A few weeks ago I purchased a 88 Rybo runner thats been neglected for a few years. So I first went through the boat from top to bottom.

After a short sea trial around the chesapeake I decided to make the run from the annapolis area through the C/D canal to OC md where it will stay the restof the year. I filled up both tanks on land prior th the trip. Boat ran great on the trip not skipping a beat, averaged 28kts and burned 116 gallon of fuel. Next day I fill up the tanks and prepared for a offshore trip with a few friends. Here are the problems that occured during the trip.
Seas were big sraight on the bow, large ground swell with 2-3 wind chop on top, blowing a solid 15knts.

1) on the way out the port motor would loose its bite, I would be just off plane say 18kts running with the motors in the 3500rpm range. That motor would be at 3500 and all off a sudden it would race up to 4500+ I would pull it back to 3000 then bring it back to 3500 and it would stay there for a few min then race back off.

My thoughts are incorrect pitch, mabe bad hub, mabe need 30" shafts.

After getting to the fishing grounds it was fine for the rest fo the trip, on the way back we ran 4200 at 24knt in a following sea and never had a issue.

2) on the way out the trottle controls would shock me every 15-20 min, put on a glove on just that side and no more shocking. No consistancy to when some time on the comming off the top some times on the bottom of the swell. Old style morse controls

Mabe short some where on the engine?

Never had a issue trolling or on the ride home

3) During the end of the day I switched to the rear tank and with in 10 min had water seperator filling with water, alarm on engine coming on. After draining the water seporator on the engines a few times and the racors and switching back to the front tank it seems to have cleared up.
Ran home on the front tank and not another issue.

Put 6 cans of Heet in the tanks this afternoonhoping to absorb the water.

Thinking mabe the vent it not installed properly and during the heavy seas and spray water wnet up the vent. No fuel in the bilge.

4) noticed a little black soot on the cowling the night before but after this trip it was very sooted around the ports on the cowling only on the port motor. Cleans right off with a sponge so Im sure its fuel.

Thanks for any help you may have it was a very disapointing first trip but it could have been worst, could have ad to call sea tow or set of a epirb.

Richard