Trim tabs

mala

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Trim Tabs question. I am thinking of buying a Tournament 205 and do not know whether I should get the hydraulic trim tabs. I've never had a boat before and will probably only go out with one or two persons in the boat. I would hope the trim tabs would keep the bow down easier when going slower. Do trim tabs do this effectively or do they just help with lateral stability like when a heavier person is sitting on one side? Would you suggest I buy the trim tabs for the Tournament 205?
 

magicalbill

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All of the above..
1.) Lower them down in a choppy,steep head sea that would pound the boat otherwise. Your bow will drop, the "V" will cut thru the chop and your ride will be improved. This is effective only to a point. When the head seas get over 2-3 foot you'll have to start throttling up-and-down and the tabs effect will be negated somewhat.
2.) They are efficent load-levelers also. Deep "V" boats lean into the wind and tabs will fix that..Plus, if you have a heavy chick in the passenger seat, give it some port tab;Boat levels out, nothing needs to be said and your friendship stays intact.

Tabs are a must for me..You can fine tune the ride along with using the trim on the engine, plus you don't have to use them in calm conditions.

No brainer...get 'em...
 

Ed Bukala

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Hi Mala
Yes, yes, yes, trim tabs are a must. We have a 2008 Tournament 185 and we did not get trim tabs initially, big mistake. Near the end of the first season we put a set of Bennet tabs and what a differance. The nice thing about ordering them with the new boat is they will size them properly and the cost will be more reasonable than doing it after market. The factory ones I believe also come with the position indicators which tell you where the tabs are, I did not get that but wish I did. If I have a load of people on the boat it helps me get up on plane quicker and as Magicalbill stated, if you have some heavier people on board the tabs will take care of weight distribution and ride control.
Bukster
 

magicalbill

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No Comment...
This is a public forum.....
Experience is a great teacher....
Trim Tabs are a great help.....
 

catch22

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magicalbill said:
if you have a heavy chick in the passenger seat, give it some port tab;Boat levels out, nothing needs to be said and your friendship stays intact.

Got any pics? :lol:

What was it Chielf Brody said?... "your gona need a bigger boat".

How about... "your gona need bigger tabs". :p

Just kidding.

Agree with all of the above. Imo, every boat should have trim tabs as standard equipment.
 

megabytes

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Every V hull boat can benefits from tabs.

One more tip: pull tabs completely up when running downsea (ie with the waves). Otherwise you boat can bowsteer making it difficult to control. In large following seas this can become dangerous.
 

Walkers Edge

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I've got the same hull. Trim tabs make all the difference in the world!
In reference to the aforementioned: you'll need a little tab when she's in the passenger seat, lots of tab when shes in your lap, and no tab if she's left on the dock.
 

BobP

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They don't have much use in flat water lake conditions.

In seas, the worse the seas, the more use they have to a point of being able to make conditions bearable, where they could be unbearable stay at home instead, and as far as being a safety liability w/o them. Also can improve fuel efficiency is such conditions.
hey can also be a safety problem if used incorrectly.

Althought they do plane the boat quicker, the boat will plane w/o them.

The fat lady syndrome can be compensated by use of a few 5 dollar sandbags, if you are so budget minded. Or just tie off the beer cooler as far away from her as possible across the beam, no cost for that one!
 

magicalbill

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ahill busted me...

Some things are better left unsaid and fixed by tabs..

Reread Walkers Edge's post..PERFECT....

To Mala..
All "Fat Lady" jokes aside..Tabs are useful tools and talking to expert operators on this forum, coupled with practicing and experience will make you really glad you got 'em.