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I have a question for any of you guys that own a 31 Contender with the Yamaha 225 four strokes. Should I have the dealer install transom wedges while they are rigging the boat and be done with it? Also did you find that the stock props on that boat/engine package worked well with a load? Thanks in advance for your input.
My boat doesn't need wedges, but I'm not running 4 strokes. The extra weight may make a difference, especially since you won't be able to cruise at the same speeds. You may need to stick the bow down a little more to slice waves in stead of running on top.
Captain John, there's a excellent guy I know, called Fred Herman, he builds solid fiber glass wedges. They work great and you don't have to worry about electrolysis, eating up the metal ones over time. His ph.#305-667-0135
Thought the purpose of the wedges was to make up for a deficency in transom angle.
You are correct, and the 31 doesn't have that problem. With the extra weight of the 4 strokes on the back, I could potentially see that it could in effect change that transom angle by the stern sitting deeper and the bow being up a little more. I guess it's only a couple hundred pounds though. Doubt it will change the attitude that much.
Thanks to everyone for your replies. My feelings were that because of the fact that I have the heavier 4 strokes, will be cruising at the most economical and comfortable speeds when possible(slower than you guys), keep my tanks full(didn't get extra fuel capacity) and tend to carry a lot of stuff that the wedges might give me an edge right from the start. I can get this done next week when they are rigging the boat and not have to go through the process again.
I would not use the wedges in place of proper use of the trim tabs(unless they failed) but only to tweak the comfort and performance if the ride. If there is a negative to them I would like to know; but it seems that you can always just trim the engines up. I have asked the same question on another forum and will compare responses. Oh, incidently it is a new 2004 model if that makes a difference. Any feelings on the props? Thanks for your time and knowledge?
I owe a 2004 31 I am not at all un-happy with the angles that I run. Does it seem a little high in the bow yes, but no problem with the performance numbers or ride. I had a long time Contender dealer tell me that adding a piece of starboard to your tabs will work just as good if you want the bow down further.
You will enjoy the boat.
Aboibis - you apparently unaware of the transom angles on some of the Contenders. Trim tabs are used, but on some models, transom wedges are a necessity.
The idea of the wedges is to be able to run your motors in a parallel plane to the surface of the water, depending on weight and loading of some contenders that is almost impossible and maintain trim of the boat. Wedges change the relationship of the motor to the transom, it's like getting extra down trim. Trim Tabs still work like normal.
Hi everybody; I just got back from the Florida Sportsman fishing and boating show. A long way to go for a small show but it's been so depressing around here since the hurricane that I just needed to get out of Dodge. Anyway there was a rigged out 36 Contender by a south Florida charter captain who had an experience with a freinds 31 and the transom wedges. He felt that they slowed the boat down and caused it to plow too much. He didn't realize that the wedges were on until they pulled it.
With this in mind I guess I will just have to be patient and see how the boat runs with my load first. I do have the coffin box forward and depending on how much weight is in it might make difference. I'll be limited, however, in the amount of weight I can put in there because of the hydraulic lift capacity. With the 4 strokes I don't need to slow the boat down any more. If I find out that the wedges could help I'll have them put on when I get the engines serviced.
