Re: Trim Tabs - electric vs hydraulic and other questions.
I agree with Dingbat on most of what he said.
1: Reaction time? I often think slower is better. Maybe at initial start up you may want faster but when your running often you only want to make a fine adjustment. I will often hit one of the switches for less than ? a second.
After you had the tabs for a few days you will have a good idea how much trim you will want before you apply power. Two examples: One launch ramp I use on minus tide days you only have about 2 feet of water out to about 200 yards. In this case I will trim tabs all the way down but motor trim all the way up. When I apply power the stern will come up faster than the bow and I can cross that mud flats with a foot to spare. Other time is when it is really rough and I want to run very slow but I want the bow cutting waves and Swells.
2: I disagree here dual cylinders still only use one pump so will lower tab at half the speed because it has to pump twice as much fluid. The advantage is when need maximum power it has twice a much. AT the point of maximum power needed it might lower faster.
3: I also like the longer cord better, I also have 12 by 12 Size. The way I see it is the longer tabs go deeper in the water as the bow rises. This then forces the bow deeper in the swell automatically for a smother ride. Also with the 9 inch cord the tab has to go down at a steeper angle to create the same lift. I feel that steeper down angle creates more drag than a 12 or 18 inch tab as less of an angle.
5: I also think the bat wings create more lift by keeping more water under the tab. My 1981 model Bennett they did not have the bent edges yet. One place they may help is when your swimming up to the boat the edges are not so sharp. Also if fighting a large fish that goes under the boat may not be as apt to cut the line. This is one thing I was worried about when I bough my tabs as I fish a lot, but to this day we have not cut a line or lost a fish do to the tabs. However any time I take some one new while preparing to launch I take them around back and point out the tabs. Also point out you have to be at the stern of the boat and use the pole to keep the line off the tabs and the motor.
