Pro Troller Smart Tabs

sublauxation

Lieutenant
Joined
Oct 13, 2008
Messages
1,317
I've heard a lot of good about Smart Tabs but I've never seen anybody discussing the trolling tabs. I have an 18 foot aluminum boat with a 90hp that trolls a little fast. I refuse to bolt anything on to my outboard, I'd rather put holes in my boat. Anybody have any experience with these?

I'm a little concerned about running out of room on the transom for my transducer and speedo pick up tube (guess I could get rid of the speedo), and that they will be in the way when getting into or out of the boat from the back when pulling skiers.

Also, do they act like regular trim tabs when not used for braking?
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,465
Re: Pro Troller Smart Tabs

Ayuh,...I run Bennetts, But I talked to John, at length about those tabs before he came out with 'em...

Maybe John 'll stop by, 'n explain his design theorys, 'n how they work...

The Idea, as I understand it, is they deploy more vertical than the standard tabs,...
They may be larger than the standards, I'm not sure...But that was a point of that long ago conversation...
 

donnymac

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
99
Re: Pro Troller Smart Tabs

How 'bout a little 5 hp 4 stroke mounted beside the main motor?
 

sublauxation

Lieutenant
Joined
Oct 13, 2008
Messages
1,317
Re: Pro Troller Smart Tabs

I have a kicker bracket, and while I love that idea I don't think my pocket book and wife would appreciate it (maybe if I painted it camo she wouldn't notice). The post below me had somebody asking about a trolling plate which got me thinking about the tabs, I looked into them a bit last fall but I guess winter got in the way. I'm just surprised that there are no posts about the trim tabs them here.
 

Ernest T

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 29, 2009
Messages
367
Re: Pro Troller Smart Tabs

I've heard a lot of good about Smart Tabs but I've never seen anybody discussing the trolling tabs. I have an 18 foot aluminum boat with a 90hp that trolls a little fast. I refuse to bolt anything on to my outboard, I'd rather put holes in my boat. Anybody have any experience with these?

I'm a little concerned about running out of room on the transom for my transducer and speedo pick up tube (guess I could get rid of the speedo), and that they will be in the way when getting into or out of the boat from the back when pulling skiers.

Also, do they act like regular trim tabs when not used for braking?

I got the protrollers on my boat with the smart tabs, but I use them to retract the tabs out of the way of the fork lift blades at my marina instead of trolling brakes. You just flip them over when you mount them to work them like trolling brakes. Basically with the protroller in the "up" position the trim tabs will be in the normal position to act as trim tabs. When you flip them down, they drop the tabs another 20 degrees or so into the water to act as trolling brakes. Once they are mounted like this you do not have the option to lift the tabs completely up so they are not active.

I haven't noticed a problem backing the boat with the tabs in the normal trim tab position. I don't know about trying to back with the tabs all the way down in the "braking" position.
 
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