Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

[Jimmy Jam]

Any info on these two items? What are the pro's & cons of either? Why would you use one instead of the other? What dictates the use of one over the other? Thanks.

Oh, forgot to mention the use would be with an 15'6" open bow Larson Shark 1550 with an 85HP outboard.

 

[tommays]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

The foil is something that time past buy as a better mouse trap like smart tabs was invented


When it fas Foil VS hydraulic tabs 20 years ago the foil was used because the Hyd tabs cost so much



Tommays

 

[Jimmy Jam]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

The foil is something that time past buy as a better mouse trap like smart tabs was invented


When it fas Foil VS hydraulic tabs 20 years ago the foil was used because the Hyd tabs cost so much



Tommays

Ok great. Which would you recommend for my rig???

 

[tommays]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

the smart tabs


Tommays

 

[Jimmy Jam]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

Thanks.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

smart tabs are the way to go. foils put unnessary stress on the engine, engine mount, and the top of the transom.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

What makes you think you need either one? Everyone I know, including myself have tried foils and have removed them and thrown them in the trash so no one else gets their hands on them. Tabs or foils are added to solve specific handling issues. A stern heavy boat like a bass boat for example may need some stern lift assistance, especially if the boat is underpowered. Some need help to eliminate porpoising at wide open throttle and hgh trim settings. Others need help staying on plane at slower speeds. Others use them to stabilize the ride. Tabs are simply better at all of those than a foil. Go to the Nauticus web site and read the theory behind both.

 

[Jimmy Jam]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

What makes you think you need either one? Everyone I know, including myself have tried foils and have removed them and thrown them in the trash so no one else gets their hands on them. Tabs or foils are added to solve specific handling issues. A stern heavy boat like a bass boat for example may need some stern lift assistance, especially if the boat is underpowered. Some need help to eliminate porpoising at wide open throttle and hgh trim settings. Others need help staying on plane at slower speeds. Others use them to stabilize the ride. Tabs are simply better at all of those than a foil. Go to the Nauticus web site and read the theory behind both.

I was more curious than anything else.

 

[Sprytlejake]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

A stern heavy boat like a bass boat for example may need some stern lift assistance, especially if the boat is underpowered. Some need help to eliminate porpoising at wide open throttle and hgh trim settings. Others need help staying on plane at slower speeds. Others use them to stabilize the ride.

I have all these problems AS WELL AS a prolonged hole shot. My boat is a 16'5" bass boat with a 90 Evinrude. My mechanic told me to get a hydrofoil, but the stern stress issue has me leaning toward tabs. Will tabs help with my hole shot?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

Please do a search (search button at top of page), this subject gets covered about every two weeks, not a bad question, its just that it all been explained so many times.

The two items are not designed to do the same thing, although most people think are, what you need is tabs.

 

[56 rude]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

i bought the nauticus trim tabs for my boat and they did everything that they claimed they would do.no matter what itried or did my boat would porpiouse widly at speed ,im quessing a design flaw or excess wet flotation over the years,anywho the trim tabs cured that problem lickity split and with the added bonus of a good hole shot and slower planing speed.

 

[atobber]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

my old boat a 17 foot 1980 invator overpowerd with a 175 mer outboard would spray water 25 feet in the air as soon as i put the hydro foil on no spray and would get on plain without the bow rising to high

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

I have used both on boats in the past.Once i tried Smart Tabs i never looked back.So much better than any foil could do.
Also the foils can cause handling problems at higher speeds.

 

[PatDaddy67]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

Foils will correct trim (fore to aft) errors only. They cannot correct list (side to side) errors as they have no athwartships moment arm on which to act. Foils also put additional load on bearing support points and on the weakest point (the middle) of the transom. Trim tabs can correct both trim and list error which will give you control over static roll and pitch angle. Keep in mind, when you are using a means to adjust these angles other than static loading of the boat you are expending energy (using fuel) through the additional drag by having a control surface in the water. If you mount the tabs in the lower outboard corners of your transom they will be mounted in both the strongest part of the back of your boat as well as have the maximum moment arm on which to act.

Another ding against foils? If you have them adjusted to apply a lot of downward force on the bow of the boat, if you make a sudden sharp turn at high speed while dumping the throttle they can cause your boat to roll to the outside of the turn instead of the inside as the force they generate is moved off the long axis of the boat. Tabs cannot do this as they are attached to the boat proper instead of the lower unit.

When my boat is fully loaded with 66 gal of water, 198 gal of fuel, dinghy, camping gear and 10 or more passengers, it would take forever to plane. Using the trim tabs in the full bow down position I can cut my planning time in half. As my boat continues to pick up speed, I back off the tabs until they are fully retracted and not dragging in the water.

I wholeheartedly recommend tabs over a foil.

Note: As a prior enlisted man, I love how on iBoats.com CoB outranks an Admiral? Lol!

 

[mickjetblue]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

I bought the 30 lb. "blems" from iboats, and put them on my jon boat.
I could not find any blem anywhere on them.

I put another 60 lb. set on my 19' Bayliner, although that was a little tricky.
I'll post my review of them in a week or two, to join all the others.

I am not throwing away my SE sport foil, as I know it did make for a better
ride and performance overall. I could tell, as Pat said, that the foil did not
improve side to side stability. We'll see what the smart tabs do.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Smart Tabs vs. Hydrofoil

More negative reports from the mis-use of foils...does it never end.