How did you mount your Smart Tabs?

Bummer! Let us know how it turns out. I'm waiting for your feedback before I order, so that I know which cylinders to get. :thumbsup:
 
My first post! Ok here is the lowdown on the smart tabs. I had a 05 stingray 185 got the stainless smart tabs with the 60lbs. The boat was amazing after the tabs.

So my dad gets a 2003 185 searay he ordered Smart tabs but he got the plastic ones with the 60lbs We start drilling the holes and the time comes to mount the top bracket! We tried to make it fit but when the strut compressed it just binds. So after some research I found that the ABS plastic smart tabs DO NOT FIT curved transoms.

You have to stick with the stainless tabs which in my opinion are stronger than the ABS. The smart tabs 60lbs really are amazing on the 185 It planes better, turns better, has no zig zagging at nowake speed. I see no top end difference and it rides so so much better it feels like a 23ft boat.
 
You guys are really selling me on putting these on my boat. They are cheaper than a new prop and sound like they would be a much better performance upgrade. My only concern is what they do to the wake. Has anybody noticed a huge difference in the size of the wake produced after installing them?
 
I'm going to order some as soon as wreckless has a chance to test his out. I'm going with the SX (assuming they work out ok) because they are $60 cheaper.
 
The general concensus (but I have no personal experience of this) from reading other peoples opinions is that tabs cause the wake to wash out a bit, and not be as firm.

Most people recommend lifting them out of the way for wakeboarding, if you have hydraulic tabs.
 
Well we only made two short runs this weekend because of the weather, but I can say they work! In the past I always had a problem going slow. The bow would rise way up if I tried to cruise under 20mph. I would almost have to jump up on plane and then back it off to just the edge of falling off. It was kind of a pain to go slow. Now I can cruise any speed I want without having to jump up on plane. I also noticed that going through chop, instead of hitting the wave and crashing down back on the next one, it bounces just a little and then cuts through the chop. I am almost wondering if I should try the 60psi cylinders. About the wake, I see very little difference, I can see a small roost coming from each tab but besides that the wake looks the same as before the tabs. The only downfall I see is I lost a few MPH on the top end. I could plane my boat out and trim it up to about 51mph. I could only get it to about 48mph. Not that it really matters..
 
You need the 60 lb cylinders, I have the same boat, just the prior year, I started with the 80's and had to change to the 60's. You can adjust the 60's and get the same ride with more speed, very possibly a slight gain on top end. The 80's are too strong for your boat.
 
I think he's using the 40s right now.....

Dern, I was hoping that you had tried BOTH cylinders so that I would know EXACTLY which ones I needed for my boat! :grin:

I guess that I will go ahead and order a set for my boat with the 40s. I can trade them out later if it seems like the improvement isn't very much.
 
Yea I only tested the 40's. They said they will swap out your cylinders if you think you have the wrong ones. Once you get your 40's, if you want to try my 60's just let me know and I will ship them to you as long as you cover shipping both ways..
 
I had forgot that you were using 40's, you should not have any speed loss, you should have gained a little at least in the cruising range. With the tabs on my boat I gained several mph in the cruising range, went from 28 or 29 back to 34.something, at 3500 rpm loaded. That is on smooth water, rough water slows speed. You probably want to try the 60's and see what they do.
 
I think I will go ahead and order the 40s since I know that they work for sure. I don't want to get the 60s and have them be too strong for my next lake outing. I'm going camping and don't think I'll be able to do much adjusting since the boat will be in the water the whole time.

Wreckless - when you did the install, did you follow the directions completely, or did you have to change it up due to the shape of the hull? I think you are only able to use the last hole on the tabs... is this the hole that you used when measuring for the mounting position?
 
You have to remember, I did not mount them in the standard fasion so this is just trial and error. On your 2004 185 did you mount the cylinders to the same surface as the tabs or did you have to mount them on the hump like I did?
 
I had to mount on the hump, at the tabs only had one set of holes for mounting the tab bracket, I found out later that I could have drilled another hole to move the bracket further back. They work fine where they are so I have left them that way. See Pics.

2005_1016Image0015.jpg


2005_1016Image0016.jpg


2005_1016Image0017.jpg
 
The aluminum tabs for some reason are different then the plastic ones. Those ones can be mounted like you have them but they say not to do it on the plastic ones. Not sure why though..
 
I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the SX tabs with 40lb actuators. Hopefully they will be here by next week so that I can get them installed for my trip to the lake that weekend (June 25th).
 
If you find that the 60s work better for you, I'll call up Nautilus and see about getting a second pair to test as well. I'll just send back the ones that don't work. I don't even have these things installed yet and I'm already wishing that I would have done this 5 years ago!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,186
Messages
1,428,188
Members
61,098
Latest member
Klawson83
Back
Top