Smart Tab adjusment question

ralphy670

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Messages
244
How do you know if you have the tabs adjusted correctly? It says to you should trim up until the engine is level. I am not sure what that means. At what point do you know the engine and drive are level? Do you trim as far up as the drive can go (not in trailer territory of course).
Sorry if this sounds dumb.
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Smart Tab adjusment question

Yes, trim as far as you can go, at WOT. If you have lost speed then you need to adjust for less pressure (towards the hull). If she porpoises at WOT and full trim then you should adjust for higher pressure (away from the hull). How fast a boat are talking about? If it is underpowered maybe you can't trim that far out?
 

ralphy670

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Messages
244
Re: Smart Tab adjusment question

Its a Q4 4.3L 190. I dont think its under powered.
 

etransfer

Seaman
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
63
Re: Smart Tab adjusment question

How do you know if you have the tabs adjusted correctly? It says to you should trim up until the engine is level. I am not sure what that means. At what point do you know the engine and drive are level? Do you trim as far up as the drive can go (not in trailer territory of course).
Sorry if this sounds dumb.


You trim up until the prop spins and the RPM's shoot up too much then trim down some until the prop bites the water.

I've found that the type of prop will dictate how high you can trim up.

My Enertia Prop lets me trim to 50% up because it really grabs the water
and this adds about 5 MPH to my top end and I get zero blow outs.

Today I tested an Apollo SS and it didn't grip too well and I couldn't trim up too much or it would spin and blow out too much shooting the RPM's up.
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Smart Tab adjusment question

Do you have trim tabs? ^^^^^ What you describe may be due to too much weight in the bow, and yes props will also dictate how high one can trim up, so can top speed . . . What ralphy is trying to do is dial in trim tabs. Blow out could be the determining factor for up trim too, but this isn't about props at this point, it is about adjusting Smart Tab ram mounting points . . . ;)
 

NSBCraig

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
1,907
Re: Smart Tab adjusment question

I'm not sure but I think what your trying to do is set your drive so the anti ventilation plate is level with the bottom of the hull.

You can do this before you drop it in the water or at a beach with a straight edge.

Then adjust the tabs so they work best while leaving your drive where it is.

You want the boat running with the prop shooting straight back using all the power to propel the boat.
 
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