Trim Tabs

[captras]

Has anybody tried the Nauticus Trim tabs on a larger Jetboat...23-25 foot. The reviews seem good for stern drives, and they are simple to install and relatively inexpensive...but not sure how they work with a jet boat.

Thanks

 

[Gym]

Maybe @Bruce has researched or has an opinion on these.

 

[Bruce]

Has anybody tried the Nauticus Trim tabs on a larger Jetboat...23-25 foot. The reviews seem good for stern drives, and they are simple to install and relatively inexpensive...but not sure how they work with a jet boat.

Thanks

I considered them. They are cheap but the lack of adjustment would mean that you are always trimmed too much or too little. Adjustment is important. I often run with them all the way up to remove drag on smooth days or all the way down to cut a rough wake but those setting would be too little or too much most of the time.

 

[captras]

Thanks for that.....most reviews seem to be pretty good. I thought that, by design, when you are at speed they are up do to the forces of the water. Didnt realize that they created drag all of the time. Does this affect your handling, or just your top end? And when the water is rougher, do they really make a difference?

Thanks again

 

[Ronnie]

I don't have trim tabs on my current boat bit did in a previous one. Even with controls at the dash I often forgot to adjust them and at the time the lenco controller which displayed the trim tabs' position cost almost as much as the tabs themselves.

If I were going to put trim tabs on my current boat the Volvo system would be the one I'd look at. Here is a link to a short string on it. There are links to other related strings on that site in that string and I'm sure someone on this site has them or experience with them. what I find most appealing is that they are fully adjustable from the helm and can be set to automatically trim the boat out as well. I also like that the tabs themselves don't protrude out the side much all.

http://yamahajetboaters.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=109&t=60815&p=504063&hilit=Volvo#p504063

 

[Bruce]

That was my post with the QL trim tabs for sale. They are difficult to find in the US.

I found a new old stock set. But once I started shopping for controllers I sold them as I wanted the new Mente Marine ACS Controller which was not compatible with QL trim tabs.

@captras, these are the trim tabs that I used https://jetboaters.net/threads/lectrotab-trim-tabs.71/

After three years am very happy with them. They do make a huge difference in rough water handling. I feel like that the downward edges of the tabs help keep the boat in a straight line even when they are up.

The trim tabs can decrease the top speed of the boat by perhaps 5 mph when they are fully down. I am uncertain if they decrease speed when fully up, if they do it is no more than 1 or 3 mph. But if you need the tabs you do not want to be going that fast anyway. They allow us to go faster than our bodies would otherwise agree to in rough water and to enjoy a much smoother ride on a busy day on the lake.

 

[swatski]

Thanks for that.....most reviews seem to be pretty good. I thought that, by design, when you are at speed they are up do to the forces of the water. Didnt realize that they created drag all of the time. Does this affect your handling, or just your top end? And when the water is rougher, do they really make a difference?

Thanks again

I had smart tabs on two different boats, loved them. I would compare them to car shocks. They do come up on plane, and you can adjust the push over large range. But you need a wrench.

 

[captras]

Thanks....I am very tempted to try them.....and since they will give a full refund within 30 days, really nothing to lose, except having to fill/finish all the screw holes!

 

[Bruce]

Thanks....I am very tempted to try them.....and since they will give a full refund within 30 days, really nothing to lose, except having to fill/finish all the screw holes!

How many holes are drilled for those "smart tabs"? I installed my tabs pretty permanently with the screws sealed with 5200. I believe it was 24 or more screw holes. I would not want to make that many holes in a new 242 to test something that is unlikely to work optimally.

 

[captras]

How many holes are drilled for those "smart tabs"? I installed my tabs pretty permanently with the screws sealed with 5200. I believe it was 24 or more screw holes. I would not want to make that many holes in a new 242 to test something that is unlikely to work optimally.

Yep, 8 holes per tab.....I am of the same thought....thats why I am looking for as many opinions as possible

 

[Bruce]

If you spend $500 on Lectrotab trim tabs you will have a system that is known to work well and reliably that will give you a lot more flexibility than these "smart tabs". They will build the tabs to your exact dimensions.

Bennett Sport Tabs are another good option in a similar price range http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/m80m120-sport-tab-system/

 

[captras]

If you spend $500 on Lectrotab trim tabs you will have a system that is known to work well and reliably that will give you a lot more flexibility than these "smart tabs". They will build the tabs to your exact dimensions.

Bennett Sport Tabs are another good option in a similar price range http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/m80m120-sport-tab-system/

Thanks.....Because of the characteristics of a jetboat, it really isnt that big a deal....not alot of bow lift, planes quickly, and the ride is good....just really looking for something that might help a little in rougher water. I only wanted simple solution to a problem that really isnt much of a problem.

 

[Bruce]

My thinking is the opposite. You likely create a problem by adding the "smart tabs". They are likely to provide too much tab when the water is nice and too little when it is rough.

