Should I addTrim tabs

Tdurr22 · Jan 2, 2024

I'm at the stage of installing the bracket on my 83 seafarer. Transom is done and boat is ready for some power. This boat didn't come with trim tabs but now with adding a bracket I'm sure I need them my question is should I go with hydraulic or pressure style tabs there is a sizable price difference is my reason for questioning if the cheaper pressure style will suffice

seasick · Jan 2, 2024

Why do you think that adding a bracket will mean that tabs are required?
Tell us what the original setup was, model, motor, etc. and then tell us what your repower is going to be. Also what style/model of bracket are you installing?
If yu ran the boat previously, did you feel the need for tabs?
If your logic is that the motor and bracket may make the aft sit lower in the water, that is a valid concern but tabs won't necessarily rectify that issue.

Ekea · Jan 2, 2024

at this point, if adding tabs, i would go electric

wires38 · Jan 2, 2024

The bracket should add buoyancy to the stern. Trim can be adjusted for seas with trim mode. Moving parts, less is more.

Billv · Jan 2, 2024

I agree, if you add tabs go electric either Bennett Bolt or Lenco electric

DennisG01 · Jan 2, 2024

Best course of action is to go play with it a bit to see if you want tabs. You might find that you get on plane faster now that the engine is further back.

Are tabs a good idea? Yes, they are a great tool and can help the boat perform better and handle choppier water. But YOU need to decide if you need/want them.

If you do decide, there are 4 styles, not two. The gas shock style (I think this is what you are referring to as "pressure"), tried-and-true hydraulic, electric and the style like ZipWake. FYI, the gas shock style is NOT controllable, while the others are - which means you can do more with them.

SkunkBoat · Jan 2, 2024

I would test run the boat without tabs for a while. If it runs well, save your money.

If you need them, don't cheap out. Get electric with indicators and auto retract. Otherwise they are more trouble than they are worth

luckydude · Jan 2, 2024

In my opinion, you absolutely want tabs and you don't want what Grady puts on there, the 9x12 inchers. Go look at Bennett's web site, for 9 inch deep tabs, they want an inch of width for each foot of boat length. I swapped mine out, replaced with 12x18", it made a HUGE difference to the ride. In most decent conditions, I trim them down, rev it up to about 25 knots, put on the auto pilot and don't touch the throttle.

Before, I had to back off the throttle before the top of each swell or I'd launch, now I roll over the swell.

Other than auto pilot, putting on bigger trim tabs is the best upgrade I've done. The stock ones suck.

Yamama · Jan 5, 2024

I have a solution for you if you need a trim tab kit. I've been trying it on Facebook with only a couple of bites: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/6275607672518212/

Tdurr22 · Jan 7, 2024

seasick said:
Why do you think that adding a bracket will mean that tabs are required?
Tell us what the original setup was, model, motor, etc. and then tell us what your repower is going to be. Also what style/model of bracket are you installing?
If yu ran the boat previously, did you feel the need for tabs?
If your logic is that the motor and bracket may make the aft sit lower in the water, that is a valid concern but tabs won't necessarily rectify that issue.

Well its the older hull design and was built as a inboard so with adding 4' 5' to the back seems like it would get a bit unstable in certain sea conditions that trim tabs could repair

seasick · Jan 7, 2024

Tabs don't do anything when the boat is not moving obviously. I would be concerned with the way the boat sits with the motor weight removed from the deck area and shifted back to 4 feet off of the transom This is especially true if the new bracket is not a floatation style bracket.
If the hull was originally powered with an inboard ( not an I/O), I would be very concerned with the strength of the transom. I see that you said the transom work is done but I don't know what the structural issues were and what has been done to make the hull suitable for outboard power.
I don't think I am qualified to make that assessment so I am going to stay out of the conversation.

Sardinia306Bimini · Jan 7, 2024

seasick said:
I would be concerned with the way the boat sits with the motor weight removed from the deck area and shifted back to 4 feet off of the transom This is especially true if the new bracket is not a floatation style bracket.

I thought the same thing!

Pulling a in/IO (i guess you pulled a I/O) will move your center of gravity foreward, adding a outboard on a bracket on the stern will move CoG again backward and probably more back than with the inboard/I/O.
I guess that can be more or less correctly calculated, but have no idea how and i would prefer to test that instead of calculations.

1° I would use a positive floatation bracket to add floatability to the stern to help sustain the weight of bracket and outboard/s
2° once boat is rigged i would first drop her in the drink a do some tests, that will reveal if you need trim tabs or not, shifting some weight could be enough.
3° On a small boat i would go electric as space for installing the hydraulics is limited and electric pistons are rather reliable nowadays.

Chris

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Should I addTrim tabs

Tdurr22

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seasick

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Ekea

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wires38

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Billv

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DennisG01

GreatGrady Captain

SkunkBoat

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luckydude

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Yamama

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Tdurr22

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seasick

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Sardinia306Bimini

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