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cday@crescentschool.org
04-12-2006, 08:53 PM
I have recently purchased a new 18 classic, 300HP, and it has come without trim tabs. What trim tab set would you recomend?? why?

It would be great if you could help out!! thanks. cam.

John W
04-12-2006, 09:20 PM
Definately bennett I think the number is ST-9. Great company to deal with, customer service is awesome.
JW

MOP
04-12-2006, 09:51 PM
Ditto the Bennets! The best part is you get to make sure they are mounted for optimum performance.

Phil

Last Tango
04-12-2006, 10:08 PM
Having just completed a 6 year love affair with a Classic 18 with 320HP V-8, purchased new, with trim tabs, I can tell you that I almost NEVER used them for anything except the very occasional load leveling when the crew was mismatched for their seating positions. You will NEVER use them when running. 16's seem to need them. And 22's seem to benefit from them, But the oft repeated sentiment on this board is that the 18's don't seem to need them for any real reason.
Buy a depth sounder (bottom see-through type, not the pitot type).
Please read through the other threads that have covered this topic pretty well. Save your money for other cool stuff.
If you MUST, then I agree the Bennett's are the only choice for this boat. No need to go with double actuators and trapezoidal blades. Just the basic square and a single piston is plenty.

BGH18
04-12-2006, 10:10 PM
I just bought a 99 C-18 as well. It has a 350 / 300 hp with a alpha 1...... 95 % of our boating will be with my wife & I. We might pull a skier or tube from time to time and not being able to put our boat in the water yet, was wondering what people,s thought's were on tabs for our needs or application.....thanks

MOP
04-12-2006, 10:39 PM
Mark hit it on the head for most running the tabs are not needed and will hurt top end!
But they are nice at cruising speeds for leveling out side to side for load, various sea conditions. Also when taking kids tubing you can hold plane at pretty low speeds and will help quite a bit with getting a skier up quick.

Phil

Last Tango
04-12-2006, 10:41 PM
OKAY. I will modify my above comments. If you are into pull-toys under 40MPH, then Trim Tabs on your 18 are a MUST. 18's start to plane at about 40MPH. Trim tabs will help you cut that in half. Especially necessary since the tie point on the boat is high on the stern and that would increase the bow lift at lower speeds.
I didn't pull skiers or other paraphernalia with my Classic 18 because it is not an easy ingress boat from in the water. You either climb the stern using the outdrive as a ladder, or devise some makeshift ladder that chances scratching the hull. Adding trim tabs won't make climbing the stern easier, either, since they have lots of eetsy-beetsy sharp edges so you can't step on them and you also chance over-extending the actuator by putting weight in the "down" direction when the motor and hydraulic pump are off.

Barry Phillips
04-14-2006, 02:14 PM
I ran a Classic 18 for 6 years without tabs. They are nice in a quartering sea but the hull did not have an inherent lean at high speeds or any speed, so I never bothered to install them.

BP

joseph m. hahnl
04-14-2006, 09:03 PM
It all depends if your boat has a lot of porpoise ,I like it when my Minx is aired out and hoping. But when I want it smooth. I tip the bow down and she's as smooth as scissors thru silk. I would recomend tabs on any classic.

joe

cday@crescentschool.org
04-18-2006, 07:53 PM
so it looks like if i need some tabs, it will be the Bennet ST-9s....thanks guys and is anyone has any other sugestions dont hesitate to pass em on my way.

Speed-Racer
04-18-2006, 09:22 PM
LENCO, we've had them on the 16' for four years and no problems! Best benifit,if installing yourself, no damn fluids or anthoer pump to mount!

MOP
04-19-2006, 06:20 AM
When the Lenco's came out they were the hot ticket but have not been doing that well out by me, most suppliers stock them but don't pushing them. To many coming back after a few season, Bennet is now offering a conversion kit to get rid of the electric rams.

mrfixxall
04-19-2006, 10:05 AM
http://www.eddiemarine.com/cart/details.asp?SubCategoryID=639&CategoryID=92
I like trim master they have a dual ram cylinder set up for excess of 70 mph..

Im using the sport tabs...

Kikwear
04-19-2006, 06:27 PM
I've got ST9s on my 16. Never knew how I did without them. They fix listing, porpoising and add stability at high speeds. I used to get so frustrated by not being able to control the nose and now it's beautiful. Not to mention, has that nice offshore look on the trailer. :hyper:

cday@crescentschool.org
05-07-2006, 09:24 PM
Ditto the Bennets! The best part is you get to make sure they are mounted for optimum performance.
Phil
what do you mean by mounted for optimum preformance?

MOP
05-08-2006, 06:20 AM
They should be mounted ½" up from the bottom of the hull at the hinge end, a 16 runs bow high so they need the trailing edges a little higher up then most. On my 16 I went to 1-1/4" at the trailing edge, the object is at WOT you do not need them and they cause drag that will scrub of some top end, believe me you will still have enough tab to bury the nose. They will cure another annoying trait that all deep V's have, if you drop them full down at idle speeds it will eliminate the side to side wandering the deep V's do. To make the job easier you can make a simple jig, get a board about 2' long in about 8" tack on a strip of ½" and about 8" farther out tack on a hunk of wood 1-1/4". Brace it against the bottom of the hull where the tabs are to be mounted it will position things where they need to be. Though not the same setup this link will give you a good general idea of how they should be mounted.
http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=44660 Pic in post #5