Lectrotab Trim Tabs

[Bruce]

I received these in the mail yesterday and am hoping to get them installed Saturday. I reached out to http://www.lectrotab.com a few weeks ago and have been working with Dan Roberts to build a custom set of tabs that he will be turning into a Yamaha kit once we know how well they work.

I will also be using a Mente Marine ACS RP to automatically control the tabs http://www.mente-marine.com

Here are some pictures of the tabs. Hopefully I can get them installed and add additional pictures this weekend.

I was impressed with the packaging!



This is a tab and actuator. I will be installing the tabs with the "wings" pointed down.


Dan took a 12"x12" tab and bent the outer edges down to form wings which should increase the lift provided.

 

[Julian]

OperationROL has trim tabs. He likes them for boating in rougher water so he can keep the bow from bouncing....

 

[Glassman]

Bruce, if you run into any trouble feel free to give me a call. I won't help, but you can call anyway.

Seriously though, I installed the Bennett tabs shortly after I got the boat. You may find that you need a little shim to make them fit perfectly.

 

[Bruce]

I will need a shim on each actuator. Planning to cut them out of HDPE.

How the Bennett tabs work for you?

 

[Glassman]

They work splendiferously. ( I really like that word)

The shim I was referring to was placed between the hinge and the hull - a long thin piece of HDPE that helped to align the bottom of the tab plate perfectly even with the running surface of the hull. I know I have pictures somewhere.
I will find them.

 

[Bruce]

I believe the Bennett actuators had a ball type mount. The Lectorab actuators will need a shim where they mount to the swim deck and possibly a second to bring them flush with the hull. I am holding off on mounting until I have the Mente Marine controller.

 

[Glassman]

Look at the picture closely.....you will see how there is a slight step up from the running surface at the rear edge:


I placed a strip between the hinge and the boat at/in that step so that the tab's bottom surface was a smooth continuation of the hull. I really feel the difference when I jump to hyper speed.

 

[Glassman]

Another

 

[Bruce]

Great pics, Thanks. My mount will be very similar.

 

[Glassman]

The shim also helped to give it more upward angle when fully retracted (as in those shots) without it the tab is hindered by the hull/transom transition as you can see.

 

[paul075]

Some pics of my Lectrotab install on a 2012 SX210. They work great I can really push the bow down and correct for crosswind. Even with the small tabs I never use more than 1/3 of the travel in normal cruising.


P.S. No shim was needed for my install.

 

[Bruce]

Finally got around to installing them.

The up position




Down




The mount

 

[txav8r]

Nice install!

 

[cane.mba]

Out of curiosity, do the trim tabs make a difference in the shape of the wake at surfing or skiing speeds? I've been debating on adding trim tabs to help keep the bow down in rough water. The wake shape question was curiosity.

 

[Bruce]

@cane.mba, I am hoping to test the effect on the shape of the wake Memorial Day weekend. At minimum I should be able to push the bow down. I may be able to shift from side to side without moving weight.

 

[Backwash]

Looks great! We will be at houseboat all Memorial weekend with both kids. Just in case you need some wave testers.

 

[Bruce]

@Backwash, I was hoping to borrow wave testers and ballast!

 

[Backwash]

I got 1600 pounds ready to roll. We should have a small tidal wave!

 

[Bruce]

We have not tried the tabs surfing yet. But we were out in the boat three times over the Memorial Day weekend. The trim tabs have definitely made a huge difference in comfort cutting through wake and have likely helped with straight line tracking.

On Sunday night we were headed to watch fireworks when we came up beside a similar sized go fast boat that was porposing through the waves. We were going roughly the same speed on a parallel course. My wife commented about how rough that boat was riding. We were cutting through the same waves with little bow rise.

On the return trip I trimmed the bow down at a GPS indicated 16 MPH. It was dark, hundreds of boats had recently departed the fireworks, and lots of those drivers had been drinking all day. We made the entire 12 mile trip home between 16 and 18 MPH and the boat was sitting at a similar angle to where it had been on the 30+ MPH trip on the way there.

 

[__ScottyDont]

@Bruce looking at the pictures you don't appear to have any shim's. Can you confirm?