Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

[Hitech]

As you can see in the picture, I have two things in the way of mounting my smart tabs. First are the bunks on the trailer. I think I can cut them down to be flush with the transom. If the boat ends up a little more forward and the tabs rest on a small protrusion of the bunks will it hurt them? I would reposition the boat so they didn?t stay all the way up.

Second, is it better to have them 3 inches from the end as opposed to 5? Based on the measurements the bracket will be about 5 or 6 inches in to miss the tire down straps. Is it worth moving the tie down straps further out (I bought replacement brackets for the trailer)? How much different will it make if I end up putting the bracket at 7 inches in? Would that be worth moving the tie down brackets?

I know it?s a lot of questions, but I?m looking for the best improvement I can get. I have all the problems these tabs solve except chine walking (not enough HP for that).

Thanks in advance.

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

I would just call them in the morning.
I called them with questions aboout mounting on my boat and they were very helpful.

 

[nlain]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

Where you are is fine, I don't think you can go all the way out anyway. I looks like the hull changes angles behind the tie down strap, I know mine does. I would not move the tie down for that little bit of location difference, 2 maybe 3 inches. I am not sure that the bunks would cause a problem once you have the tabs mounted, there may be just enough room for them to clear. If the SX tabs mount 1/2 inch up from the bottom like the ST tabs do then you will have a couple inches clearance before the tabs would hit the bunks.

You can always call John, he is a really great guy and more that willing to help, he wants his customers happy. Phone # 800-233-0194

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

a bigger picture showing more of transom would really help.

 

[Hitech]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

The bunks protrude 2 inches past the transom. The bracket is 1 3/4 back, so I can trim all but 1/4 inch, and I can probably get the boat back 1/4 inch on the bunks. And yes, the SX tabs themselves are about 1/2 inch up from the bottom. I'm guessing you don't think it would be worth moving the tie down straps?

I don't want to call John if I don't really need to. I read on here that he gets a huge volume of calls about where to mount the tabs. His willingness to solve every problem must make him very busy. I was hoping to get my answers here and give him an extra 5 minute break.

Here are pictures of right side of the transom.

And with the tie down back in place:

 

[nlain]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

I know he had a picture early today, he said he has more but none a showing now. What happened? I do not think it is worth moving the tie downs.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

i would move the tie downs as far out as you can. you can not rely on the boat to be in the exact place every time you load.

 

[nlain]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

Better pictures show more and I agree with tas that the tie downs should move out as far as you can.

 

[Hitech]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

Thanks guys. Until both of you said move the tie downs and I looked at my own pictures, the thought of moving both the brackets on the trailer AND the one on the boat never occured to me. That certainly seems easy enough.

Also, I am assuming that the edge of the tab should be inside the "change in direction" at the chine? The outside edge of the tab needs to be inside that, correct?

Thanks again.

 

[Hitech]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

Bump, hoping for an answer to the chine question. It's just going to fit between the bunks and the "chine lip".

 

[nlain]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

I have not looked closely at the chine area on most of the photos I have viewed in the many Smart Tab threads, I will say I had to cover the step of the chine on my boat. There seems to be no ill effects from that because they do everything advertised for me. Looking at your photos I don't think you will be able to mount with doing the same. See Photos below.

 

[Hitech]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

nlain, thanks for the pictures. It looks like you put the edge of the tab right at the step. I was assumeing that is as far to the outside as they should go. I was going to do the same, but that just misses the bunks on mine. I think I may need to cut back those bunks also.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

mount like the picture, go with a full over strap for tie down. instead of the single straps. also cut stringer 1/2 inch past transom.

 

[Hitech]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

Thanks, a picture really is worth a thousand words. I'm going to add new u bolt "brackets" for the transom tie downs and add new brackets to the trailer. That will move the tie down straps to the outside and out of the way.

Thanks again. I'll post pictures here when I'm done if anyone want's to see how they turn out.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

I wish that I could be there the first time you use your boat after the intall! You are going to think that you have a different boat. Much faster hole shot, and slower planeing speed!

 

[Hitech]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. The boat is an old (1975) ski boat with a VP four cylinder (110 hp) motor. The only time I had it out I was at a lake that sites at about 5000 feet elevation. With 4 adults in the boat I could not get on plane pulling a tube (the tube was under inflated). The bow rise was so bad that you had to look to make sure everything was clear and then give it full throttle and pray. My wife HATED that. It also falls off plane way to early for pulling tubes. Also, the skeg was damaged and repaired (long before I got it). It is now a few inches shorter (not sure exactly how much) and the previous owner claimed that it leans hard in hard turns. So far I've just avoided hard turns. :W I'm hoping it will help with that too. Additionally, it pulls to one side (can't remember which one), but that is possibly due to the fact that the previous owner changed the prop to one that rotates the other way and didn't change the trim ?tab?. Also, I think the bearing(s) that the stern drive rotate in are worn. But, the tabs may even make that better.

I'm hoping to get them installed before Saturday and head out to a ?local? lake and try them out. Wish me luck.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

how did the previous owner change direction of the prop, he would have had to change the gears in the outdrive. there is a fin above the prop that is adjustable. move the back of the fin the direction the boat wants to pull, the pulling is torque steer. moving the fin, can eliminate this. may take some experimenting to find just the right place.

 

[Hitech]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

The stern drive is a VP 280, so when they put the new prop on I had to swap the linkage in the stern drive to the other side. The previous owner made a big deal (rightfully so) of making sure that I knew I had to make that switch before putting the boat in the water.

And I have since moved the trim fin to the other ?side?. I will see how it works when I take it out, hopefully this Saturday.

That's a real nice feature of the VP 280, the ability to use a prop that turns either way. I don't know if you are aware of it, but those drives are the same forward or reverse.

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

 

[Hitech]

Re: Another where to mount my smart tabs thread

Well, apparently I shouldn?t be left alone with power tools. Everything was going fine. I had the lower bracket installed and my wife called me for dinner. I came back and proceeded to install the strut, top bracket to the strut and started drilling the holes for the top bracket. About half way through the second hole I realized I still had the drill bit in that I used to counter sink the bottom bracket holes! It?s a 19/64. I filled in the holes with Marine Tex and put the screws in. One went in tight and of course the one that I had drilled all the way wasn?t. Anyone want to guess at the odds that this will hold?

At least the other side went well.

I guess if it doesn't work I can always use a through bolt.