Bennett Trim Tabs

[Fiction]

has anyone any comments aout bennett trim tabs i have a 542f haines signature and i am looking at fitting some to give the boat a little more stability in rough water i have been advised to fit the M120 trim tabs

[ovakil]

Have them on my 22ft glass,Definitely recommend them.Once installed you only press the wrong button a couple of times:o

Cheers.

[Spiderpig]

I just installed a set on my 4.5m poly about two weeks ago. Have knocked up 100kms so far and I'm quite impressed with the ride. It is able to plane at a lower speed in the rough (stay out of the hole) and it is riding better than it ever has.

I got mine from j and h products out of the states, they took about two weeks to get here. I got the tournament tabs which include a switch thats displays how far down they are and automatically retract when the engine is switched off.

So far I am tickeled pink, I will be getting a set for my 6m tinnie now!

[Duckfish]

Go the Bennetts M120s. Got the same ones on my 565L and use them all the time.
Duckfish

[kitty_cat]

hey mate ,
all boats should have trim tabs they make a big difference in ride preformance and fuel economy.
i do a lot of work for the haines group and know the 542f quite well and are also a bennetts dealer.
i run a mobile fitout service from brisbane to the gold coast and would be happy to quote supply and fit for your boat.

give us a call or pm

wayne
mobile marine fitouts
0405405042

[Fiction]

what would you charge to fit???


hey mate ,
all boats should have trim tabs they make a big difference in ride preformance and fuel economy.
i do a lot of work for the haines group and know the 542f quite well and are also a bennetts dealer.
i run a mobile fitout service from brisbane to the gold coast and would be happy to quote supply and fit for your boat.

give us a call or pm

wayne
mobile marine fitouts
0405405042

[Fiction]

did it improve your boats stability when in rough sea at all did it stop the ducking and weaving


Go the Bennetts M120s. Got the same ones on my 565L and use them all the time.
Duckfish

[Angla]

I have a set on my 575 Outsider and it is a different boat now. Definitely a better boat handling, ride and fuel wise

Cheers
Chris

[ozscott]

Go the Bennetts M120s. Got the same ones on my 565L and use them all the time.
Duckfish

Same as mine. I fitted them easily. Ducks nuts. Cheers

[Dignity]

I was thinking of fitting a set myself to an Allison Vision 195 (with pod), but was wondering whether they would improve ride in a following sea as that is my main issue.

[neil_stessco]

I have a brand new kit sitting here in my shed, i was going to fit them to the cruisecraft but let it go. If you want make an offer on it.

[MackerelMan]

I was thinking of fitting a set myself to an Allison Vision 195 (with pod), but was wondering whether they would improve ride in a following sea as that is my main issue.

I also would like to know how they go in a following sea please if anybody knows.

[Smithy]

They shouldn't affect your ride in a following sea as you should have them fully retracted. What are your handling problems?

The only thing I do in masive seas is tab myself down into the sea a bit so that when I get picked up and get a run down the face of a swell I am leaning into the wave a bit, not down into the trough. The wind virtually does this for me anyway being a hard top as it will always lean into the wind but sometimes I have to tab out a bit of passenger weight or something.

[MackerelMan]

They shouldn't affect your ride in a following sea as you should have them fully retracted. What are your handling problems?

The only thing I do in masive seas is tab myself down into the sea a bit so that when I get picked up and get a run down the face of a swell I am leaning into the wave a bit, not down into the trough. The wind virtually does this for me anyway being a hard top as it will always lean into the wind but sometimes I have to tab out a bit of passenger weight or something.

Thanks Smithy. Not intending to hijack the thread but my boat can at times bog in the trough of a following sea before picking up the next swell. Not always but seemingly under certain wind / swell / boat speed conditions. I have often wondered if tabs will help this by keeping the stern up so to speak. Not sure if this makes sense but I would appreciate the thoughts of those with tabs.

cheers

[Spiderpig]

I also would like to know how they go in a following sea please if anybody knows.

They have definitely improved the ride in a following sea. before firring them I had to sit on about 20mph to keep on the plane and out of the hole. I can now stay on the plane at 15mph or less; i need a rough trip home to see!

