265 first ocean run

[Gullchaser]

I have found that the 265 is happiest with motors trimmed up, bow high. I use the fuel economy gauge to judge the sweet spot where the boat is trimmed up to where it is getting the best speed and fuel economy. It needs to be trimmed up further than you think, even at slower speeds. Once in the sweet spot, I uses the tabs just barely to level the boat out if need be. Most of the time, it is not worth using tab, however, as Skunk pointed out, the boat has a tendancy to list towards the wind. A little, I mean very little, tab will correct this. Dont use tabs for any other reason than to achive a level plane. Play around with it and youll get the hang of it. Its a great riding boat.

 

[SkunkBoat]

I have found that the 265 is happiest with motors trimmed up, bow high. I use the fuel economy gauge to judge the sweet spot where the boat is trimmed up to where it is getting the best speed and fuel economy. It needs to be trimmed up further than you think, even at slower speeds. Once in the sweet spot, I uses the tabs just barely to level the boat out if need be. Most of the time, it is not worth using tab, however, as Skunk pointed out, the boat has a tendancy to list towards the wind. A little, I mean very little, tab will correct this. Dont use tabs for any other reason than to achive a level plane. Play around with it and youll get the hang of it. Its a great riding boat.

To be clear, I'm not talking about a river cruise. I'm talking in the ocean with wind & waves and swell and big boat wakes from multiple directions. the problem is that once you use a tab, even slightly to level you out, along comes a string of lobster pots or a ghost of a boat wake from a tug pulling a barge 20 minutes ago. So you turn to cross the wake and avoid pots and bang you are on your side at 30 mph. What do you do? Think fast. raise up the tab? Which was it? Or lower the other one? where are they now? you're screwed. Come off plane and raise them until you are sure they are up. Pull the fuse.

 

[Gullchaser]

To be clear, I'm not talking about a river cruise. I'm talking in the ocean with wind & waves and swell and big boat wakes from multiple directions. the problem is that once you use a tab, even slightly to level you out, along comes a string of lobster pots or a ghost of a boat wake from a tug pulling a barge 20 minutes ago. So you turn to cross the wake and avoid pots and bang you are on your side at 30 mph. What do you do? Think fast. raise up the tab? Which was it? Or lower the other one? where are they now? you're screwed. Come off plane and raise them until you are sure they are up. Pull the fuse.

Valid points Skunk.

 

[Saltyone]

I'd been researching and reading about 265s for 4-5 years before I finally bought mine. I've read numerous threads about the 265 traits in following seas that I should have known what to expect, but I guess until you actually experience it, you just never know. I'm sure it's going to just take time to get it figured out but appreciate all the input.

Thanks all

 

[SkunkBoat]

I'd been researching and reading about 265s for 4-5 years before I finally bought mine. I've read numerous threads about the 265 traits in following seas that I should have known what to expect, but I guess until you actually experience it, you just never know. I'm sure it's going to just take time to get it figured out but appreciate all the input.

Thanks all

Since pulling the fuse I have had zero problems with getting yanked over The offshore ride in crap is fantastic. Following seas are not a problem if you don’t use tabs As said before, often faster is better

 

[Saltyone]

The one thing I was going to ask about on the tabs, seems like they don't come all the way up on one side of the tab on each side. One side of the tab sits flush with the bottom of the hull, the other side is down just slightly. It's not below the hull bottom, but not all the way up. I'll take a picture and post it up.

 

[Tug]

Great read and really good info for 265 owners, sounds like all the adjustments make for a happy captain.

Tabs on any boat are pretty much overkill in MHO. I had an Arima 17 &19 ft and all you read is tabs are a MUST!! I put tabs on both rigs and used them about 2% of the time - if that. The ocean is bouncy-turvy so I guess I just got used to the ocean ride.

 

[SkunkBoat]

The one thing I was going to ask about on the tabs, seems like they don't come all the way up on one side of the tab on each side. One side of the tab sits flush with the bottom of the hull, the other side is down just slightly. It's not below the hull bottom, but not all the way up. I'll take a picture and post it up.

is it hitting the anode?

 

[Saltyone]

Here is each side

 

[Hookup1]

Take the screws out of the tab. Work the trim tabs and measure the exposed part of the tab hydraulic ram. Hinge the trim tabs down and look for bending or debris.

