Trim/Tabs

[Bondo]

Re: Trim/Tabs

they might work well on windy days trying to drift fish for steelhead, on Mullet Lake gets a little windy at times, I think the fishing is better with 2' waves

Ayuh,... I thought We were Trollin',...
I use 'em as trollin' brakes....

 

[nam71]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Ayuh,... I thought We were Trollin',...
I use 'em as trollin' brakes....

I understand, will try them!, thought they might work for drift fishing also, when the wind is pushing you at 3 MPH feels like your trollin

 

[Tabman]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Tom,

I cut a squared piece of cardboard 8" span & 10" cord, and positioned it at midpoint of the 20" length, centered the cardboard on that point. It misses my kicker by 3" and the prop by 4" in a hard starboard, and will clear the 115 HP with more clearance than that. I swung the motors full port and moved the cardboard on an arc it will clear. on the starboard side of my 115 HP, to mount the tab in the same spot I will have to move my HDS transducer thats no problem.

Do you feel this will work well, I'm having a very rough time trying to keep my boat on plane at slower speeds, other than wide open, and impossible when I have 2 guys in the jump seats. The 115 HP is a little small for my boat 150 or 175 HP would have been better.

I have been considering taking off my kicker and just using the minnkota for trolling below 2 MPH GPS. That would give me a lot more room. But when your fishing on lake Michigan for lake trout I would be more comfortable having a motor I can troll all day with.

I see Bennet has a Sport tab & a tournamet tab, would one of those be good or the high performance?

Nam,

That sounds good, and that is why we recommended the 8" x 10" M80 set. The Tournament Tabs are basically just black powder-coated versions of the M series Tabs. The M80 is going to give you the most lift in the space available between the kicker and outboard,

 

[jdlough]

Re: Trim/Tabs

The 8HP motor is just clamped on, right? Can it be hootched a bit closer to the center without interfering?

The Protroller Smart Tabs seems ideal, if he could fit them to the port side of the 8HP. Even if it's not the perfect position of the Smart Tab with that chine in the way a bit, I still think it would overall be better to install any tab as far out as possible. "The biggest trouble I'm having is getting to plane with people in the jump seats, and staying on plane at lower speeds. I can always troll with my minnkota, the 8 HP Mercury goes to fast. The best I can get with either mercury motors is 2 MPH GPS."

The Smart Tabs would fix the staying on plane at lower plane problem. About $100 here on iboats for a blemished set. The same tabs at the trolling position would slow the boat. For near the same price (but without fixing the low speed or jump seat people problems) is to just re prop the 8HP. Like change the 10"X15" to a 10"X24" or so for the 8HP. As long as you're not planing to ever run the 8HP at wide open throttle.

 

[Tabman]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Jd,

The best way to think about the Auto Tab Control is to equate it to cruise control in a car. Just like cruise control does not replace the gas and brake pedals in your car, the ATC does not replace the manual Trim Tab controls. The ATC is used when you are at cruising speeds under most normal conditions. There will be time when you will want to be able to manually control the Trim Tabs. For example in a following sea of some size you will want to raise the Trim Tabs to let the bow come up to avoid plowing that can adversely affect steering control. You would use the manual controls to do that. Also just like you don't use cruise control to pull away from a stop sign, lowering the the Trim Tabs before accelerating will bring the boat up on plane much faster and will far less bow rise. Then as you come to cruising speed you touch the button on the ATC to keep the boat running at its best attitude even if people move around the boat or you vary the speed. Just like your cruise control disengages when you tap your brake, the ATC is automatically switched off when you operate the manual Trim Tab switch giving you full control.

I used to use my boat to tow skiers and tubes and I could really make all sorts of big or flat wakes using various combinations of Trim Tab and Power Trim settings, so I wanted full manual control when I was doing that. But when I was up and cruising I would want the ATC to take care of adjusting the Trim Tabs when my girls moved to the sunny side of the boat or decided to lie down up forward in the vee berth.

The ATC actually actually reduces the amount of things the skipper has to do.

I hope this is helpful

 

[nam71]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Can the 8HP motor is just clamped on, right? Can it be hootched a bit closer to the center without interfering?

The Protroller Smart Tabs seems ideal, if he could fit them to the port side of the 8HP. Even if it's not the perfect position of the Smart Tab with that chine in the way a bit, I still think it would overall be better to install any tab as far out as possible. "The biggest trouble I'm having is getting to plane with people in the jump seats, and staying on plane at lower speeds. I can always troll with my minnkota, the 8 HP Mercury goes to fast. The best I can get with either mercury motors is 2 MPH GPS."