Our boats do plane quickly removing the traditional need for trim tabs. But I do enjoy being able to plane at 14.

 

[captras]

That's why I love this forum. ..you can get all the info about an issue before you spend your money! I appreciate the input!

 

[captras]

Thanks to all for their advice on this. Based on all the info from both here and the iboats forum, it certainly looks like the best thing is to not try to fix something that isnt broke

 

[swatski]

Thanks to all for their advice on this. Based on all the info from both here and the iboats forum, it certainly looks like the best thing is to not try to fix something that isnt broke

Well..., I may have to be the first to try it then...! I'll be darned.

There is no question that for serious cruising the real tabs are the way to go.

That said, if you are constantly changing the course, and are just trying to plane at lower speed, get a little stern lift and some extra cushioning when you run into chop, the smart tabs are the way to go. Once you figure out the settings, you can just forget they are there.

I love the idea of trim tabs in general and the real thing (Lencos, Bennetts, Volvos) in particular. I would get the real thing immediately if I was boating in large bodies of water and if it was not for the fact that my style of boating would require constant adjustments, 90% of the time. In other words, if you are going from point A to point B, you want the real thing. Set it up, compensate for listing, and go, it is a beautiful thing. But if you are running in circles in a small river or lake you want something that is constantly setting and adjusting itself.

Once on plane, the smart tabs are up as they work on a threshold principle and once up don't push much, and I don't think they scrub much speed if any. I never really measured that, but it would be easy as you can unhook the actuators/gas shocks and bungee them up for testing.

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[Dean P]

Once on plane, the smart tabs are up as they work on a threshold principle and once up don't push much, and I don't think they scrub much speed if any. I never really measured that, but it would be easy as you can unhook the actuators/gas shocks and bungee them up for testing.
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Is that true...? These are springs, right? When compressed their pressure increases. If the pressure backed off, how would they help in rougher water?

I almost pulled the trigger this weekend to buy a pair. But, couldn't decide between Nauticus or Bennet. They're probably both good, just a matter of price (and adjustability).

 

[Bruce]

Set it up, compensate for listing, and go, it is a beautiful thing. But if you are running in circles in a small river or lake you want something that is constantly setting and adjusting itself.

The Mente Marine ACS (Attitude Control System) or the less expensive LectroTab Automatic Leveling Control handles all that adjustment for you http://www.lectrotab.com/products/automatic-level-control.php . Personally I do not find it useful on a lake and now use it if it were a manual control.

Once on plane, the smart tabs are up as they work on a threshold principle and once up don't push much, and I don't think they scrub much speed if any. I never really measured that, but it would be easy as you can unhook the actuators/gas shocks and bungee them up for testing.

Is that true...? These are springs, right? When compressed their pressure increases. If the pressure backed off, how would they help in rougher water?

I almost pulled the trigger this weekend to buy a pair. But, couldn't decide between Nauticus or Bennet. They're probably both good, just a matter of price (and adjustability).

With a propped boat that takes a while to get on plane I see how the smart tabs would be useful for getting on plane. I want want to be able to push the bow down to cut through waves or wake at speed. This makes the ride much more pleasant whether it is a busy day on the lake or crossing the Gulf Stream. I also want to be able to retract the tabs on smooth days. I would not want to have to use a wrench every time I wanted to adjust the tabs.

 

[swatski]

Is that true...? These are springs, right? When compressed their pressure increases. If the pressure backed off, how would they help in rougher water?

I almost pulled the trigger this weekend to buy a pair. But, couldn't decide between Nauticus or Bennet. They're probably both good, just a matter of price (and adjustability).

Yes and no. The pressure/push is no-linear as there are pressure activated valves that move nitrogen back and forth.
They really work like shocks, for all practical purposes, not just in theory. When you squeeze them by hand, what you will feel is - you need much more force to initiate the move/bend them then to hold it (in a bent position). In other words, they do not spring back like a conventional spring.
Bennetts "smart tab", on the other hand, does not have this progressive force change as they are powered by a regular steel spring. I think they call them "self-leveling" and they cost about the same as Nauticus tabs. Bennett came up with these "smart tabs" (self-leveling) because they were getting killed by the Nauticus. Their product, while probably superior in manufacturing materials (probably lasting much longer), lacks the genius design of the smart tab progressive gas actuator.
The actuators for Nauticus tabs do go bad, but are relatively cheap to replace, and you can swap them every couple of seasons to refresh.
Hope this makes sense.

EDIT: Bennett self-leveling tabs are NOT to be confused with their regular tabs, which along with Lenco are THE REAL DEAL.
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[Dean P]

Thank you, swatski. I did not know that about Nauticus Smart Tabs. For that reason theirs is the better choice. By that I mean, I want the improved hole shot but need some help in rougher water but not a ton. Tampabay can get nasty out there...



Now, back to hunting for the best price.