Going to get the Tabs

[InmyElement]

Tabs look great..got me thinking.
Mod season is here!! 50s and 60s..this week

 

[the MfM]

I put "smart tabs" on my old I/O. Instead of an electric actuator it had a gas charged cylinder that would deploy them at low speed, then retract at high speed (due to water pressure change on the tabs themselves). Super awesome mod, boat planed so much faster, rode better in general, and I lost very little top speed. I've considered them on the AR190, but haven't really seen the need just yet.

Here's an "after installed" picture.
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Worst part. Hands down. Was drilling the holes.

Like @zipper said, chamfer the holes as you start them. I did this by running the bit backwards for the first small indention in the gelcoat, then flipping to forward and drilling the hole. I also used tape on the drill bit to mark the depth so that I didn't go too deep. I also covered the entire area with blue tape to keep shavings from spinning in a circle and scratching the gelcoat around the hole.

I put the Bennett version of smart tabs on my sons boat. Didn’t want him to have to worry about adjusting them.

The boat planes much faster and they keep the bow down even with that heavy pig hanging off the transom.

 

[PEARCE]

Following this thread. I have a feeling this may be the next upgrade.

 

[Crob83]

I'm curious how much these would help on a 195

 

[HangOutdoors]

Depends on what you are going to be boating in. All Yamaha boats, since we don't have the ability to trim our engines, can porpoise and smack on the water. If I was only doing inland lakes with 1' footers or less most of the time, I probably wouldn't bother. In the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair, for me, they should be a game changer, as many have indicated. 1'-3'+ and boat chop everywhere in certain areas it get very uncomfortable a lot of the time and I have to come off of plane. You can go from a calm area into rough water very quickly. Makes running on somedays suck. It is better to cut through the waves a bit then launch over them. We still have managed but definitely want to smooth out the ride.

 

[2kwik4u]

I'm curious how much these would help on a 195

I've thought about trying them on my 190, but don't ever run in water that's choppy enough to be an issue. A BIG wave day might get 1 ft random period wakes from other boaters, but nothing like you big lake guys see.

Loved the smart tabs on my old Rinker. They made the ride a bit smoother, and completely eliminated porpoising. I could run and launch with any trim setting I wanted and the boat was just nice and flat the whole time.

Those small tabs on my Rinker completely destroyed the shape of the wake though. I had "trolling tabs" mounted on mine, but used them "upside down" to allow the tabs to be fully retracted when we wanted a clean wake.

 

[haknslash]

When I had my 192 I would have liked them. It wasn’t an issue on our smaller less populated lakes but once we moved to a larger lake the 192 had issues providing a smooth or dry ride. Our lake isn’t as massive as the Great Lakes or anything lol but it is a very busy lake, especially the past year or two. My 192 would get tossed like a rag doll from all the chop and swells created from all the boat traffic and big ass cruisers. It made for really slow and careful piloting the boat some days. When we switched to the wake boat I never realized just how much nicer it is to have a trim tab system. On choppy days I’ll run 75% or so center tab to push the bow down. On really rough days I’ll fill the bow.center ballast bag and use 100% tab. The difference in rough water ride is night and day. I’ll never have another boat without tabs.

Here’s an older video that Jin shot when he installed his 12x12 tabs on his then SX240 before the Bimini trip. Gives you a good idea how much the bow can be pushed down.

 

[Crob83]

All good points. I live in Indiana so our lakes are smaller but they get busy and choppy. Will be going to Norris a lot this summer since I bought some land down there. Also Lake Monroe is pretty damn choppy up here on the weekends. Thanks for all the input

 

[RobbieO]

I have a post on the install that links to this google document. I took the boat out yesterday for the first sea trial. I am happy with it.

Mark

OMG....Great install and finished product. I do not have the coconuts to drill into my boat, for anything. Nice work

 

[Quad]

Tabs Came in today, very nicely packaged. Took 4 days and it was UPS Ground. Fantastic experience working with Russ at LectroTab. Putting the drill batteries on the charger and getting ready!

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I spent the afternoon trying to decide between the SLC and the ALC. The drawing of the SLC shows different connections that seem less secure but I haven’t seen photos. Would you mind uploading a pic of the terminals on the back?

 

[HangOutdoors]

 

[Quad]

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Thanks a ton! So that confirms what I had thought - I will need to crimp connectors onto every wire connecting to the terminals on the controller.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Thinking about mounting here. Any thoughts?

 

[Quad]

Thinking about mounting here. Any thoughts?
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I’ve been deliberating there vs where @Markwest installed his (above the Connext control knob). I stand often while piloting so up high might bake more sense for me but I’m waiting until the boat is back in my driveway to get a feel for it; I feel like above the binnacle, like you’re showing, would be preferable.

 

[NewBoater]

Thinking about mounting here. Any thoughts?
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That would look good in my opinion

 

[haknslash]

Hmmm if it were my boat I might try to mount it where the NWM switch is and then relocate that somewhere else, possibly were that hump is on the binnacle housing near those rectangular knockouts are.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Thats a good idea.

 

[haknslash]

Another place to possibly put the trim tab controller would be where that warning sticker is just below your hand although it may be difficult to see the LEDs at that angle depending on direct sunlight or not.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Cut the hole for tabs. Settled on this place, so I can keep the dash sort of stockish. Also I am going to add a RAM mount for phone/tablet in the higher position.

 

[Crob83]

Cut the hole for tabs. Settled on this place, so I can keep the dash sort of stockish. Also I am going to add a RAM mount for phone/tablet in the higher position.

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If you don't mind me asking, what happened to the falangi