What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

I have a '88 Sea Ray Seville 18ft boat with 135hp Mercruiser. I have 19P and 21P aluminum props. I am leaving the 21P on since my family is small (I weigh 155, wife 120, kids 35 -55 lbs) and it tops out about 40 mph with a moderate load. Not the best out of the hole but good enough for us now.

I would add the tabs for a performance boost if it would allow me to keep this boat longer (as the kids grow I can foresee the need for a bigger boat with our three boys growing). If the boat will still be inadequate when we have 5 people over 100lbs even with the Tabs I will likely skip them since I will have to replace the boat with one with more punch anyway.

Has anybody added SmartTabs to this boat or similar and what quantifiable results followed?

Re: What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

this would be the best $100.00 you spend on your boat. you will be amazed, they will get you on plane quicker, keep you on plane at slower speeds, and probably improve fuel consumption. http://www.iboats.com/Factory_Blemi...z.54646--**********.391277564--view_id.486633

this is the kind of top notch service you will get with a Nauticus Smart Tabs. Jdeagro , is the owner and inventor of them http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=305301

Re: What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

Not real sure exactly what your are expecting them to do, but they are one ofthe few products that actually do what they promise.

Increased holeshot
lower planing speed
reduced porpoising.

As mentioned above AWSOME customer service.

Re: What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

Good Morning!

I joined this forum today with the exact same question, for the exact same boat.

I run a 1986 Sea Ray Seville 186 Cuddy to & from a cabin on the ocean here on the Pacific Coast of BC. Currently running a 3 blade stainless 19P on an Alpha leg attached to a 135hp Mercruiser 3.0, fresh water cooled.

It's a commuter boat, we don't water ski, tube, etc. The boat is bottom painted (it's in the water 9 months a year). At the stern is a 15hp 2-stroke kicker on the port side, and dual batteries under the seat on the stbd side. Like most cabin commuters I carry spare prop, misc tools, gas for the kicker, porta-potti, etc.etc.etc - this is not a light boat. 4000 rpm gives me 25 mph.

However, I love the boat! It's the perfect size for my family, great in a heavy sea, and I have too much invested to change boats now.

So...looking at smarttabs. You guys here on the forum have me sold! Only question is - 60lb or 80lb actuators? I'm right on the cusp, application wise. Advice appreciated. Also, to the original poster here (who's thread I just hijacked), have you installed a set yet? How did it work out?

Last question for today...I'd like to plan a future repower upgrade. I will repost this in the engines section of the forum, but does anybody know what it would take to put a 4.3mpi in where a 3.0 exists now?

Thanks to all!

Gord.
Quarry Bay, Nelson Island, BC

Re: What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

I just installed Smarttabs SX with 60lbs actuator on my Bayliner 1750 Capri with the Mercruiser 3.0 135HP motor 3 blade 14x19 pitch prop. We ski/tube/wakeboard recreational only. Before the boat would come out of the hole sluggishly with the bow so high I would lose sight of horizon. Getting skiers up was possible but we typically off-loaded everyone except driver/watcher/skier.

I just got back yesterday from a day on the lake with 4 people on board plus gear who weighed 170,170,220,240lbs = 800lbs. The boat is rated for 850lbs max so technically I was right at the limit considering we had cooler/skis/anchor etc on-board as well. I was tentative and prepared the big guys for disappointment if the boat couldn't get them up on ski. Imagine my surprise when we put the 240 pounder out on combos who had never skied before and he got up and out of the water FIRST TRY! The boat pulled HARD and LEVEL out of the hole. He didn't stay up long but hey what do you expect from a newbie?

Hole Shot - unbelievably better, can actually trim the motor a tad up from full down now because the boat launches nearly flat.
Top speed - nearly same maybe trimming up a bit more to give the steering a more 'neutral' feeling (had to do that before as well).
Install - easy but scary drilling holes in the hull
Low speed (off plane) - drag is obvious requires more throttle higher RPM's, feels like driving "in mud".
Bow wander at low speed - almost Gone!
Turning - boat actually slides a bit more than before due to rear end riding higher out of the water but feels safe. Never spun out in hard turns the boat just dips into the turn and eventually my prop loses grip and I have to back off anyway. Considering a 4 blade prop???

Re: What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

Glad to hear it helped. I have a '96 bayliner capri 1750 and it's a bit sluggish pulling skiers as well. I was hoping tabs would help and it seems like they will. Any advice on installing them?

Re: What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

BayBoy;

You mentioned a few things in your comments that I do not like to see. You said that the top speed was nearly the same, and I assume that this means it is slower. You also said that the boat required more RPMs at higher speeds, and seened sluggish. The last thing was the prop blowout in turns. All of this indicates that you have too much lift on the stern when at or above plaining speeds (cruising).

First, do you have a hydrofoil on the motor? If you do, remove it. If not, reduce the pressure adjsutment (five adjustment hole) from where it is now (say #3) to two holes less (say #1). Then run the boat again.

Top speed should be up by 2 MPH, and no sluggish performance, and no prop blow out in turns. Keep in mind that you should be trimming the motor out to vertical.

Stay in touch!

Re: What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

No, he said more RPMS at slow speeds.

"Low speed (off plane) - drag is obvious requires more throttle higher RPM's, feels like driving "in mud". "

Re: What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

Too much stern lift at cruising speeds- reduce the pressure a bit.

Re: What will SmartTabs do for my 4cyl 18ft Sea Ray?

As John said, reduce pressure a bit, everything should be in the plus column. I have the Stainless Steel version on my 2004 SeaRay 185 with 4.3L, and after some adjusting I will say they do everything advertised. If I had another boat they would work on I would definitely buy another set they are the best investment you will ever make for your boat.