boat leaning

Question
i have a 23 ft striper. i did not have it surveyed. the boat is a 2000 and was rough. I fixed it up and it is all i want as  mom and daughter fisherman. the motor is a 250 2006 suzuki 4 stroke. it has a 30 inch shaft and the dealer/shyster put it on a jack plate bracket. It leans so bad to the drivers side regardless of the weight distribution. i had it to suziki and seswirl. and blogs to see if i could get answers. no one can drive this boat but me because i have to constantly trim tilt trim tilt and trim the entire time unless the seas are flat. it is so unpleasant and scary for my passengers. was thinking of having a surveyor come and look at it. can they see if the strings are broke. all my experts say it is the 30 inch shaft and single engines list more then twins. I'm ready to sell. any clue  Brenda

Answer
Hi Brenda...Thank you for selecting the undersigned to reply to your question.

Obviously, you're extremely frustrated with the boat's performance. First of all, single engines, be it outboard, inboard, or I/O, do not cause a boat to list to one side or another when properly installed, and using a jack plate makes no difference, other than positioning the motor beyond the boat's transom. Secondly, not knowing the depth of your transom, I can't comment on whether the driveshaft is too long or too short. Regardless, the only problem you should be encountering is properly planing and remaining in that position until you reduce speed.

The next time the boat is out of the water, check the keel line for distortions/deviations. It should be straight from bow to stern. If not, and you also see bulges along the sides at or below the waterline, there could be structural problems.

Constantly using the trim/tilt sounds to me like there's an imbalance inside the boat. Check the entire bottom of the hull with a moisture meter to determine if there is water trapped between the true bilge and a sub-floor, which is not visible, nor drainable unless the hull is punctured.

If all else fails, I would consult a qualified and reliable marine surveyor who may also be a qualified naval architect to thoroughly check out the boat and guide you as to how repairs should be undertaken and at what cost.

Safe Boating
Ron