Vrbo. There are two basic types of trim-tab … As the boat accelerates, push the bow down position of the helm control in short bursts. While some people may define optimum running attitude as the highest possible speed for a given amount of engine RPMs, others desire the best possible fuel economy, yet others may be trimming the boat to get just the right mix of speed and wake (such as for waterskiing. Tabs and cav plates can also be used to help get a boat on plane, or to reduce bow rise during initial acceleration. I meant can you cruise at 5mph with the boat being level. ), Optimum running attitude is when the boat is running to the operator's satisfaction for the given operating conditions. There are many things beyond your control that affect the balance of your boat during a ride. But once you are up on the plane there are a number of adjustments you can make to get you going even quicker and these are all to do with trim. I'm getting 49mph@4400rpm WOT (GPS) with my current prop (14.75x19P SS) which is sluggish to plane with a full load. All boats assume different fore to aft attitudes at different throttle settings and vary in sensitivity to lateral weight distribution. The Tricycle of Boats - pounding, splashing. How to Use Trim Tabs. Hoping I can play with them this weekend and get a better feel for how to best operate them. Some boats will prefer a little less than all the way in trim, or less tab than this. A boat burns fuel more efficiently when it’s on plane and trim tabs can help a vessel maintain plane at a lower rpm. Since Bennett trim tabs may be operated individually you can easily bring the boat level by using your trim tab control. Start by pulling your trim tabs up … Adjust power trim if applicable. Only a slight amount of trim tab deflection should be necessary. With trim tabs providing additional lift, the amount of throttle required to stay on plane is reduced, which saves fuel. I got this information off of this site a while ago and saved it for a time just like this...... jim , the profit and all that gave advice thanks much. The extra lift at the back of the boat puts the hull on plane more quickly and the downward force keeps bow rise to a minimum. As the trim tabs deflect, the porpoising subsides and your speed should remain the same or increase. Since they can have such an impact on the trim of your boat, it’s important to inspect them visually to ensure they aren’t in need of repair. Properly sized trim tabs can significantly reduce the time needed to get up on plane. If the bow wants to tend to veer off to one side or the other I know I need to raise the tabs some till she tracks straight. The bow spray moves forward and is flung not as far from the boat. Operate the tabs in very short bursts of about half a second. Trim tabs eliminate porpoising and help a boat to get on plane quickly. You will quickly become acquainted with a boat's particular traits. As always Thank you again, seas are supposed to be flat to 1 foot with light winds this weekend hope to make it out of the bay this time...wish I had a trim indicator on the boat. Also some boats that suffer from "wandering" at low speeds (particularly I/Os) will benefit from having the Tabs fully down at no wake speeds. Maybe the wind is forcing one side of the boat down, or the sea itself is getting tumultuous, or an uneven weight distribution on the boat is causing it to tilt. For example, as your boat slows from maximum speed, it begins to settle at the stern or “squat”, creating an inefficient, untrimmed condition. cavitation, porpoising, sliding out of turns. This should flatten your takeoff angle when you punch the throttle(s) and offer improved visibility forward. All boats react differently to Trim Tabs and the best way to find out what works best for yours is to experiment, and remember, use short bursts of the controls and let the boat settle down between corrections. They also allow a boat to keep its bow down and stay on plane at lower speeds. They can help in a vessel by push the bow down in head on sea and dampen the bow bounce, on a flat sea they can compensate for poor loads and balance the boat, with a 38, you are going to be running with the tabs full bow down much of the time to prevent the boat from “squatting”. "If you need to get on plane quickly in shallow water, and you need to lift that stern, put the tabs down a little," says Charlie Johnson, marketing director for Maverick Boats. By observing the boat's speed and engine RPMs the best combination of trim tabs and power trim will be apparent. Therefore, do not think about what the tabs are doing, but rather on the control and what you want the boat to do. Anyone got some guidance on this. Porpoising when trying to get your Jon boat on plane Some boats will benefit from extra lift even when running at their maximum throttle settings. Your trim tab control has two (2) two-position, momentary switches labeled Bow Down and Bow Up: Depress front-starboard button to move trim plane on port side downward. If you over do it and deflect the tabs too far the boat will end up overtrimmed. In this episode of Boating Tips, Captain Keith discusses the benefits of trim tabs and how they work. Curious about automatic trim tabs? As you gather speed, you accordingly alter the angle of the tabs for the sea conditions. also got to see about a 4 foot bull right on the edge of Crab Island..guess what the spring breakers don't know cant hurt the MUCH lol. vrbo.com. Top tips: Boat trim and trim tabs Face facts: owning a powerboat is all about going as fast as possible and making sure that you show all those unfortunate non planing vessels a clean pair of heels. As above, make the corrections in bursts and allow the boat to settle to the new settings. Trim was full down. The engine is laboring and the ride tends to be less smooth. The time period between the seas can make a huge difference as well. Using trim tabs to get on plane is relatively simple. Yes. Trim tabs (you can read here for hours on them, and clearly they are the best option) will get a boat planning at a slower speed. Trim tabs help to alleviate this problem by pushing the stern of the boat up and leveling it out. There are as many optimum running attitudes as there are boats and boat owners. When planning out a boat, the bow will rise up into the air. However, you should not rely on trim tabs to fix your poor positioning of gear and passengers on your boat nor should they be relied on to counteract an overly heavy outboard motor. I tried playing with the trim but only speed would overcome the back heaviness of the boat. The normal control setup for trim tabs operates in relation to the desired changes in trim and not the actual movement of the tabs. Remember to use the power trim to adjust the prop path parallel to the water flow. If this occurs, operate the control "bow up" until the desired attitude is established. There are several brands and styles out there so they all … What I'm trying to do is lose the Doel-fin and add stern lift through trim tabs. If your boat is 23 feet or longer you should have trim tabs on it any way no matter what so you have better control on how it rides on the water. If the starboard bow is high, push the starboard side “Bow Down” direction until the boat is level (this lowers the trim tab on the port side). A boat's optimum running attitude is determined by the operator. The boat reacts by the stern lifting, the bow coming down, speed increasing, and reduced engine laboring. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. It may not display this or other websites correctly. To correct excessive bow rise, deploy your tabs down all the way and bring your engine or drive to its most negative-trim position.