Your boat has been correctly balanced by the factory, but if you change the layout of any of
the components you could affect the balance. Reposition components or add weight to
regain the correct balance point.
If your boat is correctly balanced and still runs "wet" or with most of its hull length in the
water, or if it sits too low at the back, you can tune the hull to run correctly by adjusting your
prop angle (ie the Stinger drive unit) or Trim Tabs.
These two techniques are interrelated and you need to try one thing at a time to see the effect
it has. Make small changes only just a degree or two then try again to find the result.
Angling the prop up will lift the front of your boat generally resulting in less hull in the
water and faster speed. Angling the prop too high though will cause instability and the prop
may "ventilate" or spin without gripping because it's too close to the surface.
Angling the prop down will lift the back of the boat and keep more hull in the water
generally giving more stable running but with less speed.
Trying different prop angles will find the one that works best for your boat in different water
conditions. To start with, run a straightedge along the bottom of the boat projecting out the
back, and set the Stinger drive unit so the prop shaft is parallel with the straight edge.
Step 7: Trim Tab Adjusting Tips
Your boat comes with a set of Trim Tabs preinstalled on the transom. Changing the angle of
the trim tabs has a similar effect as prop angle. The best approach though is to set your prop
angle first, then adjust your tabs mainly to suit varying water conditions.
If the water is calm, you can angle the tabs up a little so they are clear of the water and not
causing any drag so giving the fastest speed. In choppy water though, you are likely to want
your boat to run with a bit more hull in the water. This gives more stability and often a faster
overall speed as the boat is running more steadily and not "bouncing" across the chop. By
angling the tabs down, you force the front of the boat to ride lower and so keep more of the
hull in the water for greater stability but some loss of speed.
Arrow Shark trim tabs have a split plate, and its best to adjust one plate on one tab, then a
plate on the other tab so you can see that you're changing both tabs by the same amount.
Then adjust the other two plates to realign with the first ones you moved. You can adjust just
one of the plates on a tab for minor changes to the ride attitude.
The power and high revs of your engine may cause the boat to run with a slight list (ie
leaning) to one side. Slightly lowering one tab (or just one tab plate) on that side will help the
boat run level.
