TRIM TABS knowledge required

[screaming reels]

g'day guy's, when do you feel a boat requires trim tabs, ? 1/do you still control trim with outboard or trim tabs. 2/do trim tabs add to stability at rest. 3/how far off centre v is it best to mount trim tabs .4/saw some trim tabs with rolled over edges(10-15mm) are they better than the flat type. 5/ what are a good reliable type of trim tabs to purchase. thanks Brent

[Blackened]

G'day

1: control trim with outboard, tabs are to make the boat ride level, and for added trim.

2: They do not offer stability at rest

3: Depends on the boat

4: Not sure, but each design has its own merits

5: Bennetts have a good rep, as do the new ones of which the name escapes me, but they work on a different principal, with the tab itself extending vertically down, to add drag to that side of the boat when required

Dave

[Shanoss]

First of all, how big is your boat? You can control trim with either or both. As for positioning, it depends on your planing strakes. I've just taken off a set of the old hand pump hydraulic type off my boat and am currently in the process of setting up some Lenco tabs. Dont know about the rolled over edges, i thing the lenco have a slight kick on the edges but thats about it. I can say that trim tabs make a big difference in the way your boat will handle a bit of chop. depending on size and material..

Shane

[Fatenhappy]

Generally tabs only really kick into being useful for boats getting on towards the five and a half to six metre mark as you probably know .... so,

1. /do you still control trim with outboard or trim tabs.
Normally just trim the boat as normal with the engine then trim for list with the appropriate tab for the condition. Having said that if you have a beam on condition etc a little bit of tab is very good, particularly if wanting to maintain speed.... (within reason)

2/do trim tabs add to stability at rest.

No not at all, you have to have forward momentum passing the tab to effect any change in attitude

3/how far off centre v is it best to mount trim tabs .

Preffereablly set them as wide as possible so that minimum change on the tab effcts the maximum reaction

4/saw some trim tabs with rolled over edges(10-15mm) are they better than the flat type.

They act the same way that winglets do on modern aircraft in that they artificially lengthen the area being presented to the draft going past the area. More often than not they are used on performance boats and are excellent for craft that have limited area to fit the normal sized tabs

5/ what are a good reliable type of trim tabs to purchase.

My choice have always been Bennett tabs but Lenco are every bit as good

If you have a look at Bennett.com (America) they have the good oil on size and fitment for each size of boat. You can get onto the US sites for an import at probably half what you will pay here and they are exactly the same item.

As an example I wanted a set of NMEA 2000 compliant trim tab indicators that would give me their position via my Lowrance sounder. I was told everything here from no they are not made to the technology hasn't been properly developed yet for your unit (and part of that was from Lowrance Aust) dispite the information being right there on the Bennet US web site.

Sourced them from the US, landed here at my door for $314 AUD with the next best local price and not the same technology for just over $700

Cheers
Greg

[Bonus]

The three main brands are Bennetts(hydrauilic rams), Lenco(electric rams) and Volvo(electric). I asked some of the competition reef fishermen that I know and they came up with Bennetts and I fitted the 120 sportstabs to my 6.3 metre plate. Bennetts have the turndown you are referring to and work perfectly. They should be placed as far from the keel as possible inside the planing chine and the same distance from the keel. Fitting instructions come with them. Fitting can be a problem if there are things in the way so can you post a picture of the stern of your boat? I paid $800 for mine at Bias Boating. Russ

[snelly1971]

First of all, how big is your boat? You can control trim with either or both. As for positioning, it depends on your planing strakes. I've just taken off a set of the old hand pump hydraulic type off my boat and am currently in the process of setting up some Lenco tabs. Dont know about the rolled over edges, i thing the lenco have a slight kick on the edges but thats about it. I can say that trim tabs make a big difference in the way your boat will handle a bit of chop. depending on size and material..

