Bennet Dealer - Effectiveness and Mounting Self Leveling Tabs on 200OVOB Question

Just curious looking at the mount patterns on the 10"x10" self leveling tabs. I have a 1994 Sea Ray 200 Overnighter 135HP Outboard. The transom on my hull is angled forward on either side of the outboard. Will tabs be effective since they would not be perpendicular on the transom. Seems like it would create a cutting edge and be less effective. Also, I don't want to drill into my transom. I mounted my depth sounder on a SternMate Mini. Anything like that I could do (Its an 1" thick piece of HDPE epoxied to the transom) to mount the ram and trim tab hinge to the hull, or is that to much stress? It would also push out the trim tabs about 1" to the rear. Hydraulic/electric and auto tabs are outside my budget for this vessal.

I saw good reviews here:
https://www.wholesalemarine.com/slt...vP6d3AIVUrnACh2ZsQchEAQYAiABEgKQDfD_BwE#other

Do you have a photo of the boat's transom I can take a look at? If it's easier you can send it to Tabmanhelp@gmail.com

Tom McGow
Bennett Marine

I'll take some photos when I get home from work.

I didn't get a chance to take any pictures tonight, but I have some from when I first bought it. It's been cleaned up, I promise

Looks like you would need to fabricate a tapered shim so that the Tabs are parallel to the center line of the hull. Otherwise they will be "splayed out" like duck feet and will create lots of turbulence and be ineffective.

Tom
Bennett Marine

Tom,
Are the 10"x10" the appropriate self leveling tabs for my 20' outboard, loaded weight around 3k lbs? If so, any way to find out the size of the mounts (top and bottom) so I can research shims?

CNYBoater said:

Tom,
Are the 10"x10" the appropriate self leveling tabs for my 20' outboard, loaded weight around 3k lbs? If so, any way to find out the size of the mounts (top and bottom) so I can research shims?

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Yes, 10 x 10 SLT10s is what I would recommend. Let me see what I can dig up on the sizes of the mounting plates for you.

Tom

I'm thinking an upside T shaped piece of HDPE contoured to bring the tabs inline with the transom. Locktite has a below waterline epoxy with a strength up to 3500 PSI, the T shape should spread the force out some at the ram mount and hinge mount. Not sure that's the right adhesive to use though. Same as my depth sounder, I don't want to drill into my transom.

Can't help with the adhesive, they are designed to be screwed into the transom.

The Tab mounting Plates are 10” Span x 1-1/2”.

The actuator mounting is the same as our other actuators.
image008 by Tom McGow, on Flickr

Thanks Tom, Super helpful.

Tom, do you have any way of looking up the PSI of a fully compressed actuator on that setup?

I believe it is 80 lbs. But keep in mind that the force on the Tabs can be higher than that when the boat is going fast and comes off a wave and completely compresses the spring.

Tom
Bennett Marine

CNY, I wouldn't trust adhesive for this job. To start with, HDPE is not a good material to be glued - it's too slippery and glue doesn't adhere well. It can work somewhat by first flame treating the material, but the adhesive will still not "stick to it" as strong as it should. The forces on a little transducer are immensely different than a tab. Your best bet is to do as thousands and thousands of other boats are... screw it on. If you do it properly, it's a VERY reliable way to do it. You can even pre-drill larger, fill with epoxy, then come back with the properly sized pilot hole.

Now, if you're wanting to glue because you're uncomfortable screwing in or don't have that skill set, I completely understand. For many, it's a bit daunting to make holes under the waterline. But then, it's not like you don't already have some, either! But seriously, drill the holes - it's not hard and it's the proper way.

Two holes for the outboard mount above water line and one under for the garboard plug. I've tapped around them and sound solid but 1994 boat, makes me squeamish thinking about screwing into the transom that low. I could just clamp on a hydrofoil, but my biggest thing for self leveling tabs is list. Load the cuddy with gear based on where everyone is sitting, but darn it if people aren't constantly switching positions, etc. guess its probably because my last boat was a '78 tri-hull, more stable and slower. Think I'd be comfortable with heel having started out with a 14.2' sail, but again that was slow.

Yeah, those tri-hulls certainly are stable, but boy your backside pays for it in a chop! I missed where you had an OB - right, less holes already there than a sterndrive. But honestly, I really wouldn't worry about it - I've have probably, literally, drilled a thousand holes in various boats (mine, friends, family, customers, etc) over the years below the waterline. You may be uncomfortable with it because you're not used to it, but it doesn't mean it's a bad thing to do as long as it's done properly. Obviously it's your boat and you do what you want, but if you would come to me for this installation, I would not do it - I would rather turn the work away than sign my name to something I felt would fail.

On a side note... when was the last time the garboard drain fitting was removed and resealed? If never, it's overdue. The goal is to reseal things before they start leaking - this is just a normal course of action to do when owning a boat.

I've owned the boat two years and I've not done it. Not sure where I'd go around here to have it done. last trip of several hours I had about an inch of water at the back of the bilge, to low for the pump to pick up. The maintenance history on the log book was good for the first 5ish years and then nothing in the log book and few receipts. I bought this boat off of craigslist. There were obvious problems that were correctable with a little time and money on my end, but all together I'm still below the KBB on it. I've seen a few other sea ray 200s on CL going for over KBB in my area, but all i/o. KBB isn't a reliable source, but it does help letting me know if I'm likely to go into the red on resale. I bought it off a little old lady who had to get it off her name, something about medicare rules on assets or something. Her kids didn't want it, and they had to sell for a certain not to exceed price, again so they could document the asset sale for medicare. could have just been smoke up my rear but hull was sound, motor ran, and floated. Talked to sea ray and said floors were fiberglass except for the two panels over the fuel tank and the in floor cooler, eventually those will be HDPE. Have pulled those up and feels solid at stringers and bilgekote is still thick. So far few repairs and mostly preventative stuff considering the age of the boat. Hull/Transom work just makes me nervous. I've got a better, new bilge pump to go in, but its 1" and I haven't gotten the courage to pull the through hull and tap out the bigger hole for the new through hull fitting.

It sounds like tabs on offsets is out, though I'll still need shims to handle the angle. Just means I'll have to take it somewhere, have shims made, drill through the transom and plug for installation screws. That's going to really drive up the cost, as I'm assuming they'll want me to buy the bennetts through them, not owner supplied. Down to the bottom of the list.

I was back at the boat today, removing the beat up pinstriping. While I was at it, I put a 3' level against the flat of the transom and the outside chines are exactly 12" forward of that. I have no clue where an effective trim tab position would be on this.

aw heck. Lazydaze or anyone with more skill/confidence than me, if you ever vacation on Oneida Lake, in NY, bass or walleye fishing, give me a quote for the plug and tabs done the right way.

CNYBoater said:

aw heck. Lazydaze or anyone with more skill/confidence than me, if you ever vacation on Oneida Lake, in NY, bass or walleye fishing, give me a quote for the plug and tabs done the right way.

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