Thanks again and I'll let you know the results if I can make up my mind. John
That is 100% false. All wedges do is allow you to trim the engines down about 4-5 inches under further than the stock transom angle does. So if you don't need them and they are installed, you will never know if you did need them. The only difference will be your trim gauge will read about two bars higher at cruise trim angle because you will have to trim it up a little higher to get it to where it would be if they were not in there. It gives you the option of trimming down further. It made a huge difference on my 25 Contender with twin 225s. I would get them, since it cost virtually nothing to have them do it now vs the hassle and labor and non fatcory job if needed later. Doug at Manatee Marina(big Contender dealer here in Stuart) says he has put them on every model(singles and even a 35) with excellent results on all of them. But it is true that for whatever reason, some people don't seem to have any complaints and run just fine without them. It does not make any difference in your holeshot or speeds over around 28-30 knots. It made a huge difference on my boat when trying to stay on plane in 2-4 ft seas trying to maintain around 20-28 knots becuase this is when you would be trimmed all the way down trying to maintain a decent speed through semi sloppy conditions. Before the wedges, my motors rpms continually slipped and the rpms were not stable at all trimmed all the way down when runing through the typical Florida slop of a swell mixed into a 2-4 ft sea. If I tryed trimming up rediculous cavitation would occur(all the way down was the only option). Now the props hold on great and the difference is day and night. It is true you could just speed up, but then you have to hang on and bounce around a bunch, which is what the boat is made for. It has been tryed to have been argued that the wedges will actually allow you to get more speed since now you can mount the engines in one bolt hole higher if you choose. Mine are one higher than the factory now, which is as high as they can go. My boat has seen 56 with me a few times fully loaded and the Contender dealer says they have seen 57, which is not bad since the Contender spec sheet says theirs only went 56 with virtually nothing in it. SO maybe the tabs did get me a mph, I never really tryed it to much before the tabs. Trim Tabs do nothing to cure the cavitation issues that wedges fix. Do a search on wedges or my posts and you will have more crap than you can stand that I have posted on this. From what bolt hole to with or without wedges and everything. I've tryed it all and the wedges were the biggest improvment to my boats characteristecs I found. They haven't corroded at all either in two years anyway, no pitting or anything. I guess the engine could desintegrate just as fast as the wedges so it's a silly worry. It isn't a issue. I almost forgot, my boat porpoised at speeds over around 42 or so knots without the wedges and I say raising the engines is what almost totally eliminated that. Still does it a hair but its not an issue. Many get the wedges just to control the porpoising. i don't think the 31s have the porpoising issue as bad as the 25s, but Fred Herman told me he put wedges on 31s to eliminate porpoising when I was checking into all this and he also said at that time I was the first 25 he had heard of the complaint on. Personally I would not buy a new Contender just because of this, I'd get a SeeVee and screw the BS wedges. they work great and really isn't a issue, for the money your spending you shouldn't even have to think about this kind of crap. If your getting a Contender, get the wedges and you'll never have to worry or think about it. It makes no difference so get them.
Great reply Grin with lots of good information; just what I was looking for. I had remembered your posts before on the subject and they actually had a bearing on my questions in the first place. I was just trying to get some real world experience from the guys that own the same boat/motor package that I am buying. I had the exact same problem with my 26' Sea Vee with twin 200 HPDI's(I would still have the same set up) because of the added weight on the transom. Ariel and the guys from Sea Vee addressed the problem with larger trim tabs rather than wedges and it was solved; terrific boat. I would have bought another Sea Vee in an instant if it were not for the 14 month or so wait for a center console. I havn't been fishing in two months and I'm about to lose it. Anyway Contender is the only other boat that fits our current fishing needs so it is a done deal so I'll have to live with it. I don't beleive that the only answer to the rough stuff is to push the throttles down (Judie always gives me a look) but I am counting on this boat to span the waves better.
As a matter of fact I am buying the boat from Manatee Marina and Doug is in charge of rigging it except for the electronics,T-top, bolsters, etc. that are farmed out. Actually while not ordering a boat from Sea Vee or Yellowfin I have all the input on how it is set up. Anyway I'm getting off the subject. I will take your advice and call Doug first thing Monday and get his input. I will have to remember to ask about moving the motors up a notch.The cost of having them installed is not an issue. The hassel of having to do it later is/was as indicated earlier
Actually I got to thinking about what I was told today at the show after I posted and I think that there was too much stock taken into where the trim indicators were and I bet not compensated for. I feel that trim indicators are nothing more than a reference point and that we all run our boats by the seat of our pants based on performance and comfort. In fact the sending units on the Yamahas can and do get stuck or go bad causing faulty readings.
I am not worried about the corrosion issue of the wedges as I keep my boat on a trailer and the most it will be in the water is for one to two week trips to the Bahamas. I put 400-500 hours a year on my motors, rinse my equipment thoroughly and my zincs last for ages. By the time they need replacing all the bugs should be worked out of Yamahas new 250 four strokes and I will be ready for an upgrade... or a Sea Vee with diesel. Your reply was beneficial and informative; hopefully I won't have to go through the same ordeal. John
I tryed to edit where I used the word "tabs" where I meant "wedges". But it wouldn't let me fix it. That's the first time I've heard of a SeeVee having the problems where wedges are a possible fix. I know of a few Hydrasports with wedges and lots of Contenders. Just a intersting note. I had a 1994 25 Contender and the motors prop shaft height in relation to the hull surface was dead even and that boat had zero porpoising or cavitation issues. My 2000 25 with the engines raised all the way on the transom(highest bolt hole to raise the engines as high as they can be mounted without drillijn gnew holes)has it's prop shaft center about 5 inches lower than the running surface. And the Stainless Marine bracket on my 94 allowed the engines to be trimmed under to the max compared to the 2000s transom angle which is molded into the hull. I believe there lies the keys to the two issues: 1. Porpoising due to the props shafts angle being so much lower to the running surface lifting the boat too high at high speeds. 2. Cavitation due to not enough trim angle availability. Wedges fix the trim angle and help alot on the porpoising if you raise the engines.
