Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

I am wanting tio hear from someone that has used them. The ones that have the automatic shock adjuster. I have a 18' V hull run about closed bow with 140hp outboard. It porpusses and is slow coming out. I have heard these help. Would like to know if they are a major difference. Thanks.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

I have Smart Tabs on my 2004 SeaRay 185Sport 4.3L Alpha 1, they work great, takes a few runs to get the adjustment right but when you do, bow rise is greatly reduced, on plane quicker, stay on plane at slower speeds, increases speed 2 to 4 mph, makes running in rough water a lot better and smoother, saves fuel, on my normal run from my house to the sound and back a little over a gallon per trip. The website: http://www.nauticusinc.com/
The phone number: 18002330194, call John and talk to him, there is a read on Balance and Performance on the site, you need acrobat reader to read. Good product, good customer support.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

I use them also. Would not be without them for all the reasons just mentioned. Very stable ride, excellent hole shot, and the very nice feature of being able to stay on plane at a much slower speed. Adding Smart Tabs is a good idea, but also make sure you are propped correctly and that engine height is set correctly. These are essential for proper engine performance.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

Agree with both posts. I've run them for a couple of years now and they are great. Excellent customer service as well if you have questions or problems.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

im gonna try them also. my boat does the same thing, high bow and porposing. I have heard great things about them

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

I installed a pair of Smart Tabs for a friend and he loves them. Personally I prefer helm adjustable tabs, but believe that all V-hulls should come standard with one or the other. It'll be like a new boat for you. Go for it!!!

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

A little history for why I think I need the Smart Tabs.
I have a 18' Winner closed bow V hull. It came factory with a 130 hp Chrysler 4 cyl outboard. I blew the Chrysler up. I replaced with a inline 6 cyl 140 Mercury. I think the Mercury is heavier and I think it has upset the balance of the boat. The Chrysler ran a 13 X 17 prop. The Mercury has a 13 X 19. I have a 13X17 coming for the Mercury so everything will be the same. Boat comes up slow and struggles to pull a skier. It will plane out a run fairly smooth if you are running hard. 5000 plus rpm. To try and cruise at a mid 4000 rpm it porpusses a lot. Also if Smart Tabs are the answer. Do you mount them in close to the lower unit or as far as possible out? Thanks again

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

As far out as possible. Stop thinking "hydrofoil" or you'll get thirty lashes with a wet noodle! d Go to the Nauticus web site and read the technicals!

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

Ghost said:

I have a 13X17 coming for the Mercury so everything will be the same.

Click to expand...

Although the new prop may help, everything is NOT the same . . . ever. You've got 10 more horsepower, they probably have different gear ratios and the weight is different. Forget your old setup, you don't have it anymore, you're working on a new one . . .

I would suggest:

a) Get the balance right on the boat if you can by moving some heavy stuff forward and some lighter stuff aft.

b) Get some kind of tabs anyway . . .

c) This one should probably be "a". How do you know the Merc is running properly and truly making that 140 bhp?

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

I don't know the exact HP this motor is making. I did buy it from a dealer. And after installation he ran my boat on a dyno machine and tuned it. I do not have a dyno sheet for it. However the boat will run about 6 MPH faster than it did before. It is just slow coming up and struggles to pull a skier.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

My guess is that it is running right based on your last post. You need to spend some time investigating how to find your exact wide open throttle (WOT) RPM for prop selection. That is the only way to do that task. I have not seen your other posts, so maybe you've spent some time on that over in the prop section. My concern was using your old setup for prop pitch selection. That would be a mistake.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

Goast Rider 2,
Where is your A / V Plate located in relation to the bottom of your hull? whom ever setup the Merc may have set it to low on the transom. In your post over in the props forum you eluded to the fact your motor does not rev up very fast. This leads me to question the height of the motor in not correct.

Regards,
jimmy

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

The plate is just above bottom of boat. It is within 1/4 of the old motor. I may be wrong but I think my problem is the wir=eght difference. The Merc is a 6 cyl. Also it has a big hyd pump that mounts inside at bottom of transom. My gas tank 15 gal. is in the rear, also the battery. I have noticed that as the fuel load burns off, it gets a little better. I do have a aux gas tank 6 gal. I have moved it to the bow. I am going by a couple of prop charts and advise from a tech person at iboat For my prop size. It just happens to be the same as my old Chrysler.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

Ghost Rider 2;

If you are at 5000 RPMs with the 19" pitch prop then you for sure will not want to go down to 17" if you use the Smart Tabs. Smart Tabs will allow the boat to increase speed and RPMs (about 100 to 150).

