Calling NautiJohn!

Hi John, long time no talk. <br /><br />I was in this forum last spring and asked a lot of questions about your Smart Tabs, and have finally gotten motivated and purchased a set. Good news is they have helped my boat a lot - bad news is I need a little help fine tuning them.<br /><br />The boat is a Mariah 19' bowrider with a 5.7 & Volvo outdrive. I was having a lot of problems with instability and bow steer and that seems to be getting corrected with your tabs. I do however have a few questions.<br /><br />I am still losing a little top speed. My boat used to do about 54 to 56. Granted I did not stay there long because there was a lot of chine walk and I didn't like that feeling. I have the tabs set at the lighest adjustment possible now and I am only getting about 52 - but it is a smooth stable 52. <br /><br />When we talked last you told me "Use the ST1290-80 but after installation and your first trial run, you may need to reduce the pressure setting to insure that you get the maximum top speed. Since you are experiencing some instability the 80 Lb. actuators will most likely do the best job of making the boat ride smooth and handle correctly. In any event we will exchange the actuators if the adjsutment does not seem to be suficient. My guess it will be fine."<br /><br />Do you think I still need to change the actuators - or is there some other adjustment I can make first. I am actually going on vacation with the boat in a couple of weeks and will have a lot of time to play with it - so maybe I could just purchase another set of lighter ones and then return the set I don't use? <br /><br />The boat handles a lot better now. It comes up on a plane faster and I have found that I hardly need to adjust motor trim at all from cruising to starting up. Actually the boat seems to come on a plane faster now if I don't trim the motor down. Is that normal?<br /><br />Any advice/recommendations would be welcome.<br /><br />Thanks!

Re: Calling NautiJohn!

Mr Bill;<br /><br />When you say that you have adjsuted the tabs to their highest setting, if you mean highest pressure (see the manual) then this is why you are loosing top end. You are lifting the ster too much when on plane and driving the bow down. Reduce the pressure until the speed comes back. Keep in mind that you will need to trim the motor accordingly - probably out more than before.<br /><br />If you mean the highest setting being the least amount of tab deployment (this adjustment is made at the transom bracket) then you are working on the wrong adjustment. Move the transom bracket adjustment ( deployment angle) back to the middleand reduce the lift pressure as stated above.<br /><br />Since your boat has the tendency to chine walk the pressure adjustment is a bit more precise. You will need enough pressure to resist the chine walking but not so much as to reduce the speed of the boat by lifting the stern too much (and forcing the bow down). In essence you need to keep the suspension system stiff but not too stiff. Make sure you trim the motor properly.<br /><br />All bets are off if you are running a hydrofoil in conjuction with the Smart Tabs - if so - get rid of the foil and start ove with the adjsutment in the middle as stated in the directions. call if you need more assitance 800-233-0194

Re: Calling NautiJohn!

Well... I said lightest - not highest - and by that I meant setting the acuators to the setting requiring the least pressure to compress them which should reduce the lift they produce.<br /><br />No foil on this boat - I chucked that thing a year ago.<br /><br />How about the angle setting - I read in the directions that the more powerfull the boat the more initial angle needed.

Re: Calling NautiJohn!

Bill;<br /><br />We should exchange the actuators for 60 Lbs. call me at 800-233-0194.