Installed Smart Tabs for wakeboarding

Rick Stephens

Admiral
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
6,118
My kid wanted to wakeboard. No problemo, right? Have a 17 foot open bow 3.0 L I/O ski boat that I stripped out and made into a wideopen 3 seat fish and ski with nice captains chairs. Installed a deck in the open bow with live well in the middle. No tower, but that can come later if he needs some air time. Kid's a serious terrain park winter skier and wakeboard should be right up his alley.

First off, no problem pulling him up. And power to spare. Not like pulling a big guy like me up on a single ski, the wakeboard pops right up. And the wake, while nothing like a true wake boat will put out, is still a couple foot roller and predictable. Problem comes with holding a speed. Boat does great once on plane up over 20 MPH. Steady as can be, just right for skiing. The boys want 17-19 MPH and THAT is kicking my butt in the driver seat. Boat comes right up to speed, then slowly over the next 30 or 40 seconds, planes out and speeds up by 5 to 8 MPH. Chop the throttle down and drops off plane and loses even more, basically a sudden slowdown to 12-14 MPH. Useless, and a lot of work for pathetic results. Makes the driver look like an idiot, to boot. (which is not all that funny when the kids are getting down on 'im :^)

So I installed a set of those plastic Nauticus Smart Tabs. I bought the version with the lever that lets me pull them up level and out of play if the wake is destroyed by the tabs.

Frankly, I am amazed. My wife thinks I bought a new boat that was made for her comfort. It is like adding shock absorbers to a one ton pickup - takes out all the bounce, porpoising and hard lean in turns. Absolutely amazing. Boat always popped in chop and now like a different boat. Smooth as silk. I didn't expect all that.

What it did do, and that I hoped it would, was pop me up on plane a LOT earlier. And I am able to hold a speed now, anything over 13 MPH I can hold steady on plane. The wake is not much different. And the other benefit, no more chine hunting at low speeds - and I troll a lot, we spend a lot of time at slow speeds.

I'm a believer. Only adjustments are all the way up and out of operation, and setting the range for the nitrogen shocks. I am still just on the middle setting there and it has been unreal.

A true wakeboard boat needs a lot more wake than I am generating. But this is now useable and and all around more comfortable boat. I am impressed.

Rick
 

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midcarolina

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 16, 2013
Messages
631
That's a great write up on trim tab performance........... when it comes to wakeboarding though do somewhat the opposite of a normal takeoff, what I mean is trim the outdrive up before taking off to avoid planing........ the boat will hold a constant speed and will throw a bigger wake, A little trial and error with the amount of trim is all that is needed.
 

Rick Stephens

Admiral
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
6,118
That's a great write up on trim tab performance........... when it comes to wakeboarding though do somewhat the opposite of a normal takeoff, what I mean is trim the outdrive up before taking off to avoid planing........ the boat will hold a constant speed and will throw a bigger wake, A little trial and error with the amount of trim is all that is needed.

I'll give it a shot. Sounds like a great idea. Thanks.

Rick
 

rallyart

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jun 7, 2008
Messages
1,175
When I had my sterndrive I'd life the trim in until up to speed and then trim up about 25% to push the stern down and create a better wake. If you do that you want as much weight in the bow as you can. It takes a while on any boat to set up what works best for the wake shape. Keep the rope at a length where there is no froth on the wake so it's easier to cross or jump from (as you probably already know). It's a lot of fun watching them progress.
Enjoy, and thanks for the review on the Smart Tabs.
 

Rick Stephens

Admiral
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
6,118
Starting out with the drive trimmed up was great. I could pretty much set the boat angle using the trim and leaving the stern deep made for a better wake. Thanks for tip rallyart and midcarolina. Worked just like you said it would. Worked even with the tabs down and dragging. Little bit different curl with the tabs dragging, but not significant. The boys have been playing with rope length, had to make some changes when I started out with such different trim. They're working it out though.

Fun stuff.

Rick
 
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richg99

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
Messages
181
Aren't Smart Tabs grand? I've had them on 3 boats and can confirm your impressive results.
 
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