My suggestion is to install the Samrt Tabs, adjsut them to the best WOT speed (assuming you are not way over the limit) then prop to the mid range of the recommended RPMs. Make the hull as efficient as possible first. Then prop. Don't worry about the hole shot. Once the Tabs are on, there will not be a Hole to worry about. We don't do holes. Or wondows and floor either for that matter.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

Ghost, That Merc is a 300 pound motor, with the best power-to-weight ratio in history. It is therefore likely lighter than your old Chrysler, and packs much more power (if it is running properly).

If I had to guess I would suspect that either you have trimmed out the Merc too far, it is not running properly, and/or you have too much pitch in the prop.

Now, on a closed bow boat, with a light motor such as yours, trim tabs (of any kind) may not be necessary. You may find that it already runs bow down, even with the motor trimmed properly.

I recommend you check the sparl plugs to see if it is running on all six cylinders, install a 17" pitch prop to get the WOT revs to 5500 or so, and see how it performs. If that Merc is set up properly, it will out perform your old motor, by a lot!

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

I would like to thank everyone for the opions. Especially Mr.DeAgro. I figure if the president of a company will advise me on a forum site like this, I am going to buy his product. I do have both the 13X19 and a 13X17 prop. I will install the Smart Tabs and stay with the 19 prop for starters. Thanks again.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

Also as a note in a few weeks weather permitting I will go out for some test runs and will post results. I am looking forward to running my boat with the Smart Tabs.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

Chris 1956, and all others;

This is not meant to be confrontational, just information that may help everyone understand our product a bit better.

The common thinking regarding the "NEED" for trim tabs is that they help the boat plane. This is true, however it this is only one of numerous performance advantages.

Let's think about the hull of a boat and the function of the trim tabs. In short, they alter the hulls running surface while in motion. Let's say you are a boat builder, and you are designing a new 19' hull. you make a prototype boat and try out this new design. If it is not suitable, you go back to the plant and modify the hull, and you continue to do this until you are satisfied.

Trim tabs modify the hull design in route!

With Smart Tabs there is an added dimension, they are always active, and under pressure similar to the suspension system on your car. This active system provides benefits that no other system can offer. Smoother ride, better fuel economy (without trying), faster acceleration, better handling, more speed at every RPM level, lower on plane speed, etc.

I have been asked by many people over the years, "if they are so good why don't the boat companies put them on the boats at the factory"? Well starting with the 2008 model year we will be supplying OEMs as both an option and as Standard Equipment on some models.

Regardless of the type of trim tab system you use, the benefits are far more than simply helping the boat to plane. For smaller boats we think we do it better.

By the way, don't change props to improve acceleration to plane, that will simply reduce fuel economy and increase operating cost. Get the hull efficient first, then choose your prop. Also, don't go to a larger (HP) motor just to get better performance, especially at lower speeds.

Thanks for listening

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

John, I agree that trim tabs help a boat to plane faster and easier, and allow a slower planing speed. I also see how they help produce a smoother ride in rough water.

However, when I am on plane and I want my boat to go faster in smooth water, I retract the tabs all the way and trim the motor out/up until the bow rise is just short of the porpoising position, for that throttle setting. I do not see how this trim position is possible with your product.

Re: Smart Tab, Trim Tab Do you use them?

Hi Chris;

Thank you for the response. This is exactly where we differ from the helm controlled trim tabs. In order for the helm controlled trim tabs to remove the porpoising they need to be deployed at least a little. What ever thst amount is, it will likely create some resistance (drag).

Smart Tabs are pushed up by the water presure to the fully retracted position by the time the boat is at 20 MPH.
No resistance! However, they are pushing down against the water like spring on your car. This pressure tries to lift the stern which keeps the bow from popping up. In short this added suspension type control eliminates the porpoising, and you can trim out more. The ability to trim the motor without worrying about the porpoising, and the smoother ride with no increase in resistance allow for more top speed and more economy. Keep in mind that when helm controlled trim tabs are retracted they do little to lift the stern, they are simple an extension of the hull.

You are not the only one who has a hard time with this concept, but it does work. As stated above we have, after 7 years, finaly got some of the major OEMs to test Smart Tabs and they have come up with the same results.