[grinderman]

I've seen where lots of tunnel-V boats (JH Perforance, SHoalwater, Exployer, etc.) use trim tabs on their boats. What is the advantages of them on these types of boats? Increased holes shot? performance increases? boat handling improvements? I ask because I wonder if there would be any advantage to having them on my 22' Mowdy. The way my boat is rigged with 2 - 54 qt. coolers in aluminum brackets mounted on the transom (the coolers actually hang over the transom), I end up with a more than normal rear end weight. I really don't need any shallow water performance increases or hole shot increases (thanks to a TRP), but more or less open water increases in bow attitude (i.e., drive the nose down in the rougher stuff). I've already added transom wedges (which helped some in open water but really helped hole shot!), but since a lot of these types of boats use trim tabs and I know very little about them, I'd like some advice/help from on trim tabs?

 

[BertS]

Capt Chris used his on my trip with him, to help keep one side of the boat a little higher and dryer while running crossways into heavy chop, in the open bay.....I'm sure someone else can elaborate more on them.

 

[Dutch Treat]

Tabs

Scott,

Trim tabs can help any boat. In your situation of open water running, tabs can pull the bow down or lift one side or the other to improve the ride.

Tabs should not be used to lower the bow in following seas. Too much danger of stuffing the bow.

I would have a chat with Mowdy and discuss the benefits. I am sure they have experience with tabs on their hulls.

I would not be without them.

Bob

 

[jchief]

Grinderman,

I have a 22' Blazer Bay that did not come with trim tabs. I put on Lenco 12" tabs and it has made a dramatic improvement in the way the boat handles. I am able to nose down in a chop and really smooth out the ride, stay on plane at lower rpm's, better hole shot, trim the boat so it leans in a crosswind to stay dry, etc. I will never have another boat without them.

 

[Chance]

Gotta have trim tabs

Like the guy above said tabs help any boat from a small skiffs to large offshore boats. I put some on my Pescador and have noticed the same benefits as JChief. I am especially pleased with improved hole shot, planing at low speeds and angling the bow in a cross wind to avoid any spray.

 

[Tsip]

We put the Lenco 9x11or12's on our El Pescador and immensly enjoyed the benefits. Wouldn't squat as much in the hole shot and subtracted a couple of inches from our take off depth. We were able to navigate the narrow switchbacks in the backcountry by slowing the boat to a crawl and still staying on plane with full control. In open water-heavier chop, we could put the bow down and slice through, making the ride softer.

Some of the best $$$ spent on upgrades to that boat, IMO.

Tsip

 

[grinderman]

Thanks! Sounds like they are a benefit. Any thoughts on the electric vs hydraulic?

 

[Dutch Treat]

Go with Bennett.

Bob

 

[Vinny]

What is "hole shot?"

 

[richg99]

I put Smart Tabs on my 16 ft Carolina Skiff and I couldn't be happier. I took the hydrofoil off since it only raised the engine ( therefore, putting strain on the transom plus it never stops lifting) and I'll never go back. RichG

 

[grinderman]

hole shot

What is "hole shot?"

Hole shot would be loosely defined as how fast/good you boat can take off from a stand still and get on plane (i.e, on top of the water). It is especially important to shallow water performance - i.e., can you hit the gas and take off in shallow water or does the motor/bottom of the boat dig into the bottom, be it mud or sand.

 

[Reel_Blessed II]

did you get my e-mail? I'll post it here in case you check here first:



Just saw your post on trim tabs. My brother's (Chris) boat I'm buying has trim tabs. Go to bennetttrimtabs.com and scroll down to "How easy are they to install" The boat used in the video is Chris'. He new the Bennett rep and they offered to do his tabs for free if they could use his boat as the web site model. Pretty cool. The biggest thing Chris says is setting them to where you can deflect the spray in choppy water.

 

[Tsip]

Electric tabs have a faster response, hyd. have a slower response but from what I understand better longevity. We went with the Lenco Electrics, and never had a problem over the course of the year that we had them on that boat before sellling. Our Robalo has hydraulic tabs, but in that kind of boat we were never in real need of speed adjustments, like on the El Pescador. It's a matter of choice, really.


Tsip

Hole shot is a term referring to how well your boat gets on plane, which will directly relate to take-off depth. If your boat squats during take-off, or if it stays flatter, will change how deep the water needs to be in order to get up on plane.

 

[grinderman]

Thanks again! I was looking at the Lenco tabs and saw they sell a trim indicator. Is this something needed or just a gadget? Also, does anyone have any experience on ordering Lenco tabs online? It seems some say the control switch is separate, but if you read Lenco's website, they say the kit has the switch. Help???

 

[Tsip]

We ordered the Lenco's online, from who I don't remember, and installed them ourselves. The instructions said 4-5 hours, it took us a whole Saturday out in front of the boat barn, but it wasn't too hard.

We did not have an indicator. You could time the movement by counting while having the button depressed, and get the same effect. IE, I knew that a 6-one-thousand hold on the down button was fully deployed, and 3 was half, etc. We just counted the seconds for whatever we wanted. You could hear the pitch change when it was full up or down, so it wasn't difficult to keep track of where you were.

Hope this helps,

Tsip

 

[wencketa]

Buy em on ebay.com they have some good deals sometimes.

 

[grinderman]

Anybody ever bought online from Suplus Unlimited? Website is www.surplusunlimited.com They have some of the best prices I've seen on trim tabs and other stuff. Just never actually used them yet!