Volvo QL trim tabs

stefan_r

stefan_r

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Am finding my Superhawk 34 is hyper sensitive to trim after 20 knots.

I have got Mercury Kiekhaefer trim tabs at the moment and find them a bit crap 'cos they have no indicators for position and they seem a bit big as I only need to push them for "1 second" and the boat heels.

A trim indicator for Mercury costs almost the same as the QL tabs....

Anyone got experience of these babies????

Stef
 
I took the plunge and had these fitted on a 3.5 tonne sports boat. So far they have been excellent, they have built in indicators and you simply tap the up or down button and the tabs move just one position at a time unless you hold them down. Makes trimming the boat at speed very safe and quick. I would highly recommend them versus other boats I have piloted with the traditional tab.
 
I have been using the QL Trim tabs for the past 9 months and have found them superb in every way. Firstly the controls are simple and easy to understand and secondly I find them really responsive compared with the traditional machanical system. Also they aren't as prone to rusting, sticking and breakdowns etc as the system is less exposed to the elements and made of plastic. Perosnally I would be asking why wouldn't you!
 
You can easilly add additional tabs later provided you have room, they simply daisy chain off the controller. So if you plan your installation carefully fitting 2 450s fitted as far our board as possible then if you find you don't have quiet as much blade in the water as you need you can add the two 300 later. I would have thought that 450s would be ok, my boat is 3.5 tonne fitted with 450s and i've only ever needed one third of the tab to get the nose right down.
 
Don't know how fast your Superhawk is but I just had a discussion with Hunton about fitting QLs to our new boat (have heard great things about them) and they have stopped fittiing them on boats above 45 knots because they broke under hard cornering. We have the big Kiekaefers on our current Hunton and I found that if I just dab the switch they work beautifully - do have indicators tho'.

Hope this helps,
 
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they have stopped fittiing them on boats above 45 knots because they broke under hard cornering

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Yeah....this is the one thing I am not so sure about.

The Volvo book says <50 knots - this should be fine.

45 is touch and go, however. Superhawk *should* do forty-something with twin 315hp Yanmars/B3 duoprop legs - but I am struggling to get there (looking at this currently...along with smoke from one engine and not achieveing the 3,600rpm it says in the book).

Kiekhaefer blades are good...just expensive (especially parts) and without an indicator it can be a bit like going down a waterslide squirming from side to side trying to sort them out and remember where they are....

The QLs seem to get a round of applause here so a call to Volvo I think.
 
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the ones on the W34 have the auto function and are simply superb

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????what "auto function" - self levelling???? Nuffink in the brochure about that.

Self levelling port and sbd or fore/aft??

Stef

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Yep, self levelling about all four Axis. We did a test that involved loading the left hand side of the boat up with fat crew and trimming the leg out (nose high), Then gunned it without the auto tabs on and it was running as you might think. Turned the Auto system on and the bow dropped and the boat leveled side to side as the tabs did their stuff. Means you don't have to play with them, they just get on with it /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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