Since the 31 weighs a ton more than a 25 and the extra length itself along with slightly slower top speed, the porpoising thing is not as big of an issue on the 31. But the transoms are identical and the cavitation issues in medium seas has the same possibilities. But some have the problems and some don't, it seems. Raise the engines without wedges and you will really know the definition of Cavitation. Lower the engines without wedges and you will definatly know the definition of porpoising( I tryed lowering without wedges and believe me, it was a screwup). My boat works better with wedges and raised(as high as I can go) than it did with the engines all the way down on the transom(low as they can go) in the sloppy conditions and porpoising is almost nonexistent now. Of course when I'm talking porpoising now, I'm talking about flat calm intercoastal at over 52-53 mph, you hit s small wave and the porpoising control needs attention but is controlable. In a slight chop offshore on a nice day it is non-existant, but I don't ever go that fast for more than a mile anyway. Before wedges it was porpoising at much slower speeds of about anything over 42 knots in any seas you could go that fast in comfortably. It was bad, and I think it's directly related to the engines prop shaft height that is required on the new hulls to be so much lower than the old type. The new hull is really totally different with a few things such as 7 inches more beam, huge reverse chins compared to the older one, possibly more space between the engines and the running surface(longer bracket)just a wild guess. I have studyed the bottom of this hull more than care to have. It works great now, but I was not very happy before wedges. It amazed me what the little things accomplished.
Talk about editing I must have been tired last night with that huge spacing. Sea Vee did not want to mess with wedges; it was my suggestion. They recommended two things larger trim tabs and replacing my Mercury Mirage props with Yamahas. Apparently the Mercury props cause more bow lift and the Yamaha props do the opposite or the other way around I can't remember. We opted for the larger tabs and I was expecting larger sportsman tabs made by Bennett. With a narrow beamed boat like Sea Vee and a twin engine application there is only so much tab width that you can go with, therefore length is the next thing. Sea Vee was adding some other options for me as well(very accomodating company and people) and had actually talked me out of going to a 29'. Imagine my expression when I picked up the boat and it had double rammed tabs for the 34. My first thought was I'm just a fisherman not an offshore racer. Well they solved my simular problem of falling plane at less than 27mph in sloppy headsea conditions and I didn't have to run hard and fast which is hard on my back. I don't like to bang my equipment around more than necessary either. The boat was always great in a following sea and when conditions warranted it would run like a scalded dog.
I wonder if the difference between the way other 31 Contender owners boats run could be from having the engines mounted higher or lower, load or different props. Any of you guys have thoughts on this? I sea trialed this boat light on fuel and virtually without T-top or leaning post and there wasn't any porpoising issue. Of course this boat with the 4 strokes is not is not a speed demon either. I hope that it is propped correctly for a load.
I am not worried about the corrosion issue of the wedges as I keep my boat on a trailer and the most it will be in the water is for one to two week trips to the Bahamas. I put 400-500 hours a year on my motors, rinse my equipment thoroughly and my zincs last for ages. By the time they need replacing all the bugs should be worked out of Yamahas new 250 four strokes and I will be ready for an upgrade... or a Sea Vee with diesel. Your reply was beneficial and informative; hopefully I won't have to go through the same ordeal. John
Captain John, when I had my last Contender, I had it also on a trailer, with the aluminum wedges. They still fell apart over time, when they did, I was offshore and my engine was basically half hooked on. That's why I recommened the solid fiberglass ones. But, if you going to use the regular one's, spray them down with zinc marine paint, and later paint them with a regular black paint. It helps slow down any electrolysis. It happens because the stainless screws holding the engine are in contact with the weaker aluminum material on the wedges.
31 Contender and transom wedges? 
