Install Trim Tabs yay or nay?

[Maggieiscrazy]

Honestly if I didn’t have trim tabs on my boat. I wouldn’t miss them. Every once in a while I’d have to say. “Hey fat ass sit on the other side of the boat’

 

[Bill Curtis]

@Bill Curtis . Why did you have 2 rams per tab on that baot

Those are the sport tabs, that are 12" x 16". They come with 2 rams per tab. Generally used for high performance installations.

 

[Scott215]

Thanks bill, first time I've seen that

 

[Stray Current]

I have installed tabs on three hulls in my life. 2/3 of them didn’t sink

The one that did the sink probably had nothing to do with stuffing the bow at 50 miles per hour. It must’ve been because of the tabs.

 

[Pirate Lady]

Honestly if I didn’t have trim tabs on my boat. I wouldn’t miss them. Every once in a while I’d have to say. “Hey fat ass sit on the other side of the boat’

Ya? Try that with my 3 sisters-in-law. They will beat you and throw you overboard. Thank god i got tabs.

 

[Scott215]

No it's hey fat ass, Go sit up on the bow and hold on to the bow rail while we go through these waves

 

[Yendor]

No it's hey fat ass, Go sit up on the bow and hold on to the bow rail while we go through these waves

That will never work if they've ever even heard of Haulover Inlet

 

[Scott215]

True

 

[Old Machinist]

Just installed the self leveling tabs on my 180. I'm concerned that the fiberglass is all my screws are in. Drill went in and found nothing behind the glass.

Also had to take the actuators apart to clean up the springs.

Boat lists to the left a little which I never noticed before.

 

[slomaro]

Just installed the self leveling tabs on my 180. I'm concerned that the fiberglass is all my screws are in. Drill went in and found nothing behind the glass.

Also had to take the actuators apart to clean up the springs.

Boat lists to the left a little which I never noticed before.

No matter how I look at the self leveling kits I don't get it, I'm sure someone way smarter than me has an explanation. It seems like the side already most out of the water would deploy the tab more than the side in the water making the list worse.

 

[Yendor]

It seems like the side already most out of the water would deploy the tab more than the side in the water making the list worse

What you are not realizing is that, there is not any 'side already most out of the water'.

Mounted as they are (which is even with the planing surface of the hull), there is never any part of the tab that is not exposed to the water pressure pushing up against it.

 

[slomaro]

What you are not realizing is that, there is not any 'side already most out of the water'.

Mounted as they are (which is even with the planing surface of the hull), there is never any part of the tab that is not exposed to the water pressure pushing up against it.

That makes a little more sense and I guess the trade off is that the auto tabs are just always pushing with the same amount of force on both sides.

 

[Old Machinist]

It might be boat dependent. I read some reviews that claims it worked for them in leveling.

The actuators are designed to mount at an angle on a flat transom. On my curved transom they are vertical.

I never had a off level problem before installing the tabs. I was more interested in better planing with several people in the boat and the ability to remain on plane at slower speeds.

The only thing I gained was faster planing. It comes at the expense of a lower top speed and may be the cause of my new found lean.

It still doesn't remain on plane at 20 mph.

As far as the lean goes I do have a full tank of fuel which is on the left rear but I swear I never noticed it before the tabs.