Would trim tabs help?

[Dave_Snelson]

Just a thought whilst cruising along on CI....

My planing speed is quite high - when I drop below 25kts, it starts to fall in stern first. Now CI is over weight. As hlb rightly pointed out, the dry weight is 2.45 tons. My weight with new engines is 3.3 tons - and most of that is in the arse-end. I don't really have a problem with this - but I just wondered about tabs??

BTW - old engines = Volvo AQ171's New engines = Volvo V6 Vortec.

 

[tcm]

yeah possibly. But i bet there is gear you could move forwards before that - anything you can move forwards takes weight out of stern and into bows - a double whammy.

 

[whisper]

Yes, I believe that they probably would. Certainly have helped with our last 2 boats.

 

[Lifeboat]

Yeah, they would help no end, trim tabs are great bits of kit for control while planing.

 

[DavidJ]

Support tcm in that shifting stuff forward is the most efficient solution. If you still need more then trim tabs will definitely work but be careful that you don't over trim because you can get some quite alarming instability on some boats with the trims down while on the plane.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Yep - done that. In fact this weekend I chucked all the stuff off the boat that I didn't need or haven't used in ages, then moved stuff forward. I'll have a think what else can go forward. Cheers Matt.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Thanks for that. Are they easy to retro-fit?

 

[stamfordian]

Fitted tabs to my fisher ,quiete easy went for Electro tabs so no hydralics,just a case of drilling and screwing ,routing of cables to hekm and a small panel for switches all supplied in kit,work very well as i only do relativly slow speed put large one,s on,size depends on length of boat ect but all info on web page.
regards tb

 

[stamfordian]

<font color="red"> </font> SHOULD BE LECTROTAB!!

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Thanks nm

nm

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Re: Thanks nm

Was an article in PBO a month or so back about retrofitting trim tabs. Will dig it out if you like....

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Re: Thanks nm

Yeah - if you can dig it out, that would be great Julian - cheers matey!

 

[hlb]

Re: Thanks nm

You wont know if trim tabs help, till you get some trim tabs. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[MapisM]

What kind of help are you looking for?
They are possibly useful in getting the boat on plane more quickly.
For sure they are useful in balancing the boat, i.e. with strong lateral wind.
They can help (a little) when cruising into head sea.
But if what you are looking is a lower minimum planing speed, then you are wasting your money imho.

 

[tabmanuk]

Trim tabs will certainly help your problem. Most of the benefits have been pointed out in earlier posts, but if you want detailed information and guidance, visit our website - www.marinecomponents.co.uk - which will tell you chapter and verse about tebs and has a direct link to the Bennett Marine site, with even more information!!!

By the way - electric motors in the water on electric tabs - can be expensive in replacements ! hydraulics are clean and reliable.

Any more help wanted - please get in touch. You should be aware that Marine Components are distributors for Bennett in the UK and can provide all technical advice etc. on their tabs, as well as general advice.
Hope this helps,

David