Shane

Have the same ones on my Tri Hull Shane, they do roll the edges up about 25 mm....they work a treat, mine are probably a tad small for the size of my boat, I would personally like to try the Volvo QL tabs

Cheers Mick

[mirage]

Had some Volvo Penta QL tabs on my last boat. They were excellent, easy to fit, easy to use and alledgedly are more efficient than the conventional tabs.
Cheers. Scotty.

[ozscott]

Traditional tabs such as Bennetts provide some stability at rest when in the water because they increase resistance to rolling when you move from one side of the boat to the other...

[screaming reels]

thanks guys, some valuable info posted, i have a 580sl haines hunter 175hp do you think they will be money worth spent ? do have a high canopy setup which creates windage and will be checking out both bennetts and lenco brands

[ozscott]

absolutely - see the "thehulltruth.com" website and look at the Tabman page and you will see customer support has a new meaning with Bennett...seriously worth a good read. You can e-mail tabman with a photo and dimensions of your transom and he will recommend the best fit...the Bennetts were dead easy to install on my Vagabond and the instructions were excellent.

Cheers

[John Buoy]

thanks guys, some valuable info posted, i have a 580sl haines hunter 175hp do you think they will be money worth spent ? do have a high canopy setup which creates windage and will be checking out both bennetts and lenco brands

Here you go as mentioned heaps cheaper from US

Wont get much cheaper than these

http://www.#############.com/_e/dept/12-003-003/Bennett_Trim_Tabs-2-0.htm

I would look at the Tournament 8x10 for your rig well worth it ;)

Regards Frank

[screaming reels]

g'day JB,mate do you have to pay any import duty,what would be shiping cost for a set of tabs

[Fatenhappy]

No import duties on tabs and the like re the free trade thing with the US.

I have brought a set of lowrance trim tab indicators in, a sounder, a radar, a search lite, a mount for the search light and now a hatch is on its way as well all without any duties due to the free trade thing with the US.

Got to be happy with that :-*

Cheers
Greg

[mangomick]

screaming reels if the 580sl is like the 560 sf then it can be a little frisky at rest. If you fit them and they do help give you stability at rest can you PM us and let us know
Thanks mate

[screaming reels]

g'day mangomick, mate will do but give me time thinking about importing some from the US and maybe adding a few more things to my shopping list.

[supervee]

where did you source your trim tabs from

[John Buoy]

g'day JB,mate do you have to pay any import duty,what would be shiping cost for a set of tabs

No taxes on most items under $1000 Aus

If you go the Bennet 8x10 Tournament
With Rocker switch $440US
Shipping $120US

Total $560US
Australian Dollars $610Aus at todays rate ;)

You would be hard pressed to buy one here under 1k
Gees should have been a salesman regards Frank ;D

[ovakil]

Here you go as mentioned heaps cheaper from US

Wont get much cheaper than these

http://www.#############.com/_e/dept/12-003-003/Bennett_Trim_Tabs-2-0.htm

I would look at the Tournament 8x10 for your rig well worth it ;)

Regards Frank
I looked at this site & got a price from boat bias,for the sports tab M120 kit is Aus $750,Us $440 = Aus $500 approx.What would be the taxes on them importing them as well as freight.Not sure if you would save that much :-/

[John Buoy]

No import taxes Ovakil and the U.S ones incl the rocker switch with there kit!
Dont forget to add postage for local and interstate del too!
Have seen at marine direct without the switch for $799 couldn't find them on Bias do you have the link

regards Frank

[ovakil]

I was talking to them couple of weeks ago about price.At the time I'm sure rocker switch was included.
Can't find them on website but they are on page 40 of there catalogue.It shows Sports tab M120,package with Euro style rocker switch,Hydraulic power unit,Trim tabs & actuators,$799

[John Buoy]

Thanks add delivery to $799 and the us price becomes $200 cheaper
beter in my pocket than there's.

Regards Frank

[Lewy]

I,m looking at Smart tabs to try and correct porpoising, haven't found anything bad about them on the net. No controls required and Ok on smaller boats

Regards

Lewy