Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

[jarrpal001]

wondering if anyone with a tri-hull has added or has trim tabs installed on their boat? any noticeable difference? especially with choppy waters?

 

[southkogs]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Hey jarrpal - I've not installed them on my boat, but I'm interested to hear responses to this. I'm interested in hearing if boat size matters with tabs, and if they'll help with chop as opposed to just trimming.

Mine's a 17' and pretty heavy. I've also got a deeper center sponson - almost a cathedral hull as opposed to a true tri-hull. Except on waves over 1' it seems to be pretty smooth so far.

 

[John_S]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Search on smart tabs and posts/threads within the last six months. There was someone that had installed them on their tri-hull. From the pictures of the hull, I'd say it was more like what southkogs describes, though.

 

[jarrpal001]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

i think i know who your talking about john_s. i read it but i was wondering if anyone else has it on their trihull.

 

[jarrpal001]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

do you have pics of your boat(s) southkogs?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Gee, with the relative flat botttom of the trihull, I would not think they would provide much benefit. Do you have issues planing?

 

[jarrpal001]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Gee, with the relative flat botttom of the trihull, I would not think they would provide much benefit. Do you have issues planing?

.
im actually restoring my boat right now but when i had it on the water planing took a little bit. i thought i was an astronaut ready for take off.

i read that smart tabs help boats with chop and poirposing.
i went to their website but no video or good info on trihulls only v.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

What size boat with what motor?

 

[eavega]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

I have smart tabs installed on my 15' tri-hull. Boat's weight is about 800 Lbs. I installed them trying to get it to plane better with a 50 HP motor that came with the boat. When I bought th boat, it had a 50 HP motor with a whale tale hydrofoil. I removed the hydrofoil due to difficulties steering. When I did so, I could not get the boat to plane when loaded. I added the smart tabs and propped down from a 17' P to a 13' P. I was able to get the boat to plane out reliably when loaded with three adults or two adults and two kids, although it still took a good while to get up on plane. I didn't notice any difference in handling in rough water, and I never had a problem with porpoising. I have since upgraded the motor to a 70 HP (I killed the 50 HP, unfortunately) and after getting the motor to run right, I can say the boat planes quickly, and maintains plane well at lower speeds. I don't know how the boat performs without the smart tabs with the larger motor, but I can say that I was able to bump my prop back to a 17 P, and I run a top speed of about 32 MPH by GPS. In my opinion it does help the boat get on plane faster and track straighter in flat water, especially when I have an uneven load in the boat.

Rgds

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Tabs help with chop, because they allow you to stay on plane at lower speeds. Slower speeds usually mean a smoother ride. Do you have trouble with porpoising? On a trihull, that can mean your hull is not true, or you are over trimmed

 

[southkogs]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Gee, with the relative flat botttom of the trihull, I would not think they would provide much benefit. Do you have issues planing?

That's been my assumption all along. Mine takes a little while to come up out of the hole ... but it's running on a 40 year old OMC sterndrive, so I give it a little grace. I've got to finish some work on my selectrim before that issue will be solved and I can see what it really does out of the hole.

Jarrpal - there are a few shots of my boat in this thread: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=507096

Mine is a 17' with a 165HP inline 6.

 

[jarrpal001]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

What size boat with what motor?

15'5"
70 johnson

 

[jarrpal001]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Taembs help with chop, because they allow you to stay on plane at lower speeds. Slower speeds usually mean a smoother ride. Do you have trouble with porpoising? On a trihull, that can mean your hull is not true, or you are over trimmed

not that i can remember. ill have to wait til i get it back in the water. just wanted to know if i should install it when im done.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

15'5"
70 johnson

That boat should plane quickly with a 70 unless it's waterlogged or your trim is way out.

 

[jarrpal001]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

That boat should plane quickly with a 70 unless it's waterlogged or your trim is way out.

definitely not water logged.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=518936

my trim has been in when i take off. i had a mechanic come with me to check my boat and give me pointers. one of my questions was how do i get the boat from reaching the clouds? he told me that i had to gun down on the throttle for it to get to plane faster. it worked but i cant be gunning it everytime i want to take off. when i take off slow it takes a while for the bow to go down.

 

[John_S]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Here is the thread: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=512077

As you will see in the pictures, that owner's tri-hull looks more like a V.

 

[jarrpal001]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Here is the thread: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=512077

As you will see in the pictures, that owner's tri-hull looks more like a V.

thanks john_s. thats the one i read. on your webpage you can see the video examples of a before and after installing smart tabs on a v hull boat. i wish someone can do one with a trihull. just to see the difference.

until then i will have to wait til im done with mine and just try it myself.

 

[jacoboregon]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

I would think having a flatter hull would not detract from the benefit of the tabs. They should be a great benefit if the right ones are chosen for the application. A call to nauticus would be beneficial if you haven't bought any yet. I know a lot of sib owners use them and they are pretty flat hulled. I realize that they are much smaller boats, but they offer different sizes for all manner of boat/motor combinations.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

Here is the thread: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=512077

As you will see in the pictures, that owner's tri-hull looks more like a V.

Okay - that's metalwizards boat. I didn't know he put tabs on it. His is a true tri-hull, and he has the same drive as I do. According to his post the tabs made a huge difference - though at the time of the post his trim was not working either.

jarrpal - I looked at your boat, and you've got a similar hull style to my last boat. It was a tri-hull with a 65hp on it. I remember she used to nose WAY up on a slow start too. Do you have power trim on your outboard?

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Smart tabs/trim tabs for a tri-hull

jarrpal001, tabs will help any stern driven boat. They are inheritantly stern heavy. By installing the tabs, when throttling they will raise the stern and lower the bow. Its just how they work. You should plane in half the time that it takes you now and with less rpms and lower speed. Not just that,you should notice substantial increases in stability and handling. Tri-hulls are notorious for pounding in slop,so tabs can only help imo. If you are interested,call nauticus and ask them for the right size for your motor/boat length combination. Take your time and install them correctly in the right locations as to not make unneccesary holes in your transom. Good luck