NEW new UPDATE!!! Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) w/ Pics / No Test, Outdrive Busted...

[ingalp01]

OK, so my Smart Tabs II 1610x160's showed up yesterday.

These are basically a 16 inch by 10 inch Trim Tab with (2) Two 80 lbs. actuators per tab for a total of 160 lbs. resistance per side. Hopefully this will do all I need to help me plane out on my 25ft. 7000 lbs. + Cabin Cruiser. If it gets me up on plane properly, I will re-prop to an 18 or 19 pitch (16p currently) and get my RPM's in the zone and hopefully stretch the top speed a couple more MPH.

I am installing them this afternoon and will document the process with pictures. (Someone please tell me how to post Pics here?)

Water test will take place this Saturday October 2nd, so stay tuned.

Apparently I am the Guinea Pig for the Big Boat Test of Smart Tabs, so this should be interesting.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Just Curious as why you went with Smart Tabs as opposed to Bennett tab/adjustable for your big boat? If cost was the factor I can see why. Any other reasons? Oh and goot luck with the install. Remember go slowly, measure twice, drill once.

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Cost was not the main factor.

I chose the Smart Tabs for the following reasons:

1) Ease of install, no thru-hull drilling, no hydraulic or electrical connections.

2) Less (or none in this case) switches to fiddle with, less future maintenence required.

3) I am in a large lake, with fairly calm waters. No following seas/tides to contend with.

4) The math works, and physics don't change. These tabs should work as advertised no matter the size of boat.

5) Last but not least, I only gave $229.99 with free shipping for my Smart Tabs II. If they do work, great. If they don't, Smart Tabs are known for standing behind their products.

That's it, any help on the posting of Pics?

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Make sure you post your pics to a site like photobucket first. Then once you have them uploaded to there copy the link they are at and then go to the "reply to a thread section. Above the window were you type your text you will see a yellow icon with a mountain and black circle. Hit that and then insert your link it it. That will add the text in your post to add your link as a picture in the thread.

Good luck.

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

So I get home, all excited because my Smart Tabs are in...

They shipped me the wrong ones...

Thanks guys... I need the 80 lbs. actuators and now I have (4) 60 lbs. actuators...

Think I may mount them anyway, remember, suppossed to be testing them at the lake this Sat. I hate it when other people's lack of thoroughness leads to me getting shafted.

How hard is it to lQQk at the order form and actually ship the 1610x160's as oppossed to the 1610x120's???

Sorry for venting, but really!!!

 

[Capt'n Chris]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

So

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

No worries....just give them a call and they will ship the correct ones.
You may want to test it with the 60's anyway.

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Well, I went ahead and installed the 60's, but am somewhat concerned that even though they are marked 60's, they may be 30's...

Purple zip tie vs. blue for the 60's...

I may just be color blind, but they don't feel very strong. Granted I compressed them with both hands on top of my work bench and I bench about 375, so I don't know. They are definitely not the 80's...

OK, I have my pictures on Photobucket, so when I get home I will figure out how to re-size them and then will get the install pics posted.

In the meantime, I will call Smart Tabs...

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Well... I have to apologize for anything that frustrated me about the wrong actuators showing up.

I just got off the phone with the Smart Tabs people and they are shipping me out the 80lbs. actuators along with a return label and everything I need to ship them back their 60lbs. actuators.

No questions asked, perfect customer service. Thanks Smart Tabs...

 

[sqbtr]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Nauticus has GREAT customer service, I had a 3 year old actuator go bad. one call and two days later problem solved, free

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

I will be interested in seeing how these work. Also have you weighed your boat? 7000 lbs seems like a lot, unless your talking completed loaded to capacity? I'm not sure I would have even though about those types of trim tabs on a 7000 lbs boat.

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics

Boat weighs approx. 5800 lbs. dry. with passengers fuel and gear, yes 7000 lbs is the minimum.

I may set them at their lowes setting, but hopefully they should work well.

I will update when I get the 80 lbs. actuators and get to test with those. Next weekend maybe?

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

Ok, Step one... Big Smile, open the box read all the directions and then decide to do it your own way... LOL...

1) Loosely attach the hinges to the Tabs... And attach the adjustment bracket... Loosely.

2) Then tighten everything down. My 14 year Old makes a good helper. Holds, fetches, doesn't complain and is always a great help.

3) Here is where I changed things a bit. I took a super heavy duty exterior 3M two-sided tape and ran it the full length of the hinge. Then I went out and measured the mounting area on the Transom, made some reference marks, and BANG stuck the tabs to the boat with the two- sided tape. then drilled through the hinge itself into the transom. Then it looked like this...

4) And This:

5) Then some 3M 5200 Marine Adhesive/sealant into each hole and put in the screws. Not pretty, but watertight, you betcha!

6) Attach the actuators to the tabs and to the actuator transom bracket.

Continued Below......

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

7) More 3M two-sided tape on the back of the actuator transom brackets, then cut out the 25 degree template.

8) Mark the location for the actuator transom brackets, then stick em to the transom with the to-sided tape and drill the holes.

9) Seal the holes with the 3M 5200 marine adhesive/sealant, then screw them to the transom.

10) Done, should look like the above pic and this.

 

[ewenm]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

call me dump but what do you do if one actuator fails ( as spoken of in earlier post)

at least with hydraulic or electric you have the option to power the good one up.

but with static or non manual adjustment do you have to stop and disable the good one???

you sure can't run with one extended and one not

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

That just about does it, and I don't know what the deal is with the pics. I swear I re-sized all of them to 640 by 480, but some of them just came out looking big. still need help with that one?

Anyway, the Smart Tabs went on easy, and hopefully I will be able to tell a difference. Remember, these are the wrong actuators... these are 60lbs. and I ordered 80lbs.

The 80's are on the way though, according to the Smart Tabs folks...

I'll post an update with performance related stuff after this Sat. and then again after next weekend with the 80lbs. actuators...

 

[insanity]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

I have a set of smart tabs on my boat, the SS1980. I love them stopped the chine walking, as for planning out my boat planes out fast any how so the difference was slight but notable. I am able to get on plain at 20 mph at a rolling start and maintain at that speed. Handling increased dramatically for me to. I am sure you will love them. Plus the SS looks far better than the plastic ones.
The angle looks perfect; the placement is about where mine are to. With the tabs on the boat I have a bit of trouble compressing them.

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

ewenm:

I guess I could disable one of the tabs if the other quit working, but I think that would be less of a problem with the dual actuators. even if one went bad, there is still another providing some resistance.

Worse comes to worse, just troll it on home. I could just unscrew one nut per actuator, on the transom bracket and free up the whole assembly. Dunno, but minor setbacks are part of boating. Me and my buddies repeatedly sunk, or nearly so an old tri-hull when we were teens and those are the trips I remember most.

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

insanity:

I hope they do work out well. Based on everything I have read, and if my math is right, they should do nicely.

I was wondering if they might be way, way too weak, because they don't seem very stiff, (I laid down and kind of bench pressed the tab, but I can bench about 375, so who knows. It didn't feel like 120lbs.,) but we will see, and regardless, the 80lbs. actuators are en-route...

 

[Pirate_40]

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

Re: Smart Tabs II (Big Boat) Install Thread w/ Pics UPDATE

I hope for your sake the 80lb actuators are the same length as the 60lb ones you measured for.