To Tab or not to Tab, That is the question.

[fiftyp]

so a thread last week got me thinking about installing trim tabs on my 1994
enforcer. Then bouncing around in the waves last weekend made me think harder. So My question is, Is it safe or risky popping holes in a older hull
that has held up well over the years?

Your thoughts appreciated

 

[Rob B]

Fifty I'm not sure how long ago the trim tabs were put on, but my enforcer is an 83 so I'm guessing your's should be just fine.

 

[Hottrucks]

"IF" your going to do it just make sure you do it correctly..that means take your time use 3M 5100 around all the bolts and even on the mating services and where you drill for wires or hoses to the tabs it wil be fine

 

[81 enchanter]

i say do it..... you def wont regret having them on there and the boat will hold up just fine!

 

[fireguy]

so a thread last week got me thinking about installing trim tabs on my 1994
enforcer. Then bouncing around in the waves last weekend made me think harder. So My question is, Is it safe or risky popping holes in a older hull
that has held up well over the years?

Your thoughts appreciated

Are you having a problem with your boat porposing or bouncing around in the waves.
It is my understanding that trim tabs are much more useful to stop porposing, which is more a function of the boat bouncing in smooth(er) water.
Nonetheless in a very entertaining and educational chat I had with Kip Combs recently, I inquired if my tabs were big enough. His reply was that i would have better luck trimming the boat properly than trying to use the tabs to stop the boat from porposing.

 

[wca_tim]

you'll wonder why you waited so long to do it. Just heed the advice above on making sure you don't create a water intrusion problem.

 

[fiftyp]

Are you having a problem with your boat porposing or bouncing around in the waves.
It is my understanding that trim tabs are much more useful to stop porposing, which is more a function of the boat bouncing in smooth(er) water.
Nonetheless in a very entertaining and educational chat I had with Kip Combs recently, I inquired if my tabs were big enough. His reply was that i would have better luck trimming the boat properly than trying to use the tabs to stop the boat from porposing.

It porpsoses a bit at slower speeds, but the biggest thing I would like to get ride of is the side to side jarring while cutting through waves and boat wakes.

 

[Kary]

Work with your setup first
if you have 100# of gear and junk in the bow....
Trim tabs are for planing. You could put a whale tail on the lower for a lot less.
(BTW...I poke fun at whale tails)
it could have the incorrect prop, or even style of prop.
Trim tabs on a boat to prevent porpoising has the same effect as raking a plug wife off.
Don't trim it so much or even go slower, unless the porpoising works out of it
Then you may be looking at a hull issue.
Several things to consider as the boat manufacturers do not usually release a boat that porpoises-very annoying to the customer

 

[plastic1]

Are you having a problem with your boat porposing or bouncing around in the waves.
It is my understanding that trim tabs are much more useful to stop porposing, which is more a function of the boat bouncing in smooth(er) water.
Nonetheless in a very entertaining and educational chat I had with Kip Combs recently, I inquired if my tabs were big enough. His reply was that i would have better luck trimming the boat properly than trying to use the tabs to stop the boat from porposing.

Kip Combs is welcome to come out with me on my persuader any time he wants. I will let him drive and he can show me how to trim my boat correctly to get through the water and stop the porpoising. sooner or later the drive wont move any farther with the trim switch and he will be reaching for the switch for my tabs. It would have been an entertaining conversation had he had it with me as well! several people have commented about checkmates porpoising on other boards as well. maybe none of them know how to trim their boat properly?

I love checkmates, believe me, but this quote is rediculous. I would have sold my 'mate had I not added tabs.

drill them holes you wont regret it. without them the boat is of far less use.

 

[wca_tim]

my experience with my little check is that even though people told me that they run best with a bow lifting prop, it porpoises throughout the midrange with any positive trim and plows the bow without it. once running faster, it would run fine and trim out without porpoising and props like a high rake turbo or a laser 2 I have were great - but only running flat out or close to it. that was with the factory weight v6 and got significant worse with the small block in it.

stern lifting props were a key to riding great at least in my case. mach 4 sterndriver (currently running a labbed 28" with the diffuser ring cut off and is great!), bravos , hydromotive quad 4 have all worked just fine.

I have yet to run a good 3 blade with a lot of stern lift, like a merc cleaver, and am thinking that I'm going to play with some over the hub outboard props once I put the sternjack on it. it currently does marginally well with the 27" mirage I have, but without tabs down at least a little bit, it porpoises in the mid range speeds. It's even a little prone to porpoises with the mach on it if you're not really careful with the trim.

If I haden't been able to address this on a wiade range I would have gotten rid of the boat instead of keeping it and putting time and money into it. it would have annoyed me to no end.

Note that the added benefit is that it handles chop MUCH better than without the tabs on it - a big deal for such a little boat.

Hope this is helpful - just my experience.

 

[Hottrucks]

ok.....all this being said!!

use tabs cautiously!!!!! to much tab at high speed will trip the boat the first time you catch a bit of air and the tabs hit the next wave!!!!! it's not matter of if it happens it's just a matter of when!!! then you have an issue!!

 

[plastic1]

great point! and as much as I am saying my mate is benefiting from the addition of tabs, I will be the first to say that at speed my boat needs no tab. I added them for better ride in the low to mid range. at speed my checkmate handles awesome without the tabs. I think this is even more important with a smaller boat. (such as mine)

 

[Skip 7750]

Trim Tabs

On my 21 BR the trim tabs are the best thing that I have done to it. No more slow speed porpoising, even with 2 adults in the back seat. Awesome for water skiing. Put them down a little bit, and the boat fires out of the hole with no bow lift.

At higher speeds just put them all the way up and forget about them.

If you get them, just be careful as it takes very little trim to make a huge difference.

 

[wca_tim]

ok.....all this being said!!

use tabs cautiously!!!!! to much tab at high speed will trip the boat the first time you catch a bit of air and the tabs hit the next wave!!!!! it's not matter of if it happens it's just a matter of when!!! then you have an issue!!

Stuffing it SUCKS!!!

 

[Hottrucks]

Stuffing it SUCKS!!!

thats some funny poop right there I was acting up today in my Senitor with Junk in the truck ( read as big block with a bravo) I was runnning it pretty hard ( read as beating it so see if it would break) I cought some ......lets say I jumped a little wave.....( read as jumping 20 to 30 foot air time off some 4 to 5 foot boat wakes) with my tabs up!!! Well needless to say I need to replace 1 trim cylnder since all the seals are gone from being pounded up and it pushing all the hydralic fluid out of it...

but if you act like a human it will be fine I'm just glad the tabs are still on the boat!!! and the seats are stil bolted to the floor


sorry guys I keep my junk in really good shape but this is a V bottom and after coming from a tunnel this thing is like driving a mini cooper after driving a covette it's so forgiving even at speed worse it can do is spin out ??? blow overs and stuffing are not even an issue with so much junk in the trunk.....