Planing-type boats that are reluctant to plane are not only fuel hogs but they also can be dangerous. When the bow of a boat rides too high, the view of the helmsman is obscured to the point where he may be unable to spot a water-soaked log or timber. The hazard can be even greater when leaving a busy harbor with heavy boat traffic. Overloading and underpowering are two reasons why some boats squat at the stern and are sluggish in getting into a planing attitude. Load placement in the boat can be another contributing factor and as simple a procedure as moving the passengers forward can work wonders to improve the performance of a craft. Trimming the boat by shifting weight, including the weight of passengers, may not, however, be the ideal solution. Guests may prefer to ride in the cockpit rather than in a forward cabin. The obvious solution to an underpowered boat that is slow to come on plane is more power, which can be costly. If the problem is primarily a matter of trim and not of power, the addition of trim tabs can help solve it.
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