Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

[JoLin]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Absolutely, will do!

We are in Scotia, NY near the Mohawk River but the boat is located in Catskill, NY on the Hudson River. Are you in NY as well?

Yes, Long Island, Suffolk County, south shore. We boat mostly in the Great South Bay. I'd love to make a trip up the Hudson someday.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Those are definitely Bennett tabs, but the installer? Brain-dead idiot, that's for certain...

I just installed a set of 12 X 12 Bennetts on a customers boat, Hydra-Sports 2390 Vector. Now, granted, this boat has tab pockets (dictates where the tabs will be located), note the location of the planes in relation to the transition from the chine flat to the hull bottom. That's where I like to install them...

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Here is what a correct size/placement of tabs are on a 21' boat, so you can imagine what your should be sized as. You can clearly see the difference.

Not only planing assistance, tabs will also help you level out the boat under standard running conditions such as gear loaded to one side, people moving about the boat, full fuel tank, empty water tank, etc.

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Yes, Long Island, Suffolk County, south shore. We boat mostly in the Great South Bay. I'd love to make a trip up the Hudson someday.

I'm sure that would be a great trip! Hop-O-Nose Marina/Creekside Restaurant is a great place to stay at, That's where we currently have our slip at. We really have not been able to explore the Hudson much- Just got the boat a few weeks ago and then the storm came.

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

The more and more pictures I see guys the more I want to know who installed these trim tabs... haha!

Well I'll get some more pictures today, I'll probably be back around 5 or 6 to upload them. Hopefully everyone can help me with the placement of them and I'll take measurements to see what size I should go with.

 

[Tabman]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Kyle,

Did you ever get the photos of the transom?

Those are indeed Bennett Trim Tabs, and they are not mounted in the recommended location.

Once you post the pictures I would be delighted to help.

Tom McGow
Bennett Marine

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Kyle,

Did you ever get the photos of the transom?

Those are indeed Bennett Trim Tabs, and they are not mounted in the recommended location.

Once you post the pictures I would be delighted to help.

Tom McGow
Bennett Marine

Hi Tom,

Sorry for not posting those pics up yet!!! I'll do it right when I get home tonight.. We have had a crazy last couple of days in NY- Talk about disaster recovery...

I'll get those up tonight though!

Thanks for the help guys!

Kyle

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Alright guys- Here are some better pics!!! Once again, the boat is extremely dirty LOL!!! I'll get some pics up once it's all cleaned up!! The last owner neglected it a lot this season!

Hopefully this gives you an idea of what I am dealing with- I don't know how I am going to be able to mount those trim tabs on the outside.....

EDIT: By the way sorry it took me so long to get these up... It's been a crazy last couple of days- Not to mention the boat was near Tannersville, NY (One of the worst places that got hit by Irene in NY).... So the boat is going to get a few things fixed like the swim platform separating from the boat...

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but from looking at your props it seems you have two drives that rotate the same way. Normally twin drive boats have one counter-rotating prop. Were you able to sea-trial the boat before buying, and did it seem to handle and drive OK?

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Absolutely! I have had the boat out 4-5 times already without any issues. The only issue was planing which I suspect is because of the trim tabs. I have receipts for the outdrives though and that they were rebuilt. I have looked at pictures of the same boat too and they all seem to be that way.... http://www.repocast.com/details.cfm?ID=491902

Should I be worried? It seemed great in the water as far as steering and everything... Steers on a dime honestly for a 28 foot.

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Should I be worried?

I'll let someone who has more experience with twin drives answer your question.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Even with an express cruiser get a stop watch and try drives down, with and without full down tab . . . Get back to us

There is a fine line between lift and drag with a set of tabs. Too little tab and you don?t get lift, too much tab and you create drag.

You get maximum lift out of a tab at ~ 15-25? off plane. My boats has natural running angle of 4-5? which means when running, my tabs would be most effective at a 10-20? angle off horizontal with the boat at rest. Jumping up on plane, I?m guessing the boat moves forward at ~20-30? angle so a flat tab (0?) at take off puts me right in the max lift zone.

With the tabs "fully down" (~40-45?), the tabs become almost perpendicular to the water at take-off (~45+ 30?= 75?) and create a tremendous amount of drag. I can barely get up on plane and my fuel usage goes thru the roof if I have them deployed that far off plane. Not to mention that my boat gets very squirrelly an hard to handle if I get anywhere near that much tab on the water.

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

I'll let someone who has more experience with twin drives answer your question.

Uh-Oh, you have me worried! LOL-

 

[skargo]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Here's mine

Makes a world of difference. With tabs full down, it gets on plane insanely fast, I am picking my tabs up withing 4-5 seconds. Huge difference from using no tabs or using them full down!

 

[QC]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Uh-Oh, you have me worried! LOL-

It was very common to see twin installations with both drives having right hand props. Opposing is better, but not a big deal. Your boat is not defective. Those pics do show where your tabs should be

And I understand dingabt's point about tab angle. My point was that tabs improve planing time and planing speed . . .

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Very interesting. Is there a way that I can make one side opposing?? I was thinking about taking off the OMC Cobra drives this winter anyways to check them and go through each one.

What size tabs do you guys think I have room for?

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Okay so I was able to locate some bennett trim tabs for somewhat cheap, Just the tabs since the rest of the system seems to be working well. However, I am going to upgrade the control this winter to the LED Panel (With built in relay) so I know if the flaps are actually down or up and the Auto Up relay for when you turn off the ignition. What do you guys think? How big do you think I Could fit??

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Honestly, I think your transom set up isn't going to allow for tabs to be installed the proper way. As I see it, you have what appears to be a flat transom, and then a few inches past the edge of the chine, the transom turns inward. This is the area you want to mount the trim tabs, but I can't see that happening there. Unless they make a tab that can be mounted on a portion of the hull that is at different planes.

I just did a quick search for a similar boat (There was a clean one on Ebay for sale, but the ad appears to have ended) and found this boat.

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...rt-284-2365607/Halifax/Canada&boat_id=2365607

Photo 2 and 11... It appears there is a way to mount them back there?

 

[Tabman]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

I just looked at the picture at yacht world too, and mounting Trim Tabs across the outer flat part might work. Kyle can you tell me the dimensions of that part of the transom.

Also I would propose that if you mount Trim Tabs on that part of the transom that you leave the existing ones in place and tee the new ones into them. That way each side will operate together and give us more surface area (more lift) to work with.

Tom McGow
Bennett Marine

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Trim Tabs?? Maybe, Maybe Not... AmeroSport 284

Thanks guys for the response and the Link for that Boat! Gives me a little idea of how to mount them.

Tom, Are you proposing that I leave the current trim tabs intact and functional where they are at, as well as order a new set with hydraulics and just tap into the current HPU? I wouldn't be able to tell you the dimensions until I get back down to the boat which would probably be Monday night possibly.

Do you think that would cause any issues by having two sets of trim tabs off the back? I have never seen people run them like that.

Thanks guys!!