looking into smart tabs

[mwe-maxxowner]

I'm investigating the addition of smart tabs. I think they will help me plane quicker and stay on plane at a steady speed with more people on board and a wake boarder or two knee boarders. I'm dropping pitch on the prop, I know I'm over propped. But I'm thinking about adding smart tabs also. Do they make a noticeable change? Do they disrupt the wake behind the boat any?

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: looking into smart tabs

They will get you on plane faster, and keep you on plane at lower speed - but raising the stern higher in the water will reduce the wake so, not so good for wake boarding but good for everything else

 

[tazrig]

Re: looking into smart tabs

They will get you up on plane faster and are cheaper than a regular set of bennett trim tabs but you don't get the full control that a set of bennett tabs would give you either.

 

[generator12]

Re: looking into smart tabs

If you do a search on smart tabs on this forum, you'll see what everybody has to say. It's virtually all good. I put a pair on my Four Winns bowrider and now I wouldn't be without them. What I needed most was something to control the slow speed drift, and they sure helped with that.

 

[tazrig]

Re: looking into smart tabs

If you do a search on smart tabs on this forum, you'll see what everybody has to say. It's virtually all good. I put a pair on my Four Winns bowrider and now I wouldn't be without them. What I needed most was something to control the slow speed drift, and they sure helped with that.

They do have their purpose (getting you up on plane) but if you want to control getting up on plane AND the boat tilting to the left or right as people shift positions or the wind changes you need the bennett tabs. You can also get automatic bennett tabs to do the same thing smart tabs do plus give you the flexibility of full control when you want or need it. I'm not saying smart tabs are bad in any way. It just comes down to what's in your budget.

 

[JoLin]

Re: looking into smart tabs

OP, can we get some idea of what type of boat you have?

For a 16 footer on a lake, helm adjustable tabs (like Bennetts) probably aren't cost justified. For a boat like mine in coastal waters, they're the only type that makes sense.

Tazrig, Smart Tabs also minimize list. I ran a set on a 21' Pro-Line WAC and they worked fine.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: looking into smart tabs

They will flatten the wake quite a bit... Wake boats have what is basically one big adjustable hydraulic trim tab, and for wakeboarding you want that as high as you can get it up to the point of the boat starting to porpoise. Dropping the tab down decreases wake size.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: looking into smart tabs

Most people here know I have run smart tabs on my boat for a few years and wouldn't trade them for any other tab out there.

For a ski boat that you are stopping and going all the time they would be perfect. Mainly because you don't have to adjust them at all up or down while trying to concentrate on the other boats around you, people on board, steering, the skier, speed etc.

The tabs will drastically improve performance on your boat when properly tuned in. They will reduce your wake some, which some knee boarders don't like.

Like already said, there are many threads about these. Just search smart tabs and start reading.

 

[Tabman]

Re: looking into smart tabs

OK, I'm a little biased

But when it comes to water sports, adjustable Trim Tabs cant be beat. We make adjustable "wake plates" for many water sport boat manufactures.

My own experience was with a 20 ft Aquasport. With adjustable Trim Tabs down I could stay on plane at a low speed with a small wake. This was great to teach kids how to ski, not to fast, small wake and popped up on plane.

But then if we wanted a bigger wake for tubing or wake surfing we could raise the Trim Tabs and let the stern settle in the water and get a good cresting wake. Or anything in between. I recall bouncing my daughter out of the tube at a very low speed with the Tabs up. Later that day we pulled a rather "hefty" skier up on slalom with the Tabs down.

Remotely adjustable Trim Tabs do cost more and take a bit more time to install, but they do a lot more to actually control the boat's attitude over a broad range of speeds and conditions.

When it comes to water sports, they are the best option.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: looking into smart tabs

I own a 19' Dixie hustler 188 (1987) with a 4.3 v6. It has a wake tower, and all.I do is wake board and kneeboard. I've read lots about what they do for the handling of the boat, but little about what they do about the wake and how they might affect getting big air. More advanced tabs are not in my budget right now.

I am interested in the wake plate you mentioned! I've looked at numerous pictures of true wake boats with factory wake plates and wondered if they could be added aftermarke
I would love to add smart tabs to aid in planing and medium speed handling while pulling a boarder but not at the expense of my wake.

 

[Tabman]

Re: looking into smart tabs

I believe that the Dixie Hustler is an I/O boat, but am not sure. Wake Plates are used on straight inboard boats since the Tab can be positioned in the center of the transom, over the propeller. We do make aftermarket wake plates. http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/catalog.php?vID=273&techID=9

But they cannot be used on an I/O.

I do believe that self adjusting Trim Tabs like the Smart Tabs or our SLT series http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/catalog.php?vID=274 would not be the best choice for wake boarding or other water sports

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: looking into smart tabs

Ah dangit. Yeah its an I/o. I guess I'll forget about the tabs too then and focus on getting just the right prop and playing with the throttle. It is necessary to drill holes in the hull to install these, no?

I read about adding 'pr-500' brackets so they can be lifted up while boarding. Is this an expensive option?

 

[Tabman]

Re: looking into smart tabs

Yes, with any Trim Tabs you need to drill holes in the transom, but it really isn't a big deal. Using the correct sealant and measuring twice is the key and if you ever decide to install any type Trim Tabs you will find it an easy DIY project.

 

[jestor68]

Re: looking into smart tabs

The 17 pitch 4 blade prop that you mentioned over in the prop forum would probably be your best bet for maintaining a plane at a slower speed.

I use one(Solas) and it holds a nice steady speed at the speeds you are talking about; where a 3 blade has trouble maintaining speed there.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: looking into smart tabs

Do yourself a favor and put a pair of $400 Bennett hydraulic trim tabs on the boat. They make it ride like it's 4' longer. You can come up to a big waver, and trim the nose down momentarily before raising the nose back up. Get a couple of fat women sitting on one side, you can level the boat up. You can also plane the boat off at 10 mph for a slow cruise when sightseeing. When pulling skiers out of the water, a boat with trim tabs will pull like it's got 40 hp more.

Is that enough reasons to go hydraulic trim tabs?

 

[tazrig]

Re: looking into smart tabs

Do yourself a favor and put a pair of $400 Bennett hydraulic trim tabs on the boat. They make it ride like it's 4' longer. You can come up to a big waver, and trim the nose down momentarily before raising the nose back up. Get a couple of fat women sitting on one side, you can level the boat up. You can also plane the boat off at 10 mph for a slow cruise when sightseeing. When pulling skiers out of the water, a boat with trim tabs will pull like it's got 40 hp more.

Is that enough reasons to go hydraulic trim tabs?

Like he said!

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: looking into smart tabs

Do yourself a favor and put a pair of $400 Bennett hydraulic trim tabs on the boat. They make it ride like it's 4' longer. You can come up to a big waver, and trim the nose down momentarily before raising the nose back up. Get a couple of fat women sitting on one side, you can level the boat up. You can also plane the boat off at 10 mph for a slow cruise when sightseeing. When pulling skiers out of the water, a boat with trim tabs will pull like it's got 40 hp more.

Is that enough reasons to go hydraulic trim tabs?

For 400$? Probably not haha. I don't care for skiing. When I'm finished completely doing everything to the boat I want to do if my finances are going well I will likely look into it!

 

[H20Rat]

Re: looking into smart tabs

If you are looking for a good wakeboard boat, I'd go with a perfect pass before I'd put tabs on... Once you have pulled someone with cruise control, its hard to ever go back.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: looking into smart tabs

That's the conclusion I've come to. I'll get bags this season, maybe perfect pass next.