Trim Tabs Yes Or No

[copie]

Hi all just wanting to know advantages/disadvantages of tim tabs. I own an older haines hunter v19r which i use offshore and in the bay. I have had several boats before larger and smaller and have to say for size i am very happy with the ride, but can it be improved. I find the haines is great when in a following sea where not as good running head on. I don't know a lot about trim tabs but i believe they can make some boats much better and others worse is this correct or not. Are all tabs adjustable hydralic/electric or are some fixed or automatic.
Thanks in advance MARK.::)

[Chimo]

Hi Mark

Have used trim tabs on a couple of boats now and found them very worthwhile. Have Lencos now, electric with no hydraulics which is very good as no leaks an easier to instal.

Even when they are not engaged ie down, they are useful as they lengthen the boat. I have not had line cut when fishing so don't findthat an issue either.

Have, in the past, even had the old hydraulic hand pump up style ones and they were still good tho hydraulic oil leaks in the boat is not kool.

Use tabs to keep the boat level esp useful into a head sea to keep the shoulder from banging ie softer ride also helps to lift the boat bum whch allows the full boat length to "work"

Check out Capt Seaweed thread too it has pics of the set up on the Vag which IMHO has improved an already good boat esp in head seas etc

Cheers
Chimo

[gofishin]

Hi Mark,
As Chimo has stated, tabs can make great boats even better, and the Seafarers are one of the better hulls to start with. As far as tabs making a boat worse, well in certain situations, possible the old style of fixed tabs and mechanical link tabs (no remote control). Good brands like Lenco, Electrotab, Bennetts etc, when the correct size tab has been installed as per manufacturers recommendations, should have no detrimental effect on ‘forward’ performance what so ever.

The QL tabs work on a slightly different principle, and (if memory serves me correctly) were claimed to be more efficient than standard ‘flat’ tabs (lift created verses drag caused). The benefit of these is that keep the transom nice and clean, without the obstruction from horizontal plates.

I will throw a newcomer in too – Minn Kota. I saw them at the Sanct Cove show, and will use them on my new boat. They are the only tab rams to carry an IP68 rating, and due to their plate design (shape), will create significantly more lift than standard flat plates (for the same drag).

The second number in the IP rating is important here, as it refers to protection against liquids. An 8 means it is protected against extended periods of immersion under pressure.
cheers

[Vitamin Sea]

G'Day Mark

Can comment on this one.

I have a V19C and have just installed a set of QL tabs on her, they have significantly softened the ride into a head sea and improved the ride on a beam and front quarter sea via being able to level the boat up ( side to side).

Tabs also allow you to trim the motor up so that it's working at maximum efficiency at all times, thus improving fuel consumption figures etc, you use the tabs to alter the planning attitude of the boat.

As you have mentioned, the Haines go well in a following sea.

As far as types go, don't think you can go wrong with Bennetts, Lenco's or Volvo's, my preference was the Volvo's.

All up, money well spent, should have put them on mine years ago.

PM me if you would like to look at the set up first hand.

Cheers

Bill

[Outsider1]

Hi copie,

hope you don't mind if I add a question or two to the thread on Tabs.

I have a Cruise Craft 580 Outsider which I keep moored (it is anti-fouled). I have thought about installing Tabs many times and reckon it would make a lot of difference, but have always hesitated because of the potential for marine growth to wreck them. Another recent thread on tabs got me thinking that a lot of moored cruisers must have tabs fitted, so they are a possibility.

Those QL tabs sound like they might be a good option in my situation. Any thoughts or experience on tabs on moored boats?

Cheers

Dave

[Vitamin Sea]

Hi copie,

hope you don't mind if I add a question or two to the thread on Tabs.

I have a Cruise Craft 580 Outsider which I keep moored (it is anti-fouled). I have thought about installing Tabs many times and reckon it would make a lot of difference, but have always hesitated because of the potential for marine growth to wreck them. Another recent thread on tabs got me thinking that a lot of moored cruisers must have tabs fitted, so they are a possibility.

Those QL tabs sound like they might be a good option in my situation. Any thoughts or experience on tabs on moored boats?

Cheers

Dave

Dave

Riviera are fitting QL's to their boats out of the factory, I think that is saying something.

Cheers

Bill

[ozbee]

trim tabs will give you a knew lease on life , just think every time that nose comes down it will cut as its true vertical not leaning on one side which happens often in any angled front on sea . quite frankly they should be standard on any v boat

[fishing111]

If you don't mind me asking VS how much did they cost, and how much to install?

[Vitamin Sea]

If you don't mind me asking VS how much did they cost, and how much to install?

$900 for the 450mm w set that I put on, which was a pretty good price.

I installed them myself

Cheers

[fishing111]

One more question VS, are there any detirimental effects in your sounder performance since installing?

[Vitamin Sea]

One more question VS, are there any detirimental effects in your sounder performance since installing?

Not at all Paul

However, I was mindful of the transducer position when I installed them, if they were close to the transducer I imagine there would be some effect.

Cheers

[copie]

Hey Bill thanks for the advice and pic's. The pic of the controls appears to have 4 positions could you explain. Is, what everyone is saying that the tabs lift the rear of the boat hence putting the front down giving more boat in the water (longer boat) and that as well as leveling the boat improves the ride. Won"t trimming the motor in do the same thing.
MARK

[PinHead]

Hi copie,

hope you don't mind if I add a question or two to the thread on Tabs.