The Smart Tabs would fix the staying on plane at lower plane problem. About $100 here on iboats for a blemished set. The same tabs at the trolling position would slow the boat. For near the same price (but without fixing the low speed or jump seat people problems) is to just re prop the 8HP. Like change the 10"X15" to a 10"X24" or so for the 8HP. As long as you're not planing to ever run the 8HP at wide open throttle.

jd

I can move my kicker 6" with no problem, looks like (using my carboard tab for reference) that will let the M80 be within 3" of the chine and still not be in the way of the kicker. I'm taking the boat in for a good tuneup this spring I believe the 8 HP just idles to fast. But thanks for the tip on changing the prop, the kicker is just used for trolling. I don't use all of the motors at once, big motor to get where I'm going, the kicker for trolling(I can only steer at the helm) the electric for really slow trolling (bass fishing or walley jigging) also in mildy rough use the electric to help steer at trolling speeds. The ACT sound very nice and the auto tab retracter for options from Bennett.

 

[nam71]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Tom

I checked what jd said about moving the kicker. I can move it 6" possibly more just have to shorten the steering linkage. That will change the red line to 16" and using the carboard tab for reference looks like it will clear the kicker. Doesn't look like there is 8" from the centerline though. can I install the M80 closer to the chine than 3"?

 

[Tabman]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Nam,

Take a look at this;

I have marked the ideal location in red. The Trim Tab can start where the chine flat ends. It can not be ant further out than where I show since it will then be "behind" the transom and not be in the water flow.

If you cab mount them where I indicate that would be great!

 

[nam71]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Nam,

Take a look at this;

I have marked the ideal location in red. The Trim Tab can start where the chine flat ends. It can not be ant further out than where I show since it will then be "behind" the transom and not be in the water flow.

If you cab mount them where I indicate that would be great!

I can do that! Thanks I plan on going ahead with the M80, the ATC, and the ATR. Thanks Appreciate the help from everyone!!!!

 

[viper1]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Wasn't aware it was so important where you mount trim tabs. I Just purchased a 1993 Starcraft holiday HL191 with a 4 cyl I/O 180 HP. Getting ready to mount a kicker bracket for a 8 hp Yamaha. After reading this I'm wondering if I should mount the Tabs first. I was looking at buying trolling bags. The previous owner said he trolled at 2-3 knots. I would be interested weather these would be enough to slow it down? I was going to put tabs on but like the idea of the pro tabs. What size would you recommend? And would mine require any special area to mount?

 

[jdlough]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Viper,

Before mounting ANYTHING I would have both the kicker motor and the tabs available at the same time, to check for placement. You don't want them to interfere with each other and you don't want to drill holes in your transom twice! When checking for interference make sure you move both motors through their entire turning arcs, so nothing bangs into anything else when you turn. (nam71, I hope you did this!)

Nauticus has an application chart on their website. http://www.nauticusinc.com/application_chart.htm
I'm sure Bennet does too.

I don't know what your transom looks like. A flat transom is easiest, but Nauticus has ways to fit tabs to most oddly shaped fiberglass transoms. Check out the website, and they are very helpful via phone.

The best placement for any tabs is as far out to the side as possible, along a flat part of the hull. You want the entire surface area of the tab to be on the same plane as the hull without any chine turbulence interference.

If you had to install the tabs near the centerline of the boat, you would still get some benefits (getting on plane quicker and staying on plane at a lower speed), but you wouldn't gain as much other benefits such as side-to-side stability, and for adjustable tabs like the Bennet, the ability to adjust for the boat's leaning due to weight imbalance or wind or whatever.

Tabman,
I wasn't aware of the ATC system. Thanks for the cruise control analogy. I have Nauticus Smart Tabs because I didn't want to constantly have to futz with tab settings, and to make things easier for family members using the boat (plus they're cheaper!). They are great at what they do, but that ATC system sounds like the best of both worlds.

I think I know where my tax refund is going this spring! I'll transfer the Smart Tabs over to my smaller skiff with a too heavy outboard, and the ATC for my SeaSwirl Striper 2100DC. Can the tabs w/ATC be set down low enough to slow a bit for trolling speeds?

nam71,
I'm just now realizing that it seems quite weird that your 8HP at idle speed pushes your boat as fast as the 115HP. You're right, either that motor is idling too fast, or that's one dang powerful 8HP!

 

[viper1]

Re: Trim/Tabs

Thank you all good Info. I do have the moter and mount here now. Turns out its a 2 cyl. 8 hp Yamaha. Not sure of bracket name. But is is all stainless except for board motor mounts too. I expect I have to insert a backing plate of Aluminum 3/8 -1/2 inch thick. Right? Do i need something between the painted transom and bracket to prevent Corrosion?
Also since the wholes are drilled through how and what do I do to make sure it's water tight?
Been looking at the Pro Trollers. But from what I read I have two choices ST1290-60 - ST1290-80. I assume the 80 is larger then the 60. So I sent a post to them to ask which would be better. I want to use to slow the troll but good for trimming my 19 ft boat also. But I don't really want to lose much speed if that's possible. I guess a lot of this stuff I know or think I know and just want other opinions to firm up my own believe. LOl