trim tabs

[FREEDOM!!!]

My neighbor who is a boat broker just picked up a Whaler 32 Vantage. Was bringing it home and was about 40 miles off shore when he lost all steering to both engines. He said he had to use the trim tabs to steer all the way home.

 

[DennisG01]

He said he had to use the trim tabs to steer all the way home.

I've done that as "practice" a few times just in case something happens like it did to your neighbor. It actually works pretty well!

 

[Beyond A Wake]

The new electronic steering systems are tricky in case of failure. On mine there are no hydraulics at the helm so if gremlins mess up you have no steering at all. You would have to find the steering pump modules (one for each 3 engines) release the valve and center motors and lock it up. Then you can operate motors and hopefully steer some with them. If losing one only then you lock that one out but if it is one of the outboard ones then steering with them is really not an option.
So trim tabs do play an important part in the "get home" safety scenario. Play with them and learn how they affect the boat as mentioned above.

H

 

[luckydude]

The new electronic steering systems are tricky in case of failure. On mine there are no hydraulics at the helm so if gremlins mess up you have no steering at all. You would have to find the steering pump modules (one for each 3 engines) release the valve and center motors and lock it up. Then you can operate motors and hopefully steer some with them. If losing one only then you lock that one out but if it is one of the outboard ones then steering with them is really not an option.
So trim tabs do play an important part in the "get home" safety scenario. Play with them and learn how they affect the boat as mentioned above.

H

I'll add that to my list of things to learn. I do have a kicker as backup that I can steer manually, but if I could steer with the trim tabs I could go home faster.

Can you run the boat on plane and steer with them? I'm guessing you can because I've had the boat whip around when I put too much tab on one side.

 

[DennisG01]

Can you run the boat on plane and steer with them?

That's the only way to do it. The tabs have virtually no impact at slow speeds. Well, maybe a tiny, tiny bit - but nothing worth talking about, anyways.