Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

[Skyrydr]

I am planning to install Nauticus Smart Tabs SX on my 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva. I was wondering if the area highlighted in red is an okay place to install them. It seems more solid than the rest of the transom (not hollow). I just want to make sure I'm not drilling into something I shouldn't.

 

[timg19]

Re: Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

I am also planing on installing smart tabs sometime soon on my 192 Captiva. Take a look at this post, they mounted them a little closer to the engine and lower.

 

[Skyrydr]

Re: Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

I am also planing on installing smart tabs sometime soon on my 192 Captiva. Take a look at this post, they mounted them a little closer to the engine and lower.

I too considered installing them in that location, but Nauticus has a picture on their website which says that location is too far inboard. That being said, I received a reply on my post in the forums on Rinker's website from a guy that mounted his in that exact location on the advice of Nauticus customer service and he said they work great.

I think ideally they should be mounted further outboard from the sterndrive, but some setups don't allow for that, in which case that would be a suitable alternative.

I'm still wondering if drilling into the location I've pictured above would be acceptable. It's definitely more solid than the surrounding areas of the transom.

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

Call me crazy, but why would you need these?

I run with both of my props, one on board and one on the out drive. I switch them depending on what I do.

I have actually learned that my whole shot prop for sports gives me a better launch and speed control and I rarely use my top end prop any more (even though I give up 4-5 MPH I get on plane much faster).

I think a lot of these gimmics are band aids for the actual problem.

Hydraulic tabs on a larger cabin cruiser help with listing and a smoother ride in heavy chop, on small runabouts they are just one more thing to create drag and force the boat onto plane by dragging the transome up.

 

[timg19]

Re: Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

Skyrydr,
One thing to keep in mind is that the hydraulics need to be mounded at the same level as the trim plate bracket. It looks like the place you have highlighted for mounting, the transom has an over hang where the top of the hydraulics would be mounted. So the top of the hydraulic would be out further then the tab bracket. According to the instructions, this would crack or destroy the tab after use (assuming you are using the SX tab). I would definitely send Nauticus that image before you mount them there. I have contacted Nauticus before and they are GREAT to deal with!

I haven't installed mine yet, but I purchased the PR500 bracket to mount the hydraulics with, so when dry docking my boat, or if I need more wake for water sports, I can easily flip them up. Something to consider before you mount, because the mounting screw positions are different between the two bracket types.

Not enuf toys,
People don't NEED them, but you usually have a better experience with them. How can you say they are bad unless you tried the tabs on your boat (or a similar boat)? Yes, the idea is to push the bow down so you plane faster (why would that be a negative) and I use them to correct a natural port side list my boat has. Smart tabs naturally go up as you plane and go faster (ie the "smart"), so at WOT, you won't have any drag (they will be almost flat). If you do have drag, your tab hydraulic has too much pressure, which at that point you need reduce the pressure or change to a lower pound hydraulic.

 

[Skyrydr]

Re: Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

timg19, yeah I thought of that. But the hydraulic actuator isn't so tall that it would mount to the upper part of the overhang. It mounts right where the transom starts to curve, but it's still able to mount flat against the hull. It doesn't look like it will be a problem. Also, I spoke to Randy Rinker at Rinker boats, and he sent me some pictures showing that is the spot where they mount normal trim tabs. I'll speak with Nuaticus just to be safe.

 

[Skyrydr]

Re: Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

Not enuf toys, I want them because I'm a pretty big guy. I'm 6 foot 2 and 280 pounds. Even with a 5.7 liter engine I had difficulty getting out of the water on skis. I've also been told that with smart tabs you can get the faster stainless steel prop for top speed and still get on plane quickly for skiing.

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

Not enuf toys,
People don't NEED them, but you usually have a better experience with them. How can you say they are bad unless you tried the tabs on your boat (or a similar boat)? Yes, the idea is to push the bow down so you plane faster (why would that be a negative) and I use them to correct a natural port side list my boat has. Smart tabs naturally go up as you plane and go faster (ie the "smart"), so at WOT, you won't have any drag (they will be almost flat). If you do have drag, your tab hydraulic has too much pressure, which at that point you need reduce the pressure or change to a lower pound hydraulic.

thanks for taking my reply out of context...I don't think they are bad, nor did I say that. I did say they are band aids for underlying issues (ie wrong prop, over loaded etc). the big boys that use tabs are controlled by the guy up front, not by changing out the pneumatic ram arms until you find "the right" one.

Rinker makes some pretty awesome hull designs especially on the captiva series (the OP's boat). I am pretty certain that a boat with that amount of dead rise, reverse chines in the hull and a 350 probably runs and handles well. I would also bet that your 220hp 4.3 runs well in your rinker...

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

Not enuf toys, I want them because I'm a pretty big guy. I'm 6 foot 2 and 280 pounds. Even with a 5.7 liter engine I had difficulty getting out of the water on skis. I've also been told that with smart tabs you can get the faster stainless steel prop for top speed and still get on plane quickly for skiing.

I had a set of hydraulic tabs on a 21 ft cuddy with a 305 (under powered as the boat was heavy). they were awesome in heavy chop and controlling list...no doubt about it. when I tried to use them out of the whole, the seemed like the drug so much trying to lift the transom while pushing the bow down that the speed of acceleration from 0 was actually slower until on plane. Yes the bow came down faster but the skier drug through slower water longer. I tried "learning" how to raise them as the bow fell which helped but became a pain. ultimately I reduced the pitch on the prop by 2 and went with a heaver cup on the trailing edge. Results? better hole shot without loosing but a couple mph on the top. as for the tabs? only used them for underway control.

I have taken that thought process on my current boat. my speed prop is a 21 pitch ss 3 blade raptor with heavy cup and rake. man does she fly with it! we have seen 60 multiple times with a few folks on board. you drag for a few seconds when trying to come out of the water on ski's and a slalom? yeah right...boat better be empty!

My sports prop is a 19 pitch ss high five. hole shot is ridicules, almost like an inboard. throttle control while running 35-40 and hammering it down to the 50's is exciting. skiing with two is easy, with one ski I have done it multiple times with 4 adults and 5 kids on board. I love the performance of this prop so much that I RARELY use my top end prop (even though I have lost around 4-5 mph).

Boats rarely do both top end and hole shot. inboards come out fast but usually run mid to high 40's (sometimes low 50's). Off shore power boats that run 100+ don't come out of the hole for crap. Find what you do the most and stick with it. Equip your rig with the proper configuration for what you do and you will be happy!

 

[timg19]

Re: Smart Tabs installation question - 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva

not enuf toys,

Sorry for taking your comment out of context. You have a point, a lot of the corrections tabs make can be corrected other ways too.

I did just install the tabs on my Captiva 192, and I must say the pros outweigh the cons in my mind. Here is what I'm seeing:

- Fantastic handling at "no-wake" speeds. I used to continually correct my direction at "no-wake" speeds, and these tabs make all the difference... this I didn't expect.

- The port side list wasn't corrected as much as I thought. It might be better as I fine tune the tabs, but might not be worth it if this is the only reason you want them. It could be the fact that my hull required me to mount them pretty far in.

- Getting on plane is instant! It is un real how fast the boat jumps up out of the water, even with skiers.

- Top end if definitely affected, like "not enuf toys" said. I'm going to play with the prop a little to and see if this will help, but he was right, there is some drag.

- Handling was improved in wake.

In my mind, as I said, the benefits were worth installing the tabs, and I would recommend them to anyone that doesn't want to fork out 1000s on finding the right prop. I did pay a little extra to get the brackets that allow me to retract the tabs, which will let me get top end speed out of the boat.