Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

[turfman]

I'm re doing a cobia 18' cc for the bay and nice days out on the atlantic. I've had Bennet tabs before on my Grady White, but there are none on this boat. I needed the tabs for my bigger boat and am sure I will want tabs for this one.

Question is can the smart tabs benefit me and to what extent on this set up?
I know they will benefit to a degree; is there a down side to them in this application?

Realistically the boat will be a little stern heavy as I added a bigger fuel tank. Not much room in this boat; so I don't think shifting weight will be a problem. I really don't plan on going out into the blue( well brown here) water on windy choppy days as I will probably be by myself mostly and I still respect the power of the ocean.

I'm setting this boat up for a quick get out and fish the wrecks and rocks for a couple hrs boat.

thanks

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

the smart tab will help any boat. the idea of them is the get on plane quicker, and keep you on plane with less power, if you are stern heavy they would be must. if you are a gadget guy, you may want the adjustable bennetts, which you have had before. i really don't see the benefit vs cost difference for adjustable, smart tabs service and support is as good as bennetts.

i love the cobia hull, base on there hull from the 60's. i had 3 over the years,

also read this http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=236795

 

[turfman]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

Thanks TD.

I looked for a clunker for a couple years now. Had my heart set on a mako or robalo but couldn't find one at a good price. Saw the cobia on craigs list for $800 with running 115 johnson. Talked him down to $500 after my foot punched through the deck. Everything is out right now; getting ready to redo the stringers and everything next week. The motor is pretty tight, so only did the pump, plugs and carbs. Gonna rhino liner the whole inside. Progect should run me around $1500 including price of the boat.

Setting this boat up for after work sneaking around. At least I can trailer and launch this thing easily. My Grady Sailfish.. not so much.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

what year is it. i had 2 with 115 johnny's one with a 135 merc. all were 18's. you just can't beat the way they perform for that size boat. i have down size tow vehicle, so i've gone to aluminun. and small glass boats.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

The down side is that they are not retractable.

No way would I want a tab that can't be retracted in a following sea. A following sea is a tough enough situation to run in. Let alone have something trying to push my bow down in the bottom of the trough.

I've brought this problem up in the past and was told to just tie them up with a rope in that situation.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

in an 18 ft boat if you wait for that to be a problem, you staid too long.

 

[QC]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

i really don't see the benefit vs cost difference for adjustable,

The single biggest benefit toa djustables for me is the ability to make side to side adjustments for shifting passengers. Also, the ability to get them all the way up if you happen to want your bow up in a certain situation like heading into a swell with low freeboard and you like staying dry . . . or what dingbat suggests.

I have kinda used the gadget description before too, but more accurately, I say if you like to adjust things go adjustable. The difference to me is that gadget sounds gimmicky, and I guarantee adjustables are in no way a gimmick . . . John likes to use a comparison to airplane flaps for smart tabs. To carry on with that analogy, adjustable tabs are flaps and ailerons combined.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

I am not a big fan of Smart tabs. I like to have control over my trim tabs...for all of the reasons stated above, plus there are gonna be times when you don't need or want trim tabs and with smart tabs there is little you can do to move them to the "up" position easily.

 

[turfman]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

what year is it. i had 2 with 115 johnny's one with a 135 merc. all were 18's. you just can't beat the way they perform for that size boat. i have down size tow vehicle, so i've gone to aluminun. and small glass boats.

Its an 84 Sunskiff with an 84 Johnson 115. The boat actually came from Key Largo. The guy I bought it off of got his Palm beach stolen from his slip down there. He went down for three weeks on vaccation; found that his boat was gone. He figured that he didn't want to be there for three weeks without a boat, so stopped at the nearest Scheister by the road and bought the boat for $2500.

I think the hull is a bit better than a regular bay boat for my purposes, as it is a bit deeper. I was under the impression that the hull was a Wahoo clone, or is it the other way around.

