Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

[kyle f]

I got them installed, and let me tell you... it took some time to get up the nerve to drill holes in my 2 year old boat.

Anyway, this is on a 2006 Sea Ray 195 Sport with the 220hp Engine. I have the SX-80 Model as my boat is about 20'.

So, the Questions are?
1. If I place my hand under the tab surface and try to compress the cylinder I can't. Well, OK I haven't really tried but I have put some force on them and couldn't compress them. Is this normal?

2. The holes are still bothering me. Per the instruction I put marine sealant on the screws before putting them in, and I went ahead and added some to the back side of the mounting plates just as insurance. What concerns me still is if the boat has a hollow space between layers. As in, can the boat take on water through these holes and fill any gaps that would not show water in teh bilge? If soHow would you remove it?

3. WHat is the best way (from anyones personal experience with a boat about this size) to get them tuned in.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

Tuning smart tabs is a matter of "seat of the pants", observing your tach as you play with trim at wide open throttle, and eliminating porpoising. If you have 60# cylinders, you obviously need to exert considerable force to move them upward. Your are attempting to move them upward -- right??

 

[kyle f]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

Yes, upwards... as in compressing the plate to the transom (toward the swim platform)

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

they will move in the water.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

You said you got the SX-80 set which means that you have the 80 Lb actuators. You should have a V8. Right? If not then I would move the actuator from hole 3 to hole 1 to reduce the lift. In any event, you will need to pull up with about 80 lbs of force. Remember the back of the boat is heavy and you need enough actuator resistance to offset this weight.

As for the holes, you filled them with screws & sealant (I hope!). Not to worry.

 

[nlain]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

He does have the 5.0 l MPI engine so the 80# should be good. The holes should be no problem as long as you sealed them, I put 4200 sealer in the holes and on the screws and have not looked back. It sounds like you are ok by what you said. Tuning, set them to the recommended setting, run boat, trim to highest speed, move one hole do it again until you find the best setting which may be right where you started. You will probably not want to set the pressure any higher than the starting point, I started with 80# on my boat had to get 60# before I could adjust, I have the V6 engine. You will never regret this move.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

I have the MPI 4.3L V6 w 220hp, but my boat is 2800lbs Dry. The spec on the tabs were:
SX9510-60 15' to 19' 60 HP to 140 HP
SX9510-80 16' to 20' 150 HP to 225 HP

I am right at 19' of boat and 20'4" Overall with the Swim Platform. So 19'@220hp, I chose the 80s. Last night I went ahead and and put a bit more force on them and got the to compress just fine. I think I was too worried to put a lot of force on them.

Anyway, I have them in the #4 position right now. I will probably put them in to the #3 or #2 position before I put it in the water and see how they do.

 

[nlain]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

You may find that you need the 60# actuators, try the lighter pressure settings and see what happens. My 04 SeaRay 185Sport has dry weight of 2650 and the 80# was too much, I had to change to 60# and all is well. If you can increase speed, use less gas, handle rough water better, cut out low speed wander, stay on plane at slower speed, get on plane with greatly reduced bow rise you are good. If the pressure is too much you will probably feel it in the way the boat performs compared to what it used to do before. you will notice the gas gauge go down much quicker and a few other things.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

First night out last night. Didn't take on water at all.

I had them set in the #1 spot with a full tanks of gas and 5 adults in the boat. I could tell some slight differences, but not enough.

Next time out, I think I am going down to the #2 hole.

 

[nlain]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

Try and keep all things equal while testing different settings and when you see things improving you can go 1 setting further and see if you lose or gain on the improvements and when you go too far you will start to lose then you know to back up to previous setting. If you do not get the improvements like less fuel consumption, more speed at same rpm, at least the same wot speed if not better, and the rest of the things you may then have to get the 60lb actuators. Once you get them tuned you will like what you have then and see the benefits.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

nlain, what is your typical boat load? Last night I had 5 Adults and a full 30gallons of fuel. So, that would be 2800lbs for the boat, 180lbs of fuel, and about 1200lbs of people, plaus about another 100lbs of gear, ice and drinks.

Total of about 4300lbs. This is probably extreme for my boat and I think I need to reun it around with just 2 people on it before I actually make my determination. Last night my thoughst were if anything I needed to set the tab to a higher pressure setting.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

kyle f, what does the capacity plate on your boat read, for max weight, that supercedes the # of people. the # of people, is a safe sitting numberfor the size of the boat will seat when under way. the weight is more important.

an over loaded boat is not going to perform even with tabs.

 

[hdradaza]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

so technically, when tuning the tabs wouldn't it be best if I made a chart which covers wot speed, wot rpm, minimal plane speed, grade the bow rise, grade porpoising.

and then fill these out starting with no tabs, then to holes 1 thru 5. That should be the clearest way of determining right ?

I am asking because I broke my tabs ( I think someone stepped on it instead of through usage). And I never felt like I did tune it correctly and will have to re tune again.

 

[QC]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

I think it is simpler than that hdradaza. You want it on the setting that will allow you to still use power trim at WOT and get the bow up. If it is slower and you can't trim up as much as you used to, then they are too strong. At all other points the tabs will start to come down, that's where you want them. Also, you need to consider moving some weight aft too. Many boaters have piled so much weight in the bow trying to correct a porpoising problem that they can't trim out and get the bow up as they should. With the tabs, this should not be an issue.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

hdradaza;

If you have anything that needs to be replaced, call for customer service and it will be sent to you at no charge. 800-233-0194

 

[Benny1963]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

welljdeagro it seems samrt tabs back there warranty was jusy fixing to get some and fryed powerhead it wont be long.
bennyb

 

[hdradaza]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

jdeagro, thanks for the info. Unfortunately, the tabs are on their way here to the philippines. Its ok. I will keep that in mind in case the same thing happens.

QC, thanks. I think you summarized the whole process very clearly. I guess with which ever way I tune, one thing is for sure. It will take some time (30 min to 1 hour) to do and will require several hole changes. Any of these which I did not do the first time I installed em.

Once again thanks jdeagro for your company's superb customerservice.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Nauticus SX Smart Tabs Installed, but have questions

kyle f, what does the capacity plate on your boat read, for max weight, that supercedes the # of people. the # of people, is a safe sitting numberfor the size of the boat will seat when under way. the weight is more important.

an over loaded boat is not going to perform even with tabs.

Boat is rated to carry 1800#s of people/gear/fuel. I think the load I had was about the most I would ever have on the boat. Obviously, I don;t expect the boat to perform the same as if it was just the wife and I.