Midway - Smart Tabs on 185

Install is fairly easy, carefully layout and mark hole locations, sit down and sweat drilling the first hole below water line, then start drilling slow and careful, I assembled tabs (hinges and brackets) attached to hull with screws and sealing strip supplied, also put sealer in holes and on screws before installing, install and tighten all screws, install and tighten cylinders at recommended setting, then of course put boat in water run and adjust multiple times, now that I have them adjusted I have reduced bow rise getting on plane, can stay on plane as slow as 15 mph by gps, I have gained about 5 mph in speed loaded at cruise speed, use less gas, my normal run used to be 12 to 13 gallons, now am at between 11 and 12, I can now stay on plane 18 to 20 mph in the sound when it gets 2 to 4 chop, could not before, top end speed increased about 3 mph, all around better handling and riding boat. Yes I would by another set if I changed boats, they are all that they are advertised to be. Excellent support, when you call you usually talk to John, the owner of the company, in my case I purchased the 1290-80 tabs and found out I needed the 60 lb cylinders, called John he sent 60's I returned 80's, no problem. I would advise anyone to get them unless the boat was big enough to need a power tab.
 
I've also wondered about those tabs and how they performed, thanks for the description. I'm looking to get a slower planing speed for my boat. My previous boat (17.5' ,3.0L) had a dol-fin (hydrofoil) bolted on the alpha 1 outdrive. It too produced a low planing speed (13-15mph), less bow rise etc...

I've been told that with my current boat (20', 5.0L) with the Bravo3 outdrive that a hydrofoil won't work. The couter-rotating props are the issue.

The tabs seem to make sense by extending the planing surface so you'll stay planed at slower speeds. Am I correct that these are basically a piston shock type device with no electrical controls? How easy are they to adjust? Do you have a financial interest in them? Sorry I had to ask you sound so convinced!
 
Thanks for the update Midway. Excellent explanation of the process and the tabs. I'm sure everyone here appreciates it. I will definitely look into them. Maybe I'll let Widowmaker go first! :)
 
On the old SRO board there was a guy from Las Vegas that had a 220Sundeck with Bennett Trim tabs installed. Between the purchase and dealer install it ran around $1000.00 for him. I don't know if he made it over here to our board. Midway do you remember his name? AZ220, 220AZ...

I would love to do that to mine, and might still do it in couple of years after seeing a Psychiatrist who's been telling me it's OK to Drill the Fiberglass. :smt101
 
Glad to hear the good news of your success with the Smart Tabs. I have heard similar responses with others with similar boats. However, as a word of caution, on larger boats (about 22 feet and more) their effect is slightly less, and they usually also come with a slightly reduced top speed.

On another note It's nice to be home to CSR. Hearing talk of reluctance to drill fiberglass is very comforting. At the marina I frequent most often, nobody seems to give it a moment's thought. I'm always amazed what people who like to go to the lake will do to their boats.

An old friend once said to me while we were on the water, "There are three types of people here today: People who like to go to the lake, People who like boats, and people who like boats and like to go to the lake. The first are the most common." I fall in the last category, which I see fits many of you as well.
 
Widomaker wrote:
"Am I correct that these are basically a piston shock type device with no electrical controls? How easy are they to adjust? Do you have a financial interest in them? Sorry I had to ask you sound so convinced!"

You are correct that these are a gas piston shock type with no electric or hyd controls. Adjustment is fairly simple as well, there is a stud on each end of the shock mounted to a slotted bracket, loosen stud slide in the direction you want and tighten, it is trial and error, but when you get it right you will get the benifits described. Too much pressure; loss of speed and bow too low when on plane, increased fuel consumption, proper adjustment, increase of speed, trim bow up and down with drive trim, decrease in fuel consumption plus the other things I said in my original post. I have no financial interest in them, I am just a satisfied owner and user. :grin:

The web address is: www.nauticusinc.com go there and check them out, there is some good reading on the balance and performance of a boat, call and talk to John, he is the owner of the company and very helpful. :thumbsup:
 
I think Wish to Fish should go first since he brought it up. :wink: Send me detailed pictures! My main concern is of course drilling holes into a beautiful boat. The other concern is my molded in swim platform with its curved transom bottom and where the upper attachment would mount. I'm mostly interested in slow speed plane numbers but a couple extra on the top end is nice too. Hmmm...Have to think about it as the Bears Win the Super Bowl!! GO BEARS!
 
I also have the molded swim platform with the curved transom, they work fine, there is the option of moving the tab bracket more to the rear by moving out to the far hole in the tab with the back hole in the bracket then drill another hole in the tab for the outside hole in the bracket which will help with the mounting angles. I did not relocate the bracket on mine and they work fine, if it wasn't for making more holes I might try relocating the bracket to see if it made any real difference.
 
I've been reading about the virtues of trim tabs and hydrofoils for a while, but can't bring myself to drill holes in my hull or outdrive. Today I found this new product on Overtons that might be a good compromise.

"Sting Ray XRIII Hydrofoil utilizes a vice-block 3-point locking system for easy no-drill installation. No more measuring. No more templates. No more damage to your engine."
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...oil_Stabilizer_XRIII_Senior_engines_up_300_hp

It is a bit pricy compared to other hydrofoils, but the "no drill" feature seems well worth it. Has anyone tried these yet? I'm pretty tempted to give it a shot. Worse case, I take it off and put it on ebay.
 
Kind of on-topic...

I'm wondering if anyone can compare the benefits of changing from the stock 3-blade Black Max to a Hi-5 prop v. installing Smart Tabs.

I've been pondering both, but since a prop change doesn't involve drilling holes in a perfectly good hull I'm leaning toward the Hi-5.

Anyone with a 175/176/180 BR (or maybe even some of you 185 guys) ever switch to a 4 or 5 blade prop? I think Todd may have suggested I switch to a Hi-5 eons ago back on SRO.
 
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