I agree with the following sea analogy; these things cant be disconnected or folded up? Like I said before; I just wanted a boat that I can run in a moments notice or take to work with me when I know that the weather's good. I'm trying to justify spending the extra $ for adjustable tabs. Also for the ocean I'll be out 2 miles at most. So I'm figuring I can get into the inlet in a hurry. I don't know; I was thinking for a fair weather boat they'd be better than none at all. Again; when it gets rough the Grady goes out, not this one.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

in an 18 ft boat if you wait for that to be a problem, you staid too long.

Then plan on staying at the dock during day light hours between April and October around here.

You're going to running a following sea anytime you run with the wind to your back.

Around here we get a prevailing SW wind all summer long. Coupled with an outgoing tide you have a big following sea anytime you travel in a northerly direction.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

I need to jump in here, not to debate adjustable Trim Tabs Vs Smart Tabs but to clarify the issue of a following sea.

I think you guys are missing something in the concept of what happens with Smart Tabs while under way. Smart Tabs are never rigid, therefore in a following sea the maximum stern lift would be dictated by the actuator pressure. i.e.: if the actuators are 60 Lb. then the max stern lift once on plane is 60 Lb. and after that the tabs retract, and can retract to about 12 degrees beyond horizontal.

Conversely; adjustable trim tabs, when deployed down and left there can hold the plates down with as much as 400 Lb. or more depending on the speed of the boat. That said, I agree that you would never want adjustable (rigid) trim tabs deployed in a following sea.

In actuality what happens with Smart Tabs is; on the front side (down hill) of the wave in a following sea the tabs are UP at least to horizontal, (because of the water pressure) allowing you to throttle back without fear that the boat will come off plain (stern drop) when at the bottom. As you accelerate up the back side of the wave the tabs keep the stern up to facilitate the climb.

I spent 27 year boating off shore in Southern California and know the issues associated with following seas. The seas are always at your back when returning to the mainland from Catalina Island.

What you folks are surmising will happen is not what actually occurs. I think that if you piloted a boat with Smart Tabs in a following sea you would understand better. They will allow you more flexibility with your throttle, and that is the most effective tool in a following sea.

Again, I am not debating helm controled tabs Vs. Smart Tabs. I am just addressing the perception of how Smart Tabs function, and following seas.

 

[QC]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

I spent 27 year boating off shore in Southern California and know the issues associated with following seas. The seas are always at your back when returning to the mainland from Catalina Island.

I did not know that . . . and when talking following seas, coming into any of the So Cal harbors was exactly what I was thinking of.

BTW, I agree, small issue due to the actuator size, but wouldn't it be 2 x 60 = 120 lbs.?

Also, to carry on the debate that John didn't want to . . . For the inexperienced, adjustable tabs can absolutely be a safety hazard. No question, I totally agree there too. I usually say, if you are a get in and go type of guy, use Smart Tabs. If you tend to watch your gauges, adjust for all conditions, are somewhat anal, go adjustable if the budget allows. Smart Tabs are 1000% better than no tabs.

 

[tmh]

Re: Smart tabs for the bay & ocean.

Not THIS arguement again. I guess there is no RIGHT answer though.

I have Smart Tabs because I'm no trained captain and didn't want to spend time fiddling with tabs. I see where helm-controlled tabs would benefit the knowledgeable, engaged pilot though.

The "following seas" reason against smart tabs would be legit if it cam from someone who used them in this situation, but if it comes from the "smart tabs are gimicks" crowd, i don't put much stock in it. I've never seen any info from John here or in other forms that hasn't proved true, so i'll take his word on this one - that's what you EARN as an honest businessman even when discussing your own product.

btw, I just had lunch wit a buddy whom I had told about Smart Tabs (20' BR) and he couldn't stop saying how great they are! His main issue was no-wake speed wander, but he also likes the better front visibility getting on plane nowthat his bow stays down better.

John, any luck getting your tabs OEM on the 18-21' runabouts? Or are they afraid this is "admitting" hull design shortcomings? (yeah, the design issue is that they aren't 24' boats!!!)