Trim tabs

[Zach karmen]

i have a new to me 223 gw tournament. What is the default setting for the trim tabs, bow up or bow down? Thanks.

 

[ScottyCee]

Default would be bow up - where the tabs are neutral and not actually doing any work.

 

[Zach karmen]

Default would be bow up - where the tabs are neutral and not actually doing any work.

Thank you very much for the quick response.

 

[seasick]

Default would be bow up - where the tabs are neutral and not actually doing any work.

Neutral may be misleading. Default as mentioned for doing nothing is tabs all the way up (retracted). Yes, that would be the position when bow up is selected until tabs fully retracted

 

[glacierbaze]

Does your tab control have indicators, or auto-retract?

 

[Zach karmen]

Does your tab control have indicators, or auto-retract?

It does not. The up position says bow down. So I am assuming that the default would be to push the levers all the way down which would push up the bow. Is that correct?

 

[DennisG01]

There's really no "default" position - just like there's no default position for the drive trim. It's simply a matter of where you want them to be, based on conditions, load and speed.

Don't think of the buttons, themselves, as "up" or "down" positions. Think of the buttons as your bow. The port button controls the port bow (in reality, you're actually manipulating the stbd tab to control the port bow) and the stbd button controls the stbd bow. You're going to push the top of the button to push the bow down - rock forward. You'll push the bottom of the button to raise the bow - rock backwards... or even think of pulling the top of the button back. Another way to think of it is to imagine there's an airplane control stick in the center of the button. Push forward to go down, pull back to go up.

Don't worry - there's a learning curve with tabs - it's normal.

 

[Bloodweiser]

Dennis good explanation

 

[glacierbaze]

Dennis' explanation is the simplest way to wire/use trim tabs. But, just like the north up vs. course up debate about chart orientation, a lot of boaters wire their tabs to be port tab/left switch, stbd tab/right switch, I guess because that's the way their brains are wired. Make sure how yours are wired by starting with both in bow up position, hold one rocker in bow down position for a few seconds, and go look to see which one moved.

 

[SeanC]

There's really no "default" position - just like there's no default position for the drive trim. It's simply a matter of where you want them to be, based on conditions, load and speed.

Don't think of the buttons, themselves, as "up" or "down" positions. Think of the buttons as your bow. The port button controls the port bow (in reality, you're actually manipulating the stbd tab to control the port bow) and the stbd button controls the stbd bow. You're going to push the top of the button to push the bow down - rock forward. You'll push the bottom of the button to raise the bow - rock backwards... or even think of pulling the top of the button back. Another way to think of it is to imagine there's an airplane control stick in the center of the button. Push forward to go down, pull back to go up.

Don't worry - there's a learning curve with tabs - it's normal.

I’m still coming to grips with the “ back to front” trim tab controls. Is it just me?

 

[DennisG01]

I’m still coming to grips with the “ back to front” trim tab controls. Is it just me?

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Are you referring to something I wrote? Because I never used that term. Or, are you asking a follow up question? If it's the latter, read through my post a couple more times and/or do as suggested above where you just go and physically look at the tabs as someone else pushes the buttons.

Don't think too much - this isn't rocket science - the tab deploys and the tab retracts. Remember 7th grade science class? Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Meaning, the tabs are "really" controlling the stern - lifting and lowering it - the bow then does the opposite.

But, yes, it might just "be you" You know the best way to figure this out? Go boating!

 

[ScottyCee]

" I am assuming that the default would be to push the levers all the way down which would push up the bow. Is that correct? "

Trim tabs cannot in any way push your bow "up" in the first place, so personally I think labeling "Bow Up" is misleading. They range from doing nothing at all (what I called Neutral above - understand how that could be confusing) to pushing the bow down when engaged.

I think that what you describe as default - fully engaged / bow all the way down - is not default at all. In fact your boat probably will not ride optimally that way unless there are some extreme conditions or strange loading. None of mine have anyway.

 

[Holokai]

Sometimes I find it easier to learn visually. Google/Youtube have been helpful.

Watch the engine trim video first:

Then watch the trim tab video:

 

[SkunkBoat]

IMHO the DEFAULT position is tabs all the way up so they are not doing anything. That is how you should dock/trailer the boat.
Don't move them unless you need them. Don't forget to move them back.

If you don't NEED them, don't use them.

 

[SeanC]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Are you referring to something I wrote? Because I never used that term. Or, are you asking a follow up question? If it's the latter, read through my post a couple more times and/or do as suggested above where you just go and physically look at the tabs as someone else pushes the buttons.

Don't think too much - this isn't rocket science - the tab deploys and the tab retracts. Remember 7th grade science class? Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Meaning, the tabs are "really" controlling the stern - lifting and lowering it - the bow then does the opposite.

But, yes, it might just "be you" You know the best way to figure this out? Go boating!

My 228 is the first boat I have had with trim tabs. I have no problem with understanding and using trim tabs once I realised the right hand button operated the port tab and vice-versa. First time out. Boat leaning to starboard due to wind. Starboard tab down use right hand button. Lean got worse. Huh?? Still thinking about switching the wiring around.

 

[seasick]

Pretty good starter videos. The video mentioned for motor trimming was very good since it was obvious from the audio when the motors were 'happy' as he put it.

One thing I learned on one of my boats is that too much trim tab can cause the hull to become possessed. Several times this scared the heck out of me until I understood what was going on. Note that the boat's tabs have no indicator so their position was not easy to determine.
If I used too much tab down (bow up) at speed and turned in the direction of the extended tab, the boat would start to turn and then veer hard to that side. It was like I had turned the wheel hard to that side. Applying steering to the opposite direction basically did nothing. The hull would list heavily, enough to make me think about swimming. The only way to gain control was to reduce throttle.
After a while dawned on me that when one tab was mostly fully extended t put a lot of drag on that side, When I steered in that direction, it made things worse since the opposite side, due to the listing, had less drag. It's like being in a canoe and holding an oar straight down on one side to make a turn only on a powerboat at speed, the effect was amplified.
I had to learn how to apply the correct amount of tab for a given set of sea conditions.
( Although, I still think that hull is possessed)!

 

[glacierbaze]

Tab control is more intuitive if you have rocker switches, and they are mounted more horizontal then vertical. I just think of my switches as being the front of the boat, if I want the left front of the boat down I push the left front switch down. If I want the right front of the boat down I push the right front switch down.
Generally, I think the less tab used the better, and not having indicators, before I add tab to one side, I always see if there’s anything to subtract from the other side first.