R30 Leans to the Starboard side

(R3-R8, R30, R35)
Post Reply
MBSOB
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2021 7:34 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by MBSOB »

Hey team. So I have a 2022 R30. I have been using it for a few months now (and love it) but it’s been bugging me that when it sits at the dock it always leans slightly to the starboard side. Looking at the back at the waterline, it appears to consistently lean about 1-2 inches lower in the water to the SB side. Is this normal? There is another 2022 R30 nearby me in the marina and it looks similar. Most boats however seem to sit even when at rest. Trying to decide if I care about this. It’s annoying but maybe I’m being picky. I attached pics of the port and starboard side from the stern so you can see what I’m ruminating over. Thoughts?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Matts19
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:35 am
Location: Tennessee
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by Matts19 »

There is probably something heavy located on the starboard side that is causing the boat to list. Could be batteries, fresh water tank, etc. Assuming that is the case, I don't see how you could correct this without adding weight to the port side. FWIW, our CS23 lists to the port side presumably because both batteries are located in the rear port corner.
2022 CS23 Volvo 280/DP
User avatar
stifflkd
Captain
Captain
Posts: 362
Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2020 9:29 pm
Location: Brick, NJ
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by stifflkd »

You must have some monster engines in there. From the pictures it looks like the transom is sitting pretty low in general. First thing I would guess is water in the bilge but it sounds like that is not the issue. I can't imagine how much weight to one side could be needed to cause a 30' boat to lean like that. Any tanks should straddle the keel.
2021 R5 Shale/Ebony
VP 5.3L 350
"$TSLA"
dentech
Ensign
Ensign
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2020 8:16 am
Location: Table Rock lake
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by dentech »

Our 2021 R30 does not list at all while at rest. Adding fresh water and/or fuel onboard does not affect it either. It seems to me that your transom ( both sides) does sit a bit lower than ours. Do you have the 430's by any chance? VP 350's here.
2021 R30
Table Rock Lake
MBSOB
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2021 7:34 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by MBSOB »

Twin Merc 350s
MBSOB
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2021 7:34 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by MBSOB »

I suspect the 6.2 L twin 350s explains why my boat rides somewhat low in the back. They are huge. It doesn’t explain why it leans to one side a little bit. My dealer agrees that it looks a little weird leaning that way and he’s going to send some photographs to Cobalt To see what they think.
trs23
Commander
Commander
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 8:31 am
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by trs23 »

There is storage in front of the helm, do you have anything heavy in there?
BIGGUSBLOCKUS
Captain
Captain
Posts: 237
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2017 3:34 pm
Location: Iowa & LOTO 32 Mile Marker
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by BIGGUSBLOCKUS »

Table storage is on the starboard side in the engine compartment, might try removing it to see if it helps. Freshwater tank is actually more to the port side of the boat. Maybe try filling your freshwater tank. My R30 lays perfectly flat in the water. 430/380/350 all small block GM..should not make any difference in weight.
2018 Cobalt R30 Twin Volvo 380 w joystick and hard top.
1965 Corvette 396CI/425HP Convertible
MBSOB
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2021 7:34 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by MBSOB »

There is really nothing unusual stored in any particular location on the boat. I was hoping somebody would reply with a “this is common and here’s why” sort of a response. Seems not to be the case. Appreciate all the feedback. Dealer sending pics to cobalt to see what they think. #f’nboats!
sailor55330
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Posts: 1268
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 4:37 pm
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by sailor55330 »

That's a definite difference. I've never been around an R30 in person, but the smaller R's don't sit that way, so I would assume yours shouldn't either. Definitly not water in the bilge as that would go go via gravity to the lowest point, which is the center of the boat. I'm guessing it woudl take a couple hundred pounds to set the boat down like that, as if a person were standing on the corner of the swim platform.

Is there any chance there is water intrusion and the fiberglass is saturated? If you keep in in the water, could it be blisters allowing osmosis? Just a thought.

One other random thought--looking at your dock line, it's pretty tight. Try loosening it to let the boat float a little more freely and see if that corrects it. It is possibe that you are pulling that side down if you have it moored off too tight, especially if the dock cleat is lower than the boat cleat.

Let us know what you find out.
ColbatR8PNW
Ensign
Ensign
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:35 pm
Location: WA
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by ColbatR8PNW »

My Cobalt R8 lists to the port side quite a bit, roughly 400lbs on the starboard side will balance the list. Cobalt and the dealer have been round and round figuring it out, they tried moving the batteries, it still lists. Any update on your R30?
User avatar
AsLan7
Fleet Admiral
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 11454
Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2017 10:58 am
Location: Erie PA
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by AsLan7 »

ColbatR8PNW wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 6:34 pm My Cobalt R8 lists to the port side quite a bit, roughly 400lbs on the starboard side will balance the list. Cobalt and the dealer have been round and round figuring it out, they tried moving the batteries, it still lists. Any update on your R30?
.
So glad you found us CR8….

Any pics of this?

And welcome aboard mate.

.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
2002 Cobalt 262
&
2005 Cobalt 263
496 MagHO
(sold )
Erie, PA
Currently boatless (for now)
will fly for food

(CChat moderator)
Paul275
Commander
Commander
Posts: 66
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2020 2:00 pm
Location: Connecticut Coast
Contact:

Re: R30 Leans to the Starboard side

Post by Paul275 »

MBSOB wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 8:06 am I suspect the 6.2 L twin 350s explains why my boat rides somewhat low in the back. They are huge. It doesn’t explain why it leans to one side a little bit. My dealer agrees that it looks a little weird leaning that way and he’s going to send some photographs to Cobalt To see what they think.
My 296 with twin 377s sits low in back too. Have not noticed any significant lean to either side while at the dock, and we run around with a lot of stuff. Check the load distribution.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests