Re: Smart tabs install on Q6
Hi,
I have a 2011 Q7i and wonder if I am really in need of these tabs or not. Did you notice an immediate handling difference besides the porposing? I believe we have the same motor in our boats...and mine is just barely broken in. I believe we had the boat to about 58 MPH (not on GPS) which I thought was great! Mine has a 3 blade stainless prop. Do these tabs help get a skier out of the water easier? Thanks for your instructions...they look pretty easy to install. I am in Vacaville and regularly go to Lake Berryessa for boating as well as Sly Park and Union Valley Reservoir.
I had a Q7 prior to my current Monterey. If I had known how much of a differance they made it would have been the first thing I did to my Q7. I installed them on my Monterey 214FS, and that hull is vastly better in rough water to the Q7. HOWEVER, even with as well as it already handled rough water it made such a huge differance. The Monterey is a much heavier boat than the Q7, and the Q7 had a 5.7, and my Monterey has a 5.0 EFI. The Q7 lept out of the water, but was a rough ride. I had to slow down for all wakes so my wife didnt yell at me. The Monterey is sluggish to get out of the water, but was nice on rough water. It had a tendancy to porpoise after going through wakes, and I still had to slow down for some wakes.
With the tabs, I no longer have to slow down for any wake. It is smooth. No more porpoising at all. It doesnt leap out of the water, but it is about as perfectly even as can be. The bow does not come up at all and the tabs shaved the planing time to half of before.
As far as skiing, I am not sure. We just installed them and it has been too cold for skiing. Most people report a slight drop in top end. I actually gained about 3mph according to the GPS, and that was on rough water. We tested before the tabs on a smooth lake. I will tell you that at full throttle, completely trimmed up, I get a small rooster tail. The trim tabs put off a bit of wake themselves.
Overall, we are very very happy with the performance. We had the Q7 for about 6 years and had I known how big a differance these made, I probably would not have sold it. I only sold it because of how rough it was. There was nothing else wrong wrong with it at all. We loved the boat. But, live and learn.