[Dignity]

Smithy, ditto for Macerlmans comments

[Greg P]

Agree with Rob - rule of thumb in following seas is to back the tabs right off. I do sometimes tweak one side to lift the port or stbd side to ride through any chop on top of the swell but I keep it to a minimum. You will be able to put some tabs in if you are punching back through some crap as they will help you plane at a lower speed but too much will see you broaching coming down the swell face. If the problem is just loosing speed/rpm then you will just need to work your throttles to power through.

Cheers

Greg

[Smithy]

If you are bogging down I would fit LZ (Lazilas) foils. For the sake of $40 and 4 holes in your cav plate you might as well try. Being upward sloping unlike the Stingrays, they suffer no adverse handling effects. Stingrays etc. can turn some boats into scary beasts downsea. The LZs I have recommended to heaps of mates and they have turned some pigs into good handling boats.

[Dignity]

Smithy, the stingrays were already on the boat when I got it. I gather that murphys law will take effect and the hole placements wont be the same.

[kitty_cat]

sorry mate have finally been busy,weather has slowed things down last few weeks so had a big catch up week
$375.00 is fit up cost
cheers
wayne

[Lancair]

Ive got a set of Bennetts on my boat, but its been so damn long since I had it in the water I cant remember how well they work. :-)

They do owrk great and I agree with eveyones comments here about how good they are.

[Guido]

Got some M120's on our 575 Haines Sig. Made it a totally different boat.

Unfortunately, we had to cut holes into each swim platform even with the extra short ram...there just wasn't enough room under there. Our transom isn't square across the back either, and also had a rounded face. In the end we spent a bit of money and got some wedges glassed in to square the tabs with the direction of travel. Probably could have done it dodgy with similar results but we decided to "do it right the first time"... Was worth every dollar.

If you want, PM me your email and I'll try find some pics.

Guido

[Duckfish]

did it improve your boats stability when in rough sea at all did it stop the ducking and weaving
Hi Fiction,
Yes they did improve the boat's ride. You could trim your boat so that the boat would run level and not banging on its side especially when the wind is blowing. In head seas I'd have both down to push the bow down and have a softer ride. Wouldn't have a boat without Tabs.
Duck

[Smithy]

Dignity,

if you allready have a Stingray on and are still bogging it must just be the hull and/or motor combo and you'll probably have to live with that. Do you trim all the way to cavitation point then tuck it back in just a little? All I could suggest then in that case is the maximum hp or weight 4 stroke your boat is allowed. 4 strokes seem to have more torque about them despite all the E-Tec BS and seem to punch a sea a lot better as well as hold RPM on the way back in without racing down the front of a swell like 2 strokes do.

[Dignity]

Smithy, running a 2 stroke 150hp merc (1991 model) on an Allison Vision 195. I suspect it is the boat hull/motor combo. Putting a new motor on is not a viable option at the moment.
I raised the motor 2 holes which significantly improved the ride and gave me about another 400 rpm, the prop is a 5 blade (was already on the boat) which works really well to get her out of the hole and I don't need top end speed offshore and also uses a lot less fuel than a 3 blade I have. I need to do some work on her and test some props out thinking a 4 blade might be a better propsition but the last year has been a bit of a dog for me and I haven't been able to manage it. This year I am hoping to be able to spend more time on her and get things right. Unfortunately I now have competing priorities as the missus bought a tinnie last year and demands that I take her out in the Passage regularily, she wont go for a licence.

[spelchek]

Unfortunately I now have competing priorities as the missus bought a tinnie last year and demands that I take her out in the Passage regularily, she wont go for a licence.

Oh yeah hear you - we all know how hard it is to have a missus that insists we go fishing ...:P


BTW - very interesting thread. I've been consiodering some TT for my 4.4 side console. IS this too small a boat to make them a good idea? I've never heard of anyone putting them on a boat this size. Would love to hear from any small tinny (say under 4.6m) owners with TT's.

Also - would removal of a foil be recommended with the addition of TT's? Or would it be a case-by-case answer?

[Chimo]

Hi SC

Not exactly what your asking but Ive podded a 10 ft tinny and kept the foil on the 9.9 motor.

The pods act a bit like tabs that are in the up position when your at speed and also give bouyancy at slow speeds and when stationary. They support over 100kg so you can stand and fish off them which is handy on a ten foot boat.

I had tabs on a 5.6 tinny and they were great. i cannot see why you wouldn't get a benefit.

The only down side is the risk of over capitalization which is an oxymoron in relation to B O A T anyhow. (bring out another thousand)

Cheers
Chimo