Trimming Your Lund Boat

What is trim?

Trim is the running angle of your boat. Adjusting the trim helps you adjust to the wind and water conditions as well as optimize your performance and fuel efficiency.

To adjust your Lund’s trim, you’ll change the angle of the outboard up or down.  When you adjust the angle up, it forces the stern down and the bow up. When you adjust the angle down, it forces the stern up and the bow down.

The goal is to find the right trim to help you glide across the water smoothly or to get your boat on “plane.” Planing means your boat is riding on top of the wave that forms below your boat’s bow as it moves through the water.

Trimming 101

The best way to learn is to try it yourself following these four easy steps:

1.      Look for the trim toggle button on the motors control lever. Consult your owner’s manual if you can’t find it. Some newer boats have automatic trim systems.

2.      Start with the trim all the way down.

3.      Take off through the water, and as the bow starts to lower, stop advancing the throttle. Begin to trim up, until the bow begins to lift. As you’re learning, it’s helpful to “overtrim” just a bit. You’ll know when that happens because the bow will begin to porpoise—bounces up and down—through the water.

4.      Once you’ve overtrimmed, trim down until the bow settles. Take a moment to feel the glide of the boat and listen to the motor. Becoming familiar with how your boat feels and sounds in plane will help you find the correct trim in the future without needing to overtrim.

Why is trim tricky?

Trimming your boat correctly is all about feeling what’s right. Because so many variables can affect trim, understanding the feel of the right trim is critical to properly running your Lund Boat.

Weight

The weight of gear, passengers, and fuel will affect your trim. Where your guests are seated can have an impact as well as how much fuel you have left. That means your trim may vary over the course of your trip.

Trimming up

If your boat feels like it's working harder than it should, try trimming up to reduce drag for a smoother ride, better performance, and fuel efficiency.

Trimming down

If conditions are windy or choppy, trim down to cut through the waves more efficiently and increase stability.