Smart Tabs?

[SkunkBoat]

Now that I have a completely wood-free transom, I'm considering Nauticus Smart Tabs. https://youtu.be/rQub7Q_1Euo

At about $130 bucks and a half hour of install time, is it too good to pass up or too good to be true?

I don't have much complaints about my ride now but I hear all you guys talking up the improved performance of tabs.
Not going to ever go the hydraulic route with tabs, too much hassle & $.... I'd rather get hydraulic steering for the price & effort.
Opinions on Hydraulic steering welcome also...

[smokeonthewater]

Smart tabs are the BEST $130 you'll ever spend on your boat.

[THEFERMANATOR]

I wouldn't spend the money for them. Go electric, hydraulic, or don't. They say they're ok to help get a boat on plane and for porpoise control, but thats mostly it. They have a use, but I don't think you'll see a great benefit from them. If you don't want to spend the money, hut want to help get on plane quicker with better trim control, I would look into a permatrim.

[Blue_Runner]

Realizing the subject has been covered many times on here.......if I were to put tabs on the V21 what size and electric or hydraulic?

[Destroyer]

I have Hydraulic and I love them.

[THEFERMANATOR]

I've had both, and liked both. The elctric actuators are faster to respond as there is no waiting for the pump to build pressure, then move a ram. Electric does have a downfall, and that is moisture intrusion, and poor connections that lead to electrolisys. Hydraulics work fine, but is a bit more complex having hydraulic rams on the transom to push the tabs down, hoses to connect them to a pump, a pump with solenoids and valves to give trouble(so long as they are kept out of water, they normally do pretty good), a motor, and you also have the elctrical wiring for them with the same problems as the elctric tabs. As to the size, that depends on what style you want, and your transom shape. I like having a large tab, so you don't have to put them down as far to work, and I think it makes them more effective at slow speeds.

As to smart tabs, I started to put them on my 14 foot skiff I had before as the transom on it would have worked with them, but actually had 2 different shops talk me out of them, and had me buy a hydrofoil for less money. I know they help with some boats, but if I'm going to do tabs, I want to be able to control them myself to get full advantage of them.

[Blue_Runner]

good info ferm. I saw some bennett electric tabs 12 x 9 I think for around 2x what the smart tabs go for. Something to think about.

Destroyer what size and do you have a swim platform - if so did you have to notch it?

[smokeonthewater]

Too bad you didn't try em Ferm.... I think you'd have a much different opinion...

I've seen before and after on a bunch of boats and several of them were tested bare, with a foil, and with smart tabs.... The tabs, far and away worked the best in every case.

Being able to adjust tabs is a benefit most of the time tho there are a few times that the smart tabs are actually better than the adjustable.... Admittedly being in the big water, the adjustable have a big advantage with the following sea thing....

That said, smart tabs are soooo much better than a foil on the motor...

I actually considered retrofitting my (inland only) 28' twin V8 cruiser from hydraulic to smart tabs but they don't make em for a boat that big.

[step up here]

Their is no doubt about it adjustable trim tabs are the way to go! But look at it this way, the cost factor you will get back half your money if not satisfied since they fit many boats. Also we spend a lot more on fishing STUFF that may not workout. I have Bennett SLT 10" tabs and am satisfied with the fact that they take out the porpoise and gave me about 4 more knots in a 3' sea. Just that difference in the ride kept them off Craigs List.:zip:

[inaforty]

I wouldn't want a non retractable tab. Tabs down in a following sea can be scary.
Kind of like running a downeast hull with a full keel in a following sea only..... WORSE.
Been there done that.

[Blue_Runner]

I am jonesing for some tabs. :love:

[smokeonthewater]

They do make a retracting device for em but it is a manual lever on top of each tab.... Not sure how practical that would be in the big water

[SkunkBoat]

So thats an Absolutely YES and a Positvely NO....:head:
How did I know that would happen?

I know of several boats with hydraulic that never get used. I ask, don't you use the tabs? they say "Eh...I don't even know if they work" or "the left one sticks sometimes and ...eh...too much hassle remembering if they are up or down" or "what are tabs?". Nobody I know,who has them on their boat, uses them except you guys on this site.

I saw the brackets for raising the Smart tabs. thats a must.

