Smart Tabs?

Boomyal · Nov 16, 2012

How come I do not see any mention of them anymore? Maybe I am just not looking in the right forum but a few years back they were the rage and they seemed to be talked about continuously. I got mine during that time, along with several friends, and I still swear by them.

Another retired guy · Nov 16, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

There have been lots of threads this year on Smart Tabs. Everyone seems to like them - I've not read a bad word about them. I'm installing them next spring. Maybe folk are just tired of talking about them

5150abf · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

I think they were new a few years ago so the sparkle has probably worn off a little, I never heard anything bad about them either and even if they did have problem it was corrected right away, really good company.

jayhanig · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

I had the misfortune of backing into a piling and hitting one of my Smart Tabs. It broke the delrin(?) fitting at the top of the piston where the piston attaches to bracket which attaches to the transom. The boat was fine; the tab itself was undamaged. Only the fitting at the top of the piston was damaged. Unfortunately, the fitting alone isn't available as a separate part so I had to order another piston. I ordered it from Smart Tab's website and had it in my hands in two days. I'd call that good service.

jigngrub · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

I'm not sure why anyone would need them unless their floatation foam was waterlogged in the aft of their boat.

I have a 17' Deep V aluminum rated for a 90 hp with only a 50 hp motor and my boat planes fine.

What did do before there were smart tabs?

Another retired guy · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

jigngrub said:
I'm not sure why anyone would need them unless their floatation foam was waterlogged in the aft of their boat.

I have a 17' Deep V aluminum rated for a 90 hp with only a 50 hp motor and my boat planes fine.

What did do before there were smart tabs?

It's not just getting onto plane - it's getting onto plane, and staying there, at lower rpm's. They also add some stability.

Boomyal · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

jigngrub said:
.......What did (we?)do before there were smart tabs?

Dragged butt in a 20" V8 IO, with a whole boat load of people while trying to do low speed towing. Did I fail to mention that while dragging butt, the nose would be high in the air, eliminating adequate forward visibility causing one to have to stand at the helm to see forward. Then once you began to achieve plane, the boat would start to rocket ahead, way faster than your activity called for.

At the same time, we would weave back and forth in a no wake zone, like a drunken sailor.

QC · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

Those who speak out against trim tabs, of any type, have one thing in common: they haven't used them

jestor68 · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

jigngrub said:
What did do before there were smart tabs?

We loaded the boat so the the weight was distributed properly.

QC · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

. . . and couldn't plane off until 5 MPH faster.

Another retired guy · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

jestor68 said:
We loaded the boat so the the weight was distributed properly.

LOL but it's very difficult to distribute load in a fully loaded Cuddy when all seats are in the rear 40% of the boat. Am I supposed to stack people in the Cuddy cabin?

Boomyal · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

Another retired guy said:
.......Am I supposed to stack people in the Cuddy cabin?

On my command, everyone forward, into the cabin!

Another retired guy · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

Boomyal said:
On my command, everyone forward, into the cabin!

Then I'd need inverted tabs at the bow !!

jayhanig · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

jigngrub said:
I'm not sure why anyone would need them unless their floatation foam was waterlogged in the aft of their boat.

I have a 17' Deep V aluminum rated for a 90 hp with only a 50 hp motor and my boat planes fine.

What did do before there were smart tabs?

Slower to get on plane and the bow wandered at slow speeds. No more with the Smart Tabs. I'm very happy with mine.

H20Rat · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

jigngrub said:
I'm not sure why anyone would need them unless their floatation foam was waterlogged in the aft of their boat.

I have a 17' Deep V aluminum rated for a 90 hp with only a 50 hp motor and my boat planes fine.

What did do before there were smart tabs?

Hundreds/thousands of positive testimonials, myself included... In your case, your boat would handle better, plane even quicker, stay on plane at slower speeds, and maybe pick up a couple MPH at the top end. (all irregardless of the condition of foam)

Oshkosh1 · Nov 18, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

Boomyal said:
On my command, everyone forward, into the cabin!

You don't know how funny that is to any submariner who has taken part in a "trim party"...Can't do it on a boomer(too big), but on FA's they sure can make a new J/O REALLY sweat when the old man is asking why his boat can't stay trimmed correctly!

JoLin · Nov 18, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

Had a 21' Pro-Line with a 175 Johnson on a factory-installed bracket with 30" setback, plus an 80-lb auxiliary motor. That boat was so butt-heavy it took forever to plane. I made 2 changes. First was a 4-blade Solas Titan prop that made a noticable difference by increasing stern lift. Second was Smart Tabs- they transformed the boat. Cut planing time in half, cut minimum planing speed by about 4 mph, and actually increased the top end by 1 or 2 mph.

I still prefer helm-adjustable tabs (Bennetts) overall, but as a relatively cheap and simple system for a small boat, Smart Tabs are pretty neat.

My .02

JASinIL2006 · Nov 18, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

Love my Smart Tabs. In addition to all the other things mentioned, they also reduce or eliminate chine-walking on the top end.

Jim

jayhanig · Nov 18, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

Oshkosh1 said:
You don't know how funny that is to any submariner who has taken part in a "trim party"...Can't do it on a boomer(too big), but on FA's they sure can make a new J/O REALLY sweat when the old man is asking why his boat can't stay trimmed correctly!

I'm guessing you're referring to something I used to do on a much smaller scale in airplanes: sitting in the back of a Cessna C-172, I'd lean forward to speak to the pilot and keep up the conversation until he retrimmed the airplane. Then I'd sit back. After a while he'd retrim again. I'd lean forward and talk to the pilot some more. He'd retrim. And so on... until he caught on why he couldn't hold altitude.

generator12 · Nov 18, 2012

Re: Smart Tabs?

They cut down on the "porpoising" too.

Smart Tabs?

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