First 6 months of 2520 ownership and some specific questions

[Island Dreamer]

My 1997 2520 has been so much fun for the family! We run out to the Channel Islands to surf, spear, and fish. The engine has been running great and have had no breakdowns crossing back and forth! With every trip, I have new questions about what is normal or what is going next on the list to fix. If you have experience with these questions please just reply to the number.

1) In a following sea with short interval waves, I have my trip tabs all the way up and the outdrive is all the way down. The boat still plows in to the back of a wave after surfing down the face of another. Does anyone every trim the outdrive so the bow of the boat stays a bit higher?

2) Does the action of pounding the hull in waves every force water up thru a hull fitting and should any valves be shut off when under way? For instance, should the valve that allows the outflow of the waste water from the toilet be shut while traveling? I think I recall the bait tank on the swim step filling with water on its own when the valve was open.

3) My front starboard Wynne window is leaking. Water was collecting in a gap at the bottom of the frame then spilling out as it got full. The window is the type that can pop out at the base allowing fresh air in. I know that there is compound that is holding the window to the frame that can fail and there is a foam strip that runs the perimeter. I may not have had the wing nuts tightened enough and will test again. I'm planning on disassembling and if the compound seal looks good, is it usually that foam strip?

4) Volmeter on the dash consistently show around 13.8 volts when traveling. Two new batteries that have been getting charged with weekly use. New Icom radio showed the low battery alert a few times and the only things on were the chart plotter and radar. The next time it shows up, do I first check the volts on the batteries, and if good, then check the volts on the input wires to the back of radio?

 

[Andy]

My 1997 2520 has been so much fun for the family! We run out to the Channel Islands to surf, spear, and fish. The engine has been running great and have had no breakdowns crossing back and forth! With every trip, I have new questions about what is normal or what is going next on the list to fix. If you have experience with these questions please just reply to the number.

1) In a following sea with short interval waves, I have my trip tabs all the way up and the outdrive is all the way down. The boat still plows in to the back of a wave after surfing down the face of another. Does anyone every trim the outdrive so the bow of the boat stays a bit higher?

2) Does the action of pounding the hull in waves every force water up thru a hull fitting and should any valves be shut off when under way? For instance, should the valve that allows the outflow of the waste water from the toilet be shut while traveling? I think I recall the bait tank on the swim step filling with water on its own when the valve was open.

3) My front starboard Wynne window is leaking. Water was collecting in a gap at the bottom of the frame then spilling out as it got full. The window is the type that can pop out at the base allowing fresh air in. I know that there is compound that is holding the window to the frame that can fail and there is a foam strip that runs the perimeter. I may not have had the wing nuts tightened enough and will test again. I'm planning on disassembling and if the compound seal looks good, is it usually that foam strip?

4) Volmeter on the dash consistently show around 13.8 volts when traveling. Two new batteries that have been getting charged with weekly use. New Icom radio showed the low battery alert a few times and the only things on were the chart plotter and radar. The next time it shows up, do I first check the volts on the batteries, and if good, then check the volts on the input wires to the back of radio?

My 2-cents on #1)
We do as much as we can to keep from burying the bow; including trimming the motor 'up' to keep the bow higher; but that only works in certain, moderate sea conditions, only when we can run fast enough to keep the bow up, on plane, and that, with constant adjustments to the throttle.
Following seas are much like coming in an inlet with short-steep following seas; the tactic being to never overtake the wave in front of you. You get behind a wave, and maintain-station to that wave; follow it in. If you over-take the wave, the next wave will lift you from behind, and can/will bury your bow, and risk a 'pitch-pole'. It's similar in strong following seas. But offshore we're likely in too big a hurry to 'follow' waves. In severe following seas can't/don't run fast enough for the motor trim to be enough to keep the bow high. There have been strong following-sea conditions where we simply had to turn 180 and head back from where ever it was we came from. Inconvenient, but safer-than-sorry. There have been times, we've done the 180 and just 'hove-to', going nowhere. We also have reverted to old tactics like 'tacking'; taking the waves 45 degrees off the bow, zig-zagging back-and-forth, from long 'tacks', between the troughs. This is a better tactic for bow-seas, and is only useful/safe in wide-spread following seas. Again, it takes longer to get where you want to go, but..... still do all we can do to keep from burying the bow. Waves are not uniform, (often run in 'sevens'), and #7 might be that one bad enough to cause a 'pitch-pole'. And there is also the occasional 1/1000? rouge-wave to be aware of;... We try to avoid severe-weather/ following seas, but it seems the weather changes faster than our 'weather-people' can keep up..... When in doubt I like to follow Capt Bill's advice;
In the words of Captain Bill Bradley, "My answer to seamanship, is to avoid situations that call for it." ☺

 

[Island Dreamer]

Thank you Andy! I read in the manual that the outdrive can't be raised too high and give guidance about RPM's and how to salfey operate it when titled up. If I were to tilt it up just a small amount, is it the hydraulic rams that are giving it the stability with all that force?

 

[Brent]

Contact Wynne for assistance

 

[Andy]

Thank you Andy! I read in the manual that the outdrive can't be raised too high and give guidance about RPM's and how to salfey operate it when titled up. If I were to tilt it up just a small amount, is it the hydraulic rams that are giving it the stability with all that force?

I would not recommend running the boat, (especially when running fast) with the engine tilted up, where it is no longer in 'the guides'. (I'm not sure what else to call 'the guides', but they are clearly visible when the motor is tilted up too far). Running, at idle, with the engine 'way-up' out of 'the guides', when in very shallow water is probably ok; but yet, I still won't do it.

 

[Brent]

For Q4 Yes start checking voltages at batteries and radio. Check how the radio is wired and all crimps. Radio is probably poorly wired

 

[Andy]

Thank you Andy! I read in the manual that the outdrive can't be raised too high and give guidance about RPM's and how to salfey operate it when titled up. If I were to tilt it up just a small amount, is it the hydraulic rams that are giving it the stability with all that force?

No, it is not the hydraulic rams providing the stability.... it is 'the guides'.... Stand at the motor, and have someone else raise, and lower the motor... you will see when the motor is raised out of (and back into) 'the guides;...
I will take some pictures, and/or post a video of what I'm describing... I'm sorry, words fail me at times... I used to be, when I was a youngster, more articulate! ☺

 

[Island Dreamer]

I spoke to the customer service department today at Wynne windows and they were very helpful. I ordered some of the foam strip that goes on both sides of the windows and it will be delivered shortly. The technician said for a boat of my age (97) this is most likely the point of failure that is leading some water coming in in heavy seas. Their website is not too user-friendly for ordering anything but once they are on the phone they are extremely helpful.