Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

[bowtie4x4295]

I just purchased a 1999 Marada 21' bowrider by Armada Powerboats. The listed weight is 3250lbs. The engine is a 5.0L EFI 240 HP. The prop is a High Five 19P. I know I need to change props, as I can bounce the engine off the rev limiter at will, at around 45MPH. The issue is the boat had one of these Stingray foils on the foot along with the Bennett Hydraulic trim tabs. Yesterday I took the wife, child, dog, and daughters friend out. This is my first time with the Trim Tabs. The boat was listing toward the port side badly, so I start fooling around with the switches and the boat feels like its going to roll over while still travelling in a straight line. I pull to the shore to make sure both tabs are working and all seems to be in order. So I have to wonder could the Foil and the Trim Tabs be fighting against one another creating a negative result. It was almost impossible to get the boat to ride level, left to right. The boat sits perfectly level in the water when not underway. I feel like I may be missing something but was checking where to start here first.

Thanks, Mike

 

[bhammer]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

Get rid of the foil as it will cause this problem when you are running other tab products. Then, you can play with the tabs until it becomes second nature.

 

[bowtie4x4295]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

Thats was my thoughts, just to many forces counteracting one another.

Mike

 

[bowtie4x4295]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

Anyone else want to weigh in???

Mike

 

[cpubud]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

yes no need for both so remove the foil since the tabs will give you the best of what your after.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

Lose the foil

 

[bowtie4x4295]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

I wasnt really after anything, all this was installed when boat was purchased. Just handled like crap.

 

[slasmith1]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

was it windy or was there a strong current?

 

[bowtie4x4295]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

No, everything was nice out. I have had many boats, but this is my first to act this way.

Mike

 

[old bird]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

Also check that both Tabs are working,
and what switch operates what Tab.
They may be wired so the left switch operates the starbert Tab. and vise/versa

 

[capt sam]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

lose the fin and what old bird said.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

Also check that both Tabs are working,
and what switch operates what Tab.
They may be wired so the left switch operates the starbert Tab. and vise/versa

If the tabs are wired per Bennetts instructions, then yes, the right tab will operate the left tab and vice versa.

The idea being that you want to push the starboard side of the bow down you push the starboard side tab button. You want to push the port side up you push the port up button.

 

[bowtie4x4295]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

After speaking with the wonderful people at Bennett, I believe they are installed to low. I am unable to retract them enough as to not affect the boats attitude. They are wired so that left switch adjusts left tab and vice versa. I really don't want to pull them, plug holes, and re-install, but that may be my only option, short of scraping them all together.

Mike

 

[JoLin]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

After speaking with the wonderful people at Bennett, I believe they are installed to low. I am unable to retract them enough as to not affect the boats attitude. They are wired so that left switch adjusts left tab and vice versa. I really don't want to pull them, plug holes, and re-install, but that may be my only option, short of scraping them all together.

Mike

Why don't you just lost the fin, as so many have suggested, and try it that way before you start doing surgery on the boat? I agree with the observations that there's absolutely no reason to have both, and they may be working against each other.

 

[bowtie4x4295]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

Fin is gone, but due to weather, have not been able to take it out for a test.

Mike

 

[QC]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

Put a straight edge on the hull and compare the tabs all of the way up to the straight edge, the tabs should be slightly higher than the straight edge when they are fully retracted. Can you post a picture? If it is the mounting place of the tab itself that is one thing, if it is the mounting of the hydraulic ram that is another. My guess is that you will have no issues once you take off that POS from your drive.

Oh, and unless you know somebody with a very small boat and less than 25 horsepower, do us all a favor and take that foil to the deepest part of the lake and throw it overboard . . .

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

Bennett has different sized actuators. You might see if a shorter one would solve your problem?

 

[bowtie4x4295]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

I had a wonderful conversation with Thomas at Bennett, he seems to think that due to my hull design, they are slightly toed in. He is shipping me a set without the wings going down, and the mounting point for the actuators is closer to the rear of the tab which will in effect have them raised further when fully retracted. Skeg was a little off to the left, the rubber mallet straightened out. THE FOIL IS GONE. Will try it out as soon as possible. The people at Bennett know I bought this boat with these already installed, but are going WAYYYY out of their way to get everything working right, and me happy. I am most definitely a lifelong customer of their now.

Mike

 

[gss036]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

I would think they should be mounted to the outside of the hull, I can see why there would issues with the way they are installed. Flat tabs will probably help, but wider apart and to the outside would solve your problem. Then again that's just opinion.

 

[SteveDavis]

Re: Bennett trim tab blues Please HELP!!!

This is a newer boat for you, have you exhausted the idea of having the correct prop for your boat? Also, what is the reason for having both trim tabs and a hydrofoil? It's a one or the other type thing with them. Trim tabs being the perferred.