 

[SkunkBoat]

They are bent. Probably got put on a trailer with them down once or twice in its life. the side toward centerline are bent up and hit hull before other side. Prevents them from going all the way up.

 

[Hookup1]

They are bent. Probably got put on a trailer with them down once or twice in its life. the side toward centerline are bent up and hit hull before other side. Prevents them from going all the way up.

Yep. Both of them!

 

[drbatts]

Check for debris stuck between the tab and the hull. Also check the screw on the underside of the hull. Sometimes the screw heads have a tendency to shear off, if you loos enough it will loosen the tab.

 

[Saltyone]

Anyone know if the trim tab plane is specific to a 265, or are those generally pretty universal? I haven't measured them, and I know there are a variety of sizes.

 

[Saltyone]

Answered my question. I called Bennett, they are specific to Grady White, said they are 18x9 bottom mount.

Bennett part # TPAGW189DF
Yamaha part # 6BT500718400

$250 each.

 

[SkunkBoat]

the actuators are special short ones. You can't add an indicatr kit to them

 

[Saltyone]

the actuators are special short ones. You can't add an indicatr kit to them

I was just referring to the actual tabs, if I can't straighten mine out.

But when I spoke to Thomas at Bennett, he did say that you can add an indicator kit to the existing actuators. You need to cut down the shaft(i believe this what he said), or buy new actuators with the shaft already at the special length. He was familiar with the special actuators on the 265.

I gave him the factory grady kit # and he gave me the part #s of the indicator kit and new actuators.

 

[Toothpick 10]

I have found that the 265 is happiest with motors trimmed up, bow high. I use the fuel economy gauge to judge the sweet spot where the boat is trimmed up to where it is getting the best speed and fuel economy. It needs to be trimmed up further than you think, even at slower speeds. Once in the sweet spot, I uses the tabs just barely to level the boat out if need be. Most of the time, it is not worth using tab, however, as Skunk pointed out, the boat has a tendancy to list towards the wind. A little, I mean very little, tab will correct this. Dont use tabs for any other reason than to achive a level plane. Play around with it and youll get the hang of it. Its a great riding boat.

I have the Islander 270, which has fairly similar dimensions to the 265. My mode of operation seems quite similar to yours with very good results:

1) When starting off, motor is trimmed all the way down and tabs are all the way up.
2) Push the throttle to get the motor up to about 4,000 rpm and watch your GPS speed
3) When the boat speed hits about 20 mph, I start trimming up the motor.
4) The motor gets trimmed up to about 4 to 5 bars on the indicator, and by this time, the boat is usually up to about 25 mph.
5) If I sense a little bit of list, I will bump the appropriate tab down ever so little to correct the lean.
6) Usually from here, only slight adjustments are made to motor speed, motor trim, and tabs to accommodate sea and wind conditions
7) Once up at cruising speed, I don't notice a lot of listing from passengers moving around
8) Tabs use should be VERY minimal. Just a slight bump of the rocker switch can make a big difference. I usually will only adjust one tab. The same tab will get bumped up or down depending on conditions. Bump slightly and wait at least 10 seconds for the boat to react.

 

[Fowl Hooked]

I was just referring to the actual tabs, if I can't straighten mine out.

But when I spoke to Thomas at Bennett, he did say that you can add an indicator kit to the existing actuators. You need to cut down the shaft(i believe this what he said), or buy new actuators with the shaft already at the special length. He was familiar with the special actuators on the 265.

I gave him the factory grady kit # and he gave me the part #s of the indicator kit and new actuators.

Actuators are custom as noted and the stock kits you can buy online won't work without modification (and not even sure about that). I had mine done by the Grady dealer, think it was $800 something all told, about half of that was labor. When I looked into doing it myself I imagined a lot of cursing, awkward contortions, scraped up knuckles and an eventual trip to the dealer to fix whatever it was I screwed up so for this one I just wrote the check up front and saved myself the time and pain. Pricey add for what it is, particularly if you don't use them at all, but for me it was worth it.

 

[captain swag]

Trim the motors up at cruise as far as possible. My 265 will dig in if not and bow steer radically.