Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

daveb86 · Aug 28, 2013

I recenly "finished" restoring a 94 Tracker 16' Jon boat. I fitted it with a 35hp Merc tiller (but converted it remote) and no power trim, a 6 gallon fuel tank in the rear. 55lb minn kota on the front and two deep cycle batts. I put in in the water for the first time this past weekend with just me in the boat and had do do a good bit of tweeking before it would get up and plane right. Then my wife got in and sat next to me and that changed everything. I had to move batteries back up to the front. I would really like to permenently mount the batteries up at the front where the trolling motor and on board charger is/will be. But then the boat won't plane out if im the only one in it. So I've been researching hydrolic trim tabs. Does anybody have any experience with these? Would this solve or at least help my problem? Thanks!

smokeonthewater · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

yep nauticus smart tabs ARE the way to go.

SMART TABS raise your performance expectations.

kfa4303 · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

Trim Tabs are great and should help your problem a lot. There are all sorts including hydraulic, manual, and electric. There are several brands but Lenco are probably the most popular brand down here in FL.

fishrdan · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

It sounds like you have a load balance problem.

I have 2 TM batteries and the fuel tank (170#+- ) mounted mid-ship in my 14' jon boat, and it planes just fine with just myself or another person on board. The 7.5HP outboard has a Stingray Jr. hydrofoil and I swear by it. Nauticus tabs would probably do a better job, but there's no where to mount them on my boat, they would get in the way of all the "fishing " stuff hanging off the transom.

jestor68 · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

Come on guys. Trim tabs on a 14 ft jon boat?

It's what the Doel Fin was made for.

Outsider · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

Leave the batteries up front, and change the trim bar on the motor bracket to achieve optimum planing. Change the bar again anytime you have company, that's a significant COG change for a 14' ...

kfa4303 · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

Here are some great "dumb tabs" that you can make yourself. Once you have them dialed in for a typical load you can leave them set in place and forget about them. As you can see they fit on even the tiniest of transoms like the Gheenoes in the pics. I've even seen folks use simply use pieces of fixed aluminum angle to form tabs.

smokeonthewater · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

jestor68 said:
Come on guys. Trim tabs on a 14 ft jon boat?

It's what the Doel Fin was made for.

16' not 14' and HELL YES tabs... not helm controlled but rather automatic BOATS are what tabs made for.... From a 10' inflatable to a large yacht. Heck even some jetski's have em.

daveb86 · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

I really like the idea of helm adjustable.

jestor68 · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

smokeonthewater said:
16' not 14' and HELL YES tabs... not helm controlled but rather automatic BOATS are what tabs made for.... From a 10' inflatable to a large yacht. Heck even some jetski's have em.

Sorry; 16 ft versus 14 ft does make make all the difference in the world. The Doel fin would work just as well on a 16 ft jon boat.

It'll solve his problem for; what, $37.....HELL YES!

smokeonthewater · Aug 28, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

they are fine but just IMHO are way overkill for this boat.... they are priceless when running flat water one day and nasty stuff the next but for what is essentially a calm water boat I think you will find that the benefits of the automatic tabs are huge... plus they are MUCH cheaper

BTW my 28'er has helm adjustable tabs and if they made smart tabs big enough for it I would very seriously consider converting.

HINT: nauticus? bennet?anything bigger in the works? need a tester????

daveb86 · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

lol I appreciate all the responses. Kevin as over kill as they may be, I think im gonna spend a little extra and go with the Bennet M80 system. I like the idea of having control as well as being able to correct for listing with uneven wieght.

