Classic 16 Trim Tab Question

[The Hedgehog]

I know that this has been beat around some but I have a question?

We are putting some tabs on the 16 and I found some pretty cool looking Sport Tabs. They are billet 12X17's. Do you think that they would be overkill on this boat or could cause some bad handling characteristics due to the size?

Maybe I should just go with the Lenco 9X12's. They just don't look near as cool.

[hardcrab]

I have the same question,
my boat ( '66, 18' 2+3 ) came with some nice hardware; hydraulic Bennett 12X17 sport tabs in particular.
since my Volvo 290 has power trim and tilt; is there tremendous benefit to even having tabs on a small boat ?
I'm still under reconstruction and wondering whether to reinstall ?

[MOP]

9X12 are plenty made a ton of difference in mine, going to 17 would look cool but would be way to touchy. Plus with such a long tab the chance of hooking one in a turn is far greater.

Phil

[The Hedgehog]

9X12 are plenty made a ton of difference in mine, going to 17 would look cool but would be way to touchy. Plus with such a long tab the chance of hooking one in a turn is far greater.
Phil


The hooking in a turn is exactly what I am worried about. So you think that it would be way to touchy.

What kind of 9X12's did you use?

[MOP]

Anything but Lenco, all the local dealers have stopped selling them due to the high failure rate. I like Bennet they seem to last as long as the boat, no argument on the hydraulic types take longer to install. I bet if you posted a poll the Bennets would rule hands down. I had the plain 9X12's, but several of the 16 guys have gotten the small sport tabs and seem to like them.

Phil

[The Hedgehog]

The Bennett Sport tabs look good. I think that we will go with those.

Do you have any feedback on the Bennett Indicators?

[hardcrab]

I have the same question,
my boat ( '66, 18' 2+3 ) came with some nice hardware; hydraulic Bennett 12X17 sport tabs in particular.
since my Volvo 290 has power trim and tilt; is there tremendous benefit to even having tabs on a small boat ?
I'm still under reconstruction and wondering whether to reinstall ?
hey MOP :

would you suggest I rethink using the tabs I have ?

[MOP]

I think more then just myself would say go to a smaller tab, first off the 18 only needs tabs to trim for conditions and passenger weight. They sure don't need them for raising hell the 18 handles extremely well. If by chance the Bennet plates are still new Thomas at Bennet may be willing to do a swap for a more siutable size, he is very helpful and very fast getting stuff of. Their customer service it very good to say the least.

Phil

[hardcrab]

well,
should I just leave 'em off ? or are tabs really worth it when you've got power trim ?

[EricG]

I just recently installed Bennett 12x9's on my 18, and I am increadibly pleased with them. I've only been able to run the boat for about and hour, but just being able to level the boat side to side is very nice compared to before. Other's may disagree...but I say install them - if you've already got them what have you go to lose?

EG

[hardcrab]

thanks for the input ..........
I guess what my hesitation is that I'm installing a new transom and wouldn't drill the holes for tabs if the benefit wasn't there.
How severe of a reaction do the 17" planes cause if hooking in a turn ?
Do you just get used to this , or is it unexpected / unsafe ? :confused: :boggled:

[hardcrab]

thank you Matty for a very complete answer.
the 17" planes came with the boat, and as you stated , they can lifted when not needed.

[MOP]

There is a no tab cult who will argue having them on the boat, that is until they drive the same boat with then magically their boats don tabs! No way would I own a boat with out tabs, at speed the are full up but in bad conditions they give you exceptional hull roll control side to side & fore & aft. If you are running in a hard quartering chop you can roll the wet side up which also makes better use of the V giving dryer and softer ride, if a head sea is to rough to get on top then tab it down and use the bow to cut through it. Plus having passenger weight shift control at your finger tips can' be beat.

Phil

[The Hedgehog]

There is a no tab cult who will argue having them on the boat, that is until they drive the same boat with then magically their boats don tabs! No way would I own a boat with out tabs, at speed the are full up but in bad conditions they give you exceptional hull roll control side to side & fore & aft. If you are running in a hard quartering chop you can roll the wet side up which also makes better use of the V giving dryer and softer ride, if a head sea is to rough to get on top then tab it down and use the bow to cut through it. Plus having passenger weight shift control at your finger tips can' be beat.
Phil

Amen to the passenger weight shift control. Even on the big 27 it seems like more passengers like to hang out on one side and it is usually the side the torque leans the boat. I have spent days on the 16 reminding people to move around and balance the boat if they want a good ride. They always quit listening after an hour or so and I get tired of telling them. At the end of the day they are good and sore from taking waves on the side. With the 27 I just drop a k-plane and cut right through everything.

[Formula Jr]

At the risk of sounding like a skipping record, tabs do more than just adjust trim or list. They are sold on those points, but they are much more with our applications. I respectfully disagree with purists here that will say they are not essential in the first place on a small over-powered Deep V. There is a Whole other way to run a deep Vee boat where you are using the tabs and the drive as your main running surface. And those surfaces are then controllable. You can taylor this to the sea state. This is qualitatively different than just understanding what your stock hull can do. Tabs open a different world of how you can take waves. Tabs for our application extend the length of the hull. So you get the benefit of running a 16 in water you could run a 18 in with out tabs in. The 18 with tabs can run water a 22 can with out tabs, and so on.......

The hooking issue is driver error. That is not the tab's fault. You just don't do hard turns with them deployed. And if you got crossed on a wave and hooked, it is still not the tab's fault, that was just a wave you didn't read correctly.

[The Hedgehog]

We will definately need them. We plan to put some serious hp behind the boat and will probably need them to keep the boat settled down. Just want to make sure that we get the appropriate size.