to Bill Nelson, he had a 280ss on it. I totally rerigged it and put a stock 200 Johnson on to learn to drive it. I knew from reading the book and from lurking on this site, not to over trim, don't chop the throttle and don't jack the motor too high.
It was very much a hand full at the start. Can you say CHINE WALK! Moved the engine higher. Ah thats better. Seat time and concentration to what the boat tells you. Don't fear it Respect it. If you push It, It will push you back in spades.
The grey sheep of the family.
XB2003 Johnson/sportsmaster
Thanks to Al Stoker, Wayne Taylor
A Work In Progress....
Gary
J
John Richied
Guest
Welcome to the board and Allison Family MootSB!
GREAT STORY John... :wink:
Thanks guys I am going to call for the little red book, your help is much appreciated! I'll keep you posted on my progress as I'm sure I will have more questions. You guys are so helpful it's nice to have this resource, and everyone is so welcoming, at first I felt like an idiot asking these questions, but it sounds like I'm not the only one who has had these problems!
Thanks Again,
Nick
Thanks Again,
Nick
J
John Richied
Guest
Nick, Just so ya know… NO ONE just jumps behind the wheel of an Allison and drives it to its full potential. I don’t care how many other “high-performance boats” they have owned.
Once you master driving an Allison its darn near impossible to get one to chine walk unless you have a setup, balance, or steering cable problem. From there on out ya just jump behind the wheel and ~GRIN~
Once you master driving an Allison its darn near impossible to get one to chine walk unless you have a setup, balance, or steering cable problem. From there on out ya just jump behind the wheel and ~GRIN~
Thanks John, that makes me feel better. I ordered the little red book yesterday and have been out every night after work to practice, I put the four blade on and it ran like crap? I'm sure it's just a matter of practice and figuring out the trim etc. Can't wait to get to the point of just sittin back and GRINNIN 8) :wink:
JMC
Member
GS
Man, wish you were a little closer Mootsb! I doesn't sound like the Trophy made things any easier. Like everyone says it just takes seat time. Lots of great guys here to help and I would bet there is an "A" owner up in your MN. area that will chime in soon.
Man, wish you were a little closer Mootsb! I doesn't sound like the Trophy made things any easier. Like everyone says it just takes seat time. Lots of great guys here to help and I would bet there is an "A" owner up in your MN. area that will chime in soon.
Welcome to The Allison Board!!mootsb said:
I'm a Newbie driver too
So I won't give you much advice, Except,,,,,, "Seat time, Seat Time, Seat Time"!! :shock: :?: Hey,,,Nobody told me about the "Little Red Book"!!!! :?:
JR
Active Member
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Grandsport
I think your handling problem is due to your engine being too low. If I forget to raise my engine up [hydraulic jackplate] then my hull teters back and forth like a mechanical bull. Try raising it up to the shaft about even with the pad and try again. I run my engine low for "slow and rough" but it has to be much higher for fast running. I also am running a ChopperII prop which seems to be about the best for this hull.
Enjoy your toy...
JR
I think your handling problem is due to your engine being too low. If I forget to raise my engine up [hydraulic jackplate] then my hull teters back and forth like a mechanical bull. Try raising it up to the shaft about even with the pad and try again. I run my engine low for "slow and rough" but it has to be much higher for fast running. I also am running a ChopperII prop which seems to be about the best for this hull.
Enjoy your toy...
JR
Hey it's me the worried girlfriend who posted about the Allison stability, that's good to know about the props, jackplate height etc. we have to just get some things figured out, I posted a message to you on my other question, we are just in Maple Grove, so maybe we could run sometime or talk shop!
Thanks for the info,
Missy and Nick
Thanks for the info,
Missy and Nick
Look at this site http://www.bassboatcentral.com/new_page_2.htm