Trim Tab Mods
- Thread starter David M
- Start date
You can get a set of "deeper"tabs. Thats not the correct term but its early. Basically they are the same width as the old tabs but extend further from the transom. ie 22x12. I think its called chord. I upgraded my trim planes on my 26' Searay for the same reason as you and it did help. Bennet sells these as I'm sure other makers do. I have Bennets and the install was very easy as they use the same cylinders and mounting locations.
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David: I needed more lift for our aft MY, and our tabs were flat the entire surface, so I installed a side plate on each tab, both inside and out, that makes them look more like a box. It seems to channel the water, instead of letting it spill out te lateral sides. They are sold by Boatfix and come in a kit form ( Bennett) and were about $45. Easy to install, but those tabs are hard so, make sure you have a couple extra drill bits. ??maybe you already have the box design,
wkearney99
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Dusty, do you recall the part# or some keywords on that side plate kit? I looked through Boatfix's pages and came up empty.
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I may have an easier solution.
I had a 2002 320 that was also undertabbed.
I contacted Bennett (Tom McGow) and they sent me the parts to add a second set of tabs alongside the originals.
I know it sounds hokey, but they interconnected with the original pump, ran in unison and worked perfectly.
What a difference, and with everything that Bennett sent me it was super easy to make the modifications.
I'd give Bennett a call before I did anything.
jim
2004 SR 420 DA
I had a 2002 320 that was also undertabbed.
I contacted Bennett (Tom McGow) and they sent me the parts to add a second set of tabs alongside the originals.
I know it sounds hokey, but they interconnected with the original pump, ran in unison and worked perfectly.
What a difference, and with everything that Bennett sent me it was super easy to make the modifications.
I'd give Bennett a call before I did anything.
jim
2004 SR 420 DA
Jim,
I have linked some pix I took today of Mrs. Robinson's tabs. We have the same boat a few years apart in age. IIRC the tabs are the same.
As you can see, there is an angle on the inside edge. The span is 22 inches and drops to 19 inches. The chord is ~8.5 inches. There is only 5.5 inches from the edge of each tab to prop pocket inboard and the chine outboard. Was your setup the same and if so, where did Bennett have you mount the additional set of tabs?
TIA
KiDA. the longer chord I spoke of would work well in your application. You can get the same style tabs, they will just be 12" instead of 8.5 giving you 264sq inches instead of 187 sq inches. Increasing surface area will produce more stern lift. The best part is that they will fit into the existing hinge brackets, so no new holes in your transom. Email Bennet and get their take on the situation.
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The number on the kit was DF11,and I ordered from Boatfix, after talking to TabMan when he was here.That I believe was Bennetts' #.
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- Mar 2, 2000
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David,
It appears that your tabs are wider than what I had on the 320.
As I recall I was able to mount the new ones alongside of the existing ones.
From your pictures it is obvious that that will not work.
I'd give Tom McGow at Bennett a call before i did anything else.
Tell him I said hello.
Jim
It appears that your tabs are wider than what I had on the 320.
As I recall I was able to mount the new ones alongside of the existing ones.
From your pictures it is obvious that that will not work.
I'd give Tom McGow at Bennett a call before i did anything else.
Tell him I said hello.
Jim
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2005
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What's my boat doing on this thread? 
quote:
Originally posted by MrsRobinson
What's my boat doing on this thread?
Let's see, first there was a scheduled maintenance haulout, followed by the discovery that saying "all things being equal" did not apply to your 17" diameter port prop and your 16" diameter starboard prop. Then you were applying polish with a paint brush, buffing it off with a Porter Cable while your wife was thrust into indentured servitude with a couple of dish towels. Wax on, Wax off. . Then you got your recon'd props back and Phil put Mrs. Robinson (the boat not your wife) back in the water. You played hooky from work and went out on a beautiful day to test drive the new bottom paint, polish and props. You brought her up on plane and were getting the feel of what it is like to drive a boat with props that matched. Shortly after that there was a loud bang followed by a lot of vibration and you limping into port on one engine. A quick inspection found neither the bottom paint nor the polish to be the cause of the vibration. Phil pulled your boat out of the water to find your props looking like you tried to shove a granite counter top down a garbage disposal. Of course a man of your means doesn't obliterate standard run of the mill off the shelf props, no sir. These are customs. Not only can the prop cast not be found, nobody has ever seen a shaft setup like yours either. So here you are waiting for new props and shafts.
I took the opportunity to use Mrs. Robinson as a photo op, not for me, but for you. It's winter so it doesn't matter that she's on the hard. You need to look at these pictures often. This time should be spent thinking of what you want to do while you are awaiting repairs. No need to thank me. It was my pleasure.
And that's how your boat got into this thread.