Smart Tab install

further

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Got a set of smart tabs as a bday present from my wife... Yeah I know she's awesome! 😄. Anyway, looking at my transom area, I don't have a lot of room on the starboard side with the ladder there and I really don't want to move the ladder. Any suggestions on placement or ideas on the ladder?







Thanks in advance
 

JASinIL2006

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I think that ladder placement may pose a problem... That's right about where the tabs should go. How many inches between the ladder and the cutout for the outdrive?
 

JoLin

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A side view might help. What's the distance between the ladder and transom where the tabs would fit? You could try lenthening the black standoffs for the ladder. They hit the transom pretty far up (in the dark blue). I bet you'll gain a few inches of clearance at the bottom of the transom for every inch you lengthen the standoffs at the top.

My .02
 

Alumarine

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Have you held the tab in position behind the ladder to see how much room there is?
 
Last edited:

further

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Ok so here is a close up of the starboard side with the ladder up. Looks like I have two options, one just below that center chine (closer to the drive) and one just above (further from the outdrive) and follow the direction of the hull.


From what I understand on the install, the tabs are to be installed in their resting position and the strut part is to be attached to the transom while the tab is in its resting position. Looks like if that's the case, the ladder would clear in both situations? This also would only be of any concern when the ladder is deployed.

Here are a few pics of the tab held in the area above the center chine (further from the outdrive)




Here is a pic of the tab held in the are below the center chine (closes to the outdrive)


So if it'll clear the ladder above that center chine (further starboard/further from the drive), I should go with that spot?
 

Watermann

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That location looks really good to me. For the tabs to work the best they can they should be as far outboard as possible and just at about the same level as the bottom of the boat. After all you'll use the tabs every time your underway and the swim ladder doesn't get used so much. Just be sure to tell people DO NOT step on the tab.
 

Watermann

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I put my tabs on before the swim platform/ladder since I had that ability when rebuilding my Chief so I could position the swim ladder around the tabs. As you can see from the pic the 2 of them are always going to be at odds so you just have to make do.

IMAG1598.jpg
 

jbcurt00

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The tabs need to be about level out from the hull when mounted w the strut attached, just slightly angled down. In the last pix you posted, the tab is nearly touching the ladder and is angled down way more thwn it'll ever need to be....
 

further

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All the instructions and videos say in the down position about 25 degrees from level with the hull.
 

JASinIL2006

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How much does the ladder flex in when there is weight on it? I'm concerned that (a) the tab won't actually be down that far and (b) the ladder will flex into it when a wet swimmer tries ti climb aboard. You really don't want the tab getting stepped on.
 
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