Jdeagro · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

Take a quick look at this video -

ProTroller Series Trolling Plates

smokeonthewater · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

daveb86 said:
lol I appreciate all the responses. Kevin as over kill as they may be, I think im gonna spend a little extra and go with the Bennet M80 system. I like the idea of having control as well as being able to correct for listing with uneven wieght.

understand completely... several things I have done to dad's 18.5 tracker are overkill but it is the way he wants it and it works VERY WELL for what he wants it to do

That said I think that would be too much overkill... You would love smart tabs but a flat bottom boat doesn't need to be leveled side to side like a deep V. You won't gain anything from the helm adjustable tabs but will be losing some of the benefits of the auto tabs..... Even the auto tabs are kinda overkill but they are cheap and will do good things for ya

Home Cookin' · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

I vote overkill, like a spoiler on a Honda. if they were free, fine, but not worth the money. In fact, i'd put the money in PTT first.

You trim a small boat by moving people and stuff around. Has worked for centuries.

You can also trim a motor with a stick.

I question 2 batteries unless you have to have one for the troller and one for the starting the motor (which can be pull started I assume so you have that back-up.) And if and "on-board charger" is heavy, make it a "garage charger" and leave it at home.

I love my trim tabs on my 21 and since I am smarter than a "smart tab" I want the kind I can control. I find no need for tabs in my other 5 boats, and no way worth the money for marginal benefit.

it doesn't matter that someone put tabs on a jet ski to boost sales; they put spoilers on Honda's, too. Just because they sell doesn't make it a good idea.

crabby captain john · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

If I owned a 16' Tracker (never happen but IF) that required tabs I'd be checking the price of aluminum and looking for another boat.

Tabman · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

Of course I work for a Trim Tab company so I tend to be a bit biased! But I am always confused by folks who think Trim Tabs are only for boats larger than 18 or 20 feet. If you think about it the smaller the boat the more affected it is by weight placement. If I sit in a 16 foot boat alone, and then have another person in the boat with me the difference in trim is far greater than it would be aboard a 20 foot boat.

Down here in FL there are a lot of "flats boats" that fish skinny water. They are 15 -20 feet (some shorter, some longer) and just about all of them run remotely adjustable Trim Tabs to get the best out of the boat and keep it running at a good a good attitude.

Self adjusting Trim Tabs (Smart Tabs and Bennett SLTs) have their place, but nothing beats remotely adjustable Trim Tabs when it comes to trimming out a smaller boat. Here is a link to M80s on a 15 ft Flats Boat Bennett Trim Tabs Project Boats

daveb86 · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

I have two batts because I sometime put into an electric only lake where that is all I can use and I do use both batts. I also just like the redundacy of 2 batteries. The boat definetly lists pretty bad when im by myself. I understand that I can move people and equiptment around. I just was hopeing there was a solution to make it so I dont have to. Thats all.

fishrdan · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

daveb86 said:
I understand that I can move people and equiptment around. I just was hopeing there was a solution to make it so I dont have to. Thats all.

See if you can find a place for the batts and fuel tank, that allows the boat to plane with a single person, and with 2 people. Having the batts at the transom, then all the way to the bow for different loads might not be ideal (load unbalanced), try it with them mid-ship, in front of the middle seat or behind it,,,, could make a huge difference.

Also, have you played with the OB's tilt pin, trying it in all positions to see how it affects the boat planing?

I think a 35HP OB should make that 16' jon boat fly........

daveb86 · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

fishrdan said:
Also, have you played with the OB's tilt pin, trying it in all positions to see how it affects the boat planing?

I think a 35HP OB should make that 16' jon boat fly........

I indeed have played with the pin. It seems the closer the pin is the the transom the worse the boat rides. It won't plane out and it just feels like the front of the boat is pushing down into the water. I have the pin set in the farthest away from the transom position and thats where it seems to work best. When I was in the boat by myself and had the batts at the rear. It did plane very nice and it flew I was very happy with it.

Trim tabs on a 16' Tracker Jon

Cadet

Fleet Admiral

Banned

Admiral

Commander

Lieutenant Junior Grade

Banned

Fleet Admiral

Cadet

Commander

Fleet Admiral

Cadet

iboats.com Partner

Fleet Admiral

Fleet Admiral

Lieutenant Commander

iboats.com Partner

Cadet

Admiral

Cadet