New (and different!) question about Smart Tabs

[James Bond]

After reading the many different threads on the Smart Tabs vs. Bennett Tabs, I've pretty much made up my mind on which would best suit my needs and my budget.....all except for one concern that has yet been covered.<br /><br />First off I have a 21' Cuddy with a 5.0L merc.<br /><br />I often pull the boat up onto, or very near the beach. I would like to know how low the Smart Tabs sit in the water when the boat is not moving. I'm just afraid that the tabs will dig into the sand and act like big-ol shovels and make it nearly impossible to push the boat back out into deeper water. I'd really hate to get them stuck and have them ripped off. The good thing about the Bennett's is that you can raise them up all the way...so digging in shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: New (and different!) question about Smart Tabs

to 007:<br /><br />I must assume two things, 1) your boat is a V hull and 2) when you beach the boat the stern is not aground. <br /><br />The Smart Tabs are only deployed (at rest) about 3". In other words the trailing edge of the plate is down about 3" from the front edge as it is attached to the transom. If the boat is a V hull the tabs will be higher than the bottom edge of the V (keel)since the recomended mounting is toward the outside edges (port and starboard)of the boat. <br /><br />Next; I doubt that you bring a 21' boat so far forward as to ground the stern. <br /><br />However, should you find that the boat is pushed that far forward (ie: wind storm), you could disconnect the top of the actuator (snaps off) and tie the plates up until the boat was afloat again. This would be an emergency situation, and you would be concerned with other issues also.

 

[quantumleap]

Re: New (and different!) question about Smart Tabs

Well James, maybe 'Q' can whip you up some auto-retracting ones!

 

[James Bond]

Re: New (and different!) question about Smart Tabs

You're right, the stern isn't laying on the bottom, but occasionally, the waves will move it to where the outdrive will dig into the sand a little bit.....and when the skeg is buried, it can be a real PITA to push the boat out.....and if the tabs ever got buried, I can see that as being almost impossible to push out. But at least it seems there is a way to disconnect them in the event that happens. Can you move the tabs up by hand without damaging them? Kinda like compressing a shock absorber by hand.....really slowly.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: New (and different!) question about Smart Tabs

James;<br /><br />The keel would need to be in the sand not just the outdrive, and it would need to be down as much as 6 to 8 inches before the tabs would touch. <br /><br />Regarding pulling them up thhhe answer is yes the could be pulled up and tied off to a cleate. I doubt you would ever run into a problem.