I figure I'll smash em on the dock first time out, trying to back in with a cranking cross-tide and wind...so I might as well go cheap.

A handful of screws from the outside and done... I think I just talked myself in...

[inaforty]

Skunk,
Running off the coast of NJ I would opt for either Lenco or Bennet.

I have never run a V 20 with tabs. I would imagine it would be an improvement on a already great hull.
I have run a 2120 sport cabin Parker, 25' Rosborough,23' Wellcraft and a 35' Bertram with tabs. All of these boats were/are affected by following seas with tabs down. Some more then others but you know the tabs are down when you're at the helm in a following sea.

Of course this from my experience in our local waters off the coast here in MA.
What might apply here might not apply somewhere else.

[step up here]

With or without tabs header EAST and enjoy another fishing season!

[SkunkBoat]

I ordered them with the retractable mount so I can lift them up. I need that also because where I dock, I often have to back against a raging current.

[Troutkiller2006]

i think you will like them. ive never ran them on a v20, we have bennetts on our cuddy and they are great on that hull. my buddy put smart tabs on his old 19' proline center console and they made a huge difference. we fished that old beat up boat out here in the gulf of mexico around cat island and the louisiana marsh for years and the before and after was undeniable. he liked them enough that they convinced him to pony up on a set of bennets some months later. of course the hydraulics are better but, at least on that hull, we could go back to smart tabs if we had too but we could never go back to nothing. they do make a difference

[Striper80]

So thats an Absolutely YES and a Positvely NO....:head:
How did I know that would happen?

I know of several boats with hydraulic that never get used. I ask, don't you use the tabs? they say "Eh...I don't even know if they work" or "the left one sticks sometimes and ...eh...too much hassle remembering if they are up or down" or "what are tabs?". Nobody I know,who has them on their boat, uses them except you guys on this site.

I saw the brackets for raising the Smart tabs. thats a must.

I figure I'll smash em on the dock first time out, trying to back in with a cranking cross-tide and wind...so I might as well go cheap.

A handful of screws from the outside and done... I think I just talked myself in...
My old Striper road like crap before I put tabs on it. I would face to constantly have people move around to keep the boat from listing when underway, tabs changed that. The first few times I had my wellcraft out i didn't have tabs and I really missed them. I have lencos, but it lives on a trailer so I don't really worry too much about them.
Hopefully the smart tabs workout for you.

[bradford]

I dont have tabs, but everyone that does swears by them and says you dont know what you're missing without them. I like Bennet premier line's looks, but the price is probably high. Supposedly they will do different sizes.

[SkunkBoat]

They arrived yesterday. No time to install them but I'm not getting in the water anyways til I put my motor back together...and I'm not doing that anytime soon because I own a flower shop and Mother's Day is coming.

[SkunkBoat]

Installed pretty quick but the retracting bracket kit was missing 2 nuts and had 2 extra plastic washers.

The nuts are 5/16 but the ones I got at HDepot must be too thick because it won't go together with them.

I used the extra washers to take the space of the missing thin nuts and it went together.
I'll email the company about it.

I should be launching Memorial day weekend. I'll will give you all a review of the performance.

[3 Squids]

Been debating on these myself. Can't wait to hear your review on the performance. So many mixed reviews.

[3 Squids]

Get to try those tabs out this weekend?

[SkunkBoat]

Just launched today. Didn't play around with the tabs but they did seem to put me on plane at a much slower speed. Had to get to the dock and tie up. All my lines were gone from last year... Will give them a workout tomorrow or Monday depending on weather

[SkunkBoat]

Ran out to the ocean today. 3 to 4ft south long swell. The tabs definitely do something.
They seem to keep the bow down running into swells and improve the ride when at cruising speed.

They definitely hold me back though. I handle the swells with the throttle (and a twist of the wheel to get the bow down).
I guess that's the main difference. I'm used to working the throttle to hold her back just enough to not fly thru the air

With the tabs down I didn't have to work the throttle. But I was topping out at 5200rpm at the same trim that I get 5800....I think...its hard to keep it all straight.

I'll try changing the screw positions which adjust the down tension.

[smokeonthewater]

There is definitely a tuning process to be done... If you don't end up with enough adjustment in screw locations nauticus will swap you to different shocks free of charge.