Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

2020 20VTX Leans toward Starboard


Henry1

Recommended Posts

Is this normal and/or acceptable for a brand new boat? Read below...

We just purchased a 2020 Malibu 20 VTX and love it!

Except... it has a definite lean toward starboard flat on water and gets worse at 30mph.

I used my phone app bubble level to measure a 2 degree lean toward starboard. This is after we removed all the extra weight in storage compartments, fully drained bilge and ballast tanks and no people in boat(empty). Engine off and sitting on flat water. Extras at the helm are a subwoofer but otherwise stock for this model.

What is acceptable lean on a new boat like this direct from the factory? Should it have come counterbalanced to level, if there is more starboard weight?

The dealer rep says a lean like this on our boat can be normal but the VTX we test drove last fall was perfectly level.

Thanks in advance for all input!

 

 

Link to comment
ahopkins22LSV

In our 2020 I have no noticed a lean sitting. However I’ve only been in the boat once just by myself, and never got out of the boat to check. With just one person there is definitely a lean to the starboard. That is common for any boat out there. 
 

At speed, the lean is mainly due to the prop rotation. Even responses need proper weight (human or lead) to offset the prop rotation and driver weight. That is why you see so many people running lead in a response and in our boats. The 15” prop is moving a lot of water for a 20’ boat. I stashed 100lbs or lead in the observer storage compartment. With just me or another driver it will require a bit more lead to fully offset. 
 

Personally I’d recheck the lean sitting with a real level. I’ll try to do an eyeball check the next time I’m out by myself too, but I’m not taking that lead out of the observers storage area so if it’s level I could have a lean too. 
 

Link to comment

Any v drive will slightly lean to starboard when at speed because of prop rotation. 
But sitting still it should be level. I would begin checking that all ballast bags are completely drained and don’t have some water stuck in the sub floor. 

Link to comment

Our Am. Skier listed with just the driver; about 80 lbs. in the bow storage just in front of the windshield fixed it.  

Edited by jjackkrash
Link to comment

Thanks for the reply!

With me at the helm I filled the port fat sack to 75% to level the boat. I think a full fat sack was something like 500lbs, so 75% makes it 375lbs. I weigh 190lbs so it is taking approximately 185lbs to level our boat, engine off, flat water.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...