Trim Tabs on 205 Osprey

[CLM65]

Has anyone added trim tabs to a 205 Osprey?  I'm considering them, but I'm not sure if/how they will fit without affecting my dive ladder.  Not a whole lot of real estate there.

[seabob4]

CLM,
Do you have an Armstrong removable ladder or do you have a swing down?  You're looking at 2 issues, regardless of which ladder.  The first is the plane (the tab itself) getting REAL close to a ladder users feet.  The second, if it's a swing down, is that the top of the actuator (the mounting base) will interfere with the ladder platform.  That is a pretty easily solvable problem in that you simply cut a half round on the ladder platform leading edge to provide the clearance...

I did an install of the Armstrong removable on my customers McKee Craft.  Armstrong sells starboard spacers to extend the ladder out to clear the plane.  For swing downs, you can also by a ladder that has longer gudgeons (the arms that attach to the deck of the boat), which extend the ladder out also...

[CLM65]

Seabob,

I have a Garelock ladder, which I believe is similar to the Armstrong but is white painted aluminum, and I also still have the swing down ladder for the inevitable times I jump in the water before deploying the Garelock .  The Garelock mounts on an angled bracket, which slopes it away from the location where the port tab would go, but the gap is small and as you mentioned would create a safety issue if I could even fit a tab there.  I'm not sure how big of a tab I would need, so I dont know how big of a spacer would be required, but I think it would need to be pretty big.  I also don't know if the bracket would interfere with the tab cylinder.  I previously had the Garelock on my 200 Osprey, but it was mounted to a small swim platform.  Ever see a swim platform mounted on a 205?

Oh, and go Bucs!  I hope we do a little better this year (I'm in Crystal River, a little bit north of you).
Thanks,

Craig

[seabob4]

Seabob,

I have a Garelock ladder, which I believe is similar to the Armstrong but is white painted aluminum, and I also still have the swing down ladder for the inevitable times I jump in the water before deploying the Garelock .  The Garelock mounts on an angled bracket, which slopes it away from the location where the port tab would go, but the gap is small and as you mentioned would create a safety issue if I could even fit a tab there.  I'm not sure how big of a tab I would need, so I dont know how big of a spacer would be required, but I think it would need to be pretty big.  I also don't know if the bracket would interfere with the tab cylinder.  I previously had the Garelock on my 200 Osprey, but it was mounted to a small swim platform.  Ever see a swim platform mounted on a 205?

Oh, and go Bucs!  I hope we do a little better this year (I'm in Crystal River, a little bit north of you).
Thanks,

Craig

Craig,
If you want, I can bop up to your place and take a look at the boat.  I can also help REAL well on a set of Bennett tabs, should you decide to pull the trigger.  PM me if you are interested.  Where at in CR are you?

[CLM65]

Craig,
If you want, I can bop up to your place and take a look at the boat.  I can also help REAL well on a set of Bennett tabs, should you decide to pull the trigger.  PM me if you are interested.  Where at in CR are you?

Bob,

You are too kind!  I appreciate the offer, but until I decide to actually add tabs, I don't want to use up too much of your valuable time.  But if you ever find yourself up in my neck of the woods, you are more than welcome to stop in and have a cold one.  I'm just off of 19 on the north side of town, across from the CR mall.

Craig

[seabob4]

Gotcha Craig.  Our old CFO at Proline lives in that neighborhood.  You might know him, name is Howard Papke...

[CLM65]

Can't say that I know him.  I'll have to check the neighborhood directory tonight and see where he lives.

I spent a few minutes this morning looking at Bennett and Lenco trim tabs on the web.  Lenco makes a "limited space" tab that is 4" x 12", whereas the shortest chord for the Bennett I saw was 9".  The Lenco would certainly fit behind my ladder, and the site said it is for up to a 24' boat, but that seems small compared to Bennett's recommended size (9" x 18" I think).  Thoughts?

[Capt. Bob]

Rule of thumb, regardless of manufacturer, is:

Run the biggest tab you can fit adhering to the correct mounting position.

9 x 18 on the WAC

[seabob4]

Craig, interesting you point out the Lenco 4 X 12.  Brian Robinson from Lenco, myself, and a fellow engineer at Carolina Skiff developed that tab for limited areas or for funky shaped transoms (in our case at Proline with the 23 series hull).  It works great, matter of fact virtually every 23 that went out the door (and there were hundreds of them!) had those tabs on the hull.. Prior to that, we were using Volvo QLs, but we just had to many problems with them...

But I wholeheartedly agree with CB, install the biggest tab that will fit.  Although, sometimes, that's just an impossibility...

[CLM65]

Thanks Bob and CB.  If I do go with tabs, I will need to use what will safely fit, as I do have a concern with feet hitting the edge while ascending the ladder.  It is good to hear that the smaller tabs were successful on the 23.

[seabob4]

Thanks Bob and CB.  If I do go with tabs, I will need to use what will safely fit, as I do have a concern with feet hitting the edge while ascending the ladder.  It is good to hear that the smaller tabs were successful on the 23.

Key right there, Craig.  Regardless of how well the edges are smoothed and rounded, they will STILL put a hurting on toes and soles of feet, especially in a slippery environment...