I have a Cruise Craft 580 Outsider which I keep moored (it is anti-fouled). I have thought about installing Tabs many times and reckon it would make a lot of difference, but have always hesitated because of the potential for marine growth to wreck them. Another recent thread on tabs got me thinking that a lot of moored cruisers must have tabs fitted, so they are a possibility.

Those QL tabs sound like they might be a good option in my situation. Any thoughts or experience on tabs on moored boats?

Cheers

Dave

had Bennett electric tabs on my cruiser...the anti foul does not stay on props or tabs unless you use prop speed ( I think that is what it is called). If there was any build up on the tabs I just lay on the duckboard and gave them a clean..never had any problems with them in the 2 1/2 years I had the boat.

[OPTI]

the bigger the better.

[Vitamin Sea]

Hey Bill thanks for the advice and pic's. The pic of the controls appears to have 4 positions could you explain. Is, what everyone is saying that the tabs lift the rear of the boat hence putting the front down giving more boat in the water (longer boat) and that as well as leveling the boat improves the ride. Won"t trimming the motor in do the same thing.
MARK

Hi Mark

Yes, there are 4 positions, bow down ( top one ), bow up ( bttm one ) s'board down, port down.

Yes, to a degree trimming in does much the same, however the motor will not be running as efficiently, useing more fuel and getting less speed.

Tabs are excellent for levelling the boat, which you cannot do with the motor, and for when it gets rough, especially into a head sea.

Happy to take you for a quick blat if you would like a demo.

Cheers

[Spaniard_King]

Dave, I thought you would have engines on that boat by now :)

[FNQCairns]

Hey Bill thanks for the advice and pic's. The pic of the controls appears to have 4 positions could you explain. Is, what everyone is saying that the tabs lift the rear of the boat hence putting the front down giving more boat in the water (longer boat) and that as well as leveling the boat improves the ride. Won"t trimming the motor in do the same thing.
MARK

Yes you can do near the same thing with the motor although say it takes 15% of the available thrust directed down to achieve trim thats 15% efficiency lost to forward travel, with tabs a person can more or less keep the engines thrust parallel to the direction of travel, the tabs will trim the hull more efficiently and you reap the difference as performance or fuel economy.

cheers fnq

[Vitamin Sea]

Yes you can do near the same thing with the motor although say it takes 15% of the available thrust directed down to achieve trim thats 15% efficiency lost to forward travel, with tabs a person can more or less keep the engines thrust parallel to the direction of travel, the tabs will trim the hull more efficiently and you reap the difference as performance or fuel economy.

cheers fnq

That's what I meant to say ;D

Cheers

[OPTI]

Dave, I thought you would have engines on that boat by now :)
thats a old photo ,but yes still no engines,half way through the new dash plug and the hard top,ive got pretty much everything except engines and time,and a extra 40 grand would be handy .lol

[ozscott]

It made the ride of my 70's Seafarer Vagabond - Bennett 120 sport tabs.

Never not have tabs now on any boat around or over 16 feet I reckon

[copie]

Sounds like the jury is out on trim tabs i had better start loking a size and brand.
Thanks to everyone and special thanks to vitamim sea for the pic's and info.
MARK.

[ozscott]

yep mate..hard to decide to get them hey? The easy bits over - just have to work out which ones now...
Cheers

[rosco1974]

have a 610 makocraft with qls fitted.was a very ordinary boat without them but is an exceptional boat with them on...hope this helps

[fishing111]

I've been trying to get my head around it but I'm a little confused. Say I have a set of QL's and I have my boat motor at a parallel position for max forward thrust. Now lets also say that I have a heavy arse (bow pointing to sky) and a heavy list to port. Will tab's fix both problems without me touching my motor? It's been driving me nut's all day...I get how they can trim port to starboard and to raise the bow, but how do they lower the bow? I think I've done a real number on myself because for the life of me i'm stumped.

[Angla]

For you Paul, you may have to have a ride on a boat with tabs. They do work well and do all things the guys have said.

Ill try with some explanation

They force the water that has travelled the length of the hull to then travel in a downward thrust direction. If the boat is leaning to port, If you just move the port tab downwards then the starboard side of the boat will be forced downwards, levelling the boat. And vice versa. If you are travelling into a head sea and the waves are pushing the nose of the boat up and then you fall back down into the following depression, then pushing both tabs downwards will reduce the amount of rise in the bow, effectively giving you a longer transom. This means that the bow then does not fall so far when falling into the following depression. ie a smoother ride.

Chris

[Malcolm W]

Hi all just wanting to know advantages/disadvantages of tim tabs. I own an older haines hunter v19r which i use offshore and in the bay. I have had several boats before larger and smaller and have to say for size i am very happy with the ride, but can it be improved. I find the haines is great when in a following sea where not as good running head on. I don't know a lot about trim tabs but i believe they can make some boats much better and others worse is this correct or not. Are all tabs adjustable hydralic/electric or are some fixed or automatic.
Thanks in advance MARK.::)

Mark, heres one for the disadvantages I fitted trim tabs mainly as my 5.6 ali cc leaned to port slightly ( later fixed mostly by changing the prop and engine height ) and i found they are great for leveling the boat from port to starboard. the problem is when you drive the tabs in on the port side to level the boat it looses speed with the drag of the tab. I actually found the opposite to most of you replies and used more fuel with them ( trimming the motor had a better result for and aft ). Driving the front of the boat into the waves gave me a better ride but created more drag. I now find its easier to level the boat by adjusting the load or moving people around. But it appears most of your replies are from those with heavier and deeper v boats. Just a bit more info before you shell out the money