Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

[pbolden]

Hello everyone,

I finally got my smart tabs installed. Installation went quick and was easy. IMPORTANT: If you also purchase the pr500 trim plate retractor kit make sure that they don't forget to include the special replacement connectors for the top of the actuators or you can't attach them to the retractor plates. The ones included in the package won't work with the pr500 and it cost me a 310 mile round trip and 6 hour drive so make sure they give you the right connectors.

Performance: These things are great and met every expectation. Out the hole we were on plane quicker and significantly reduced bow rise (attitude), never lost sight of the horizon. Performance in chop is a little more subjective but both my wife and I agree that there is a significant improvement in handling in a light to moderate chop.

Bottom line: They're worth every dime. I wish I had installed them earlier!

Paul Bolden

 

[Ernest T]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

+1. Good review. I agree. We were about a 1/2 mile from the marina this past weekend and were getting the boat ready for the dock. I decided to go ahead and flip the tabs up (I have the Protroller bracket like you) to save me some time at the dock. I took off, and my wife yelled "why is the front going up so high". She thought we were going to sink. I reminded her that that was how the boat used to behave before we installed the tabs. The amount of bow rise that gets reduced with the tabs is significant, as is the planning speed. The Smart tabs truly do give you a whole different boat.............better in every respect to handling.

 

[ShadowB]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

+2 Put Smart Tabs on my GS202FD a while back after taking Ernest T's advice, they are the best investment I've made for the boat. They are like night & day performance wise. It's truly remarkable how fast it gets on plane and how much I can throttle back at cruise. I believe they make towing tubes & wake-boarders much easier as well. I can lower the tow speed for towables without the bow rising and I can drop the speed coming into the cove without previous steering issues. I'm extremely pleased with them.

ShadowB

 

[pbolden]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

Ernest T, I'm curious. Were the replacement connectors for your actuators included in your retractor kit or did they come in the original trim tab package?

Paul Bolden

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

I have no issues with my boat but after I keep reading these threads, I'm thinking I'm installing Smart Tabs on my boat.

 

[Ernest T]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

Ernest T, I'm curious. Were the replacement connectors for your actuators included in your retractor kit or did they come in the original trim tab package?

Paul Bolden

I got everything I needed in the package, but I noticed that your actuators look different than mine. I think you have a newer version than what I have.

 

[Ernest T]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

I have no issues with my boat but after I keep reading these threads, I'm thinking I'm installing Smart Tabs on my boat.

Put them on there Nelson. You can do it in a hour or so, and If you go with the ProTroller bracket like Paul and I did, you can flip them up if you don't like them................you won't be flipping them up!

 

[Cupit]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

i am new at the boating fun..i bought a 2008 Q7I tahoe and i have been lookin at the smart tabs to install on it. i have read people putting the 60lb on there boat. as i look that is for a 15"-18" boat at 60hp-150hp. does it matter what tab you put on your boat. i have the 5.0 in mine and its 260hp what i was told and is 21'8" long. i looked at ******** and it says a 70lb for that size boat with that hp. does it matter what tab you get.. thanks.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

i am new at the boating fun..i bought a 2008 Q7I tahoe and i have been lookin at the smart tabs to install on it. i have read people putting the 60lb on there boat. as i look that is for a 15"-18" boat at 60hp-150hp. does it matter what tab you put on your boat. i have the 5.0 in mine and its 260hp what i was told and is 21'8" long. i looked at ******** and it says a 70lb for that size boat with that hp. does it matter what tab you get.. thanks.

Go to their website and run your specs through their product selector. The weight and HP of your boat certainly will have an impact. If you have too low a rated strut, it won't perform as well.

 

[HopinImFloatin]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

+3, best 100+ dollars ive put into the boat yet. Crazy how such a small piece of plastic can alter how a boat operates, in a positive way. I will admit it was a little nerve racking drilling the first hole in the transom:faint2:

 

[Cupit]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

Go to their website and run your specs through their product selector. The weight and HP of your boat certainly will have an impact. If you have too low a rated strut, it won't perform as well.

Thanks

 

[pbolden]

Re: Nauticus Smart Tabs performance review

I will admit it was a little nerve racking drilling the first hole in the transom

You bet. There is something very unnatural about drilling holes into your transom. I kinda felt like that three stooges episode where they were drilling holes in the bottom of the boat to let the water out. LOL