just ordered... Trim Tabs

[seabob4]

Arron,

They look great, now go get 'em wet!

Tom
Bennett Marine

With the weather we've been having, that might have to wait a bit!  I know this transplanted yankee doesn't like to go out in 55 degrees...

[Tabman]

38 degrees right now in South Carolina, have had the heater on all morning in the shed.  Still getting used to it after almost 20 years in South Florida. . .

[MarshMarlowe196]

38 degrees right now in South Carolina, have had the heater on all morning in the shed. Still getting used to it after almost 20 years in South Florida. . .

Tabman- I didn't realize you were so close to me.  I'd like to bring my boat by sometime so we can figure out some tabs that will work (I have the sternwells).  What say you?

[Tabman]

38 degrees right now in South Carolina, have had the heater on all morning in the shed. Still getting used to it after almost 20 years in South Florida. . .

Tabman- I didn't realize you were so close to me.  I'd like to bring my boat by sometime so we can figure out some tabs that will work (I have the sternwells).  What say you?

I'm right in Mount Pleasant, actually almost in Awandaw.  I'm sure we could get together, I'm working on rebuilding a house here (it was a wreck) and am pretty flexible with my time.

In the meantime do you have a photo of the transom you could post?

Tom

P.S. I like mounting them like they used to on the old Hewes flats boats:

[gran398]

There ya go.....just what we've been talking about!

[Aswaff400]

Arron,

They look great, now go get 'em wet!

Tom
Bennett Marine

With the weather we've been having, that might have to wait a bit!  I know this transplanted yankee doesn't like to go out in 55 degrees...

the cold temps doesnt bother me so much, just the cold temps at 50 mph with a 15 mph head wind

i am itching to get her back in the water and see what a difference the tabs make in a chop.

[Aswaff400]

well i threw the boat in the water this afternoon, and took her out for a test run after work...
 

what a difference!!!! all the high winds today the bay was pretty choppy, going into the waves or cutting them at a 45 deg angle. with the tabs up, id pound over each wave at any speed with the outboard trimmed all the way in... with the tabs down a tad, the bow sliced each wave to the point i thought i was damn near running on glass. i even opened her up and ran WOT for a good mile or 2(still going into the waves), trimmed her sky high, what a difference the in how the boat feels on a 1 to 2 ft chop, felt like i picked up a mph or 2...

so i do a big circle, and head back in, and now following the seas, with the tabs down some the boat still sliced through the waves like butter, but i dont recommend running WOT in a following seas with the tabs down, the boat wants to bow steer excessively which i remember reading that on bennett's site somewhere...

overall, the tabs are one of the best investments, definitely worth the money

[seabob4]

well i threw the boat in the water this afternoon, and took her out for a test run after work...
 

what a difference!!!! all the high winds today the bay was pretty choppy, going into the waves or cutting them at a 45 deg angle. with the tabs up, id pound over each wave at any speed with the outboard trimmed all the way in... with the tabs down a tad, the bow sliced each wave to the point i thought i was damn near running on glass. i even opened her up and ran WOT for a good mile or 2(still going into the waves), trimmed her sky high, what a difference the in how the boat feels on a 1 to 2 ft chop, felt like i picked up a mph or 2...

so i do a big circle, and head back in, and now following the seas, with the tabs down some the boat still sliced through the waves like butter, but i dont recommend running WOT in a following seas with the tabs down, the boat wants to bow steer excessively which i remember reading that on bennett's site somewhere...

overall, the tabs are one of the best investments, definitely worth the money

Tabs are the real deal, be they Bennetts or Lencos...    

Or K-Planes if you have the boat!  

[Tabman]

That's great to hear Aswaff400!

I am delighted that you are happy with the results.  

Tom
Bennett Marine

[Aswaff400]

my girlfriend is happy to hear the ride will be smoother on a chop, thats the only thing she complained about on the boat  

my friend has a set of lencos on his 20 ft flats boat, the boat is only 2 years old and has already had to replace both actuators 2 times, told him bennett has a lenco conversion kit, said he's ordering it next pay day lol

[Tabman]

my girlfriend is happy to hear the ride will be smoother on a chop, thats the only thing she complained about on the boat  

my friend has a set of lencos on his 20 ft flats boat, the boat is only 2 years old and has already had to replace both actuators 2 times, told him bennett has a lenco conversion kit, said he's ordering it next pay day lol

Happy girlfriend = Happy Captain    

Let me know if he has any questions about the conversion kit, I would be happy to help him. . .

Tom

[MarshMarlowe196]

38 degrees right now in South Carolina, have had the heater on all morning in the shed. Still getting used to it after almost 20 years in South Florida. . .

Tabman- I didn't realize you were so close to me.  I'd like to bring my boat by sometime so we can figure out some tabs that will work (I have the sternwells).  What say you?

I'm right in Mount Pleasant, actually almost in Awandaw.  I'm sure we could get together, I'm working on rebuilding a house here (it was a wreck) and am pretty flexible with my time.

In the meantime do you have a photo of the transom you could post?

Tom

P.S. I like mounting them like they used to on the old Hewes flats boats:

Fitz had suggested I add some "pads" to the port well to eliminate my list, which is a great idea and a cheap fix, but after reading Aswaff's experience with the tabs, I think I want some too   .  My GF doesn't complain about the rough ride in the chop, it's really me that complains about that, she just complains about the cold weather    She's not much for fishing, just give her a book and she's content all day while I fish.

Anyway, I'm not sure if my wells are as sturdy as the Hewe's you have pictured, though I like that idea.  Here's a pic-



The wells were very flimsy when I got them; I added some glass to the wells and through bolted them to the transom.  I can stand on them now.  Do you think tabs mounted on the wells would work for my boat?

Thanks Tabman, and happy to hear about your positive results Aaron!  

[Tabman]

Jessie,

Well it looks like our weather is taking a turn for the better!

There is considerable force applied to the extended fish-wells when Trim Tabs are mounted on them.  In the case of the Hewes and some other boats the wells were essentially extensions of the hull and therefore really solid.  Having  the Trim Tabs mounted on the wells really extends the running surface of the boat, making it run lake a much longer boat. Additionally by virtue of the Trim Tabs being placed out towards the sides of the boat the side to side control is very good and the Tabs will need to be deflected only a little bit (less drag) to correct a list.

If it were my boat I would try to mount them on the fish-wells, but I would have to be sure about their structural integrity.  If I thought they were not up to the task I would mount the Trim Tabs on the transom right up against the wells.  Can you tell me what the run of the bottom measures from the well to the center-line of the boat?

Tom
Bennett Marine