1989 300DA Tab upgrade?

[SCORPIO]

My 89 300 Sundancer with twin 5.7's and Alpha One gen I drives currently has a set of Bennett tabs that measure 22x9. I'd like to be able to hold plane at lower speeds and was wondering if an upgrade to the 22x12 trim planes would be a enough or should I consider the 24X12 planes? I don't have too much more room on the transom to go wider than 24" due to twin outdrives, transducers etc. Will either of these upgrades provide noticeable performance improvements?
Thanks
and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

BTW I'd like to use the existing actuators and not have to re position them, will either of the longer chord planes allow me to do that?
Thanks again.

 

[northshore]

Someone had made a permanent fixed 'center tab' on, if memory serves on a 340 Sundancer of our vintage and claimed good results.
let me see if I can find that......

Do your tabs have the 'drop fins' on them?

 

[SCORPIO]

They have a drop fin on only the outside edge, the inside edge is flat, seems a bit odd. I'd like to get new tabs with a longer chord and drop fins if they make them that way. These boats are heavy and it seems Sea Ray didn't over tab them.

 

[northshore]

Any thought to putting fins on the inside as well?
I'm just wondering if that may help enough.
Cheap and incredibly painless for some angle aluminum and rivets - just a thought....

 

[Tabman]

Drop Fins are pretty ineffective on 9" chord tabs and the need to be about 3" deep to work well. I think the smaller Drop Fins may have been to reduce spray out the sides on that boat.

Do you (or anyone) have a photo of the transom with the Tabs?

We do make 22 x 12 Drop Fin Tabs that you could get a dealer to special order for you.

Happy New Year!

Tom McGow
Bennett Marine

 

[SCORPIO]

Hope these show up ok, black tabs against a black bottom isn't the best for contrast.
I think I could go up to a 24" span and still retain the cylinder in the same place, there is some room on both sides of the hinge for a little extra width. I think drop fin tabs would be a good idea regardless of which span we use.

 

[Tabman]

I think you could fit the 24 x 12 Drop Fins too. The Part Number for the Tabs and Mounting Plates is TPA2412DF. You would need two each. Just make sure the inboard side is at least 8" from the center line of the outdrive.

Tom
Bennett Marine