To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

[JasonJ]

I have been on a seemingly impossible venture to convert my 69 Merc 1250 from manual tilt-trim to power tilt/trim. I know it can be done, and I know I can buy an aftermarket tilt/trim setup. My main interest is in just improving general boat performance. Right now I keep my motor set to where the prop is roughly level while running, and the boat runs on about the last 1/3rd of the hull, slightly bow up. It gets on plane fine, I do not have to give it full throttle to get on plane, and its lowest planing speed is about 22 mph. It would be nice to have a slower planing speed. <br /><br />After reading you post in Dockside Chat about the use of power trim tabs and Smart Tabs, I have just started to wonder if I shouldn't just skip power trim and instead install power trim tabs. It does not bother me to manually tilt the motor for trailering, as I only do it twice a year: Once when I put it in the water in spring and once when I take it out in fall. I am just interested in maximizing efficiency, and it seems that the trim tabs will give me the same thing without having to mess with my outboard. What are your thoughts? You can click the link on the bottom of my post to see my boat, it is 16.5 feet, weighs roughly 1400 lbs fully rigged. I have also looked at the Smart Tabs. I like the cost, and I would like to know if they work as good as hydro or electric trim tabs. The hydro tabs cost about as much as I would spend for an aftermarket tilt/trim set-up. I did look at the Smart Tab site, and read all the back posts about Smart Tabs, and they seem to do what I am looking for. It looks like the ST1290-60s would be the appropriate choice for my setup. Does the fact that my hull is a tri-hull affect things, would I need to mount them as far up on the V as possible or can I mount them all the out at each end of the transom? I have a lot of lifting strakes, so the outermost ends seem the "cleanest" location.<br /><br />P.S. I don't do hydrofoils.

 

[BillP]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

I don't know why you don't do foils but tabs are NOT better than having motor trim. For the last 5 yrs I've run a friends 24'cc Pursuit with twin obs and elec tabs...I've got maybe 300 hrs operating this rig and run 30 miles offshore. Trimming the engines is by far the first choice and tabs last. Motor thrust is far stronger for keeping the bow down than any size tabs.<br /><br />Don't get sucked too deep into the tab hype. They are nice but picking them over engine trim is not the best choice (for bow trim)in my humble opinion. If engine trim doesn't do it then consider tabs. If you have to get tabs get ones you can adjust from the helm. I tried spring and turnbuckle types that had to be adjusted at rest. Just a hassle and this type is set for only one speed. But, these type are easy to make with continuous hinge, 1/4" thick alum plate and ss turnbuckles. Been there and done it.

 

[DJ]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

JasonJ,<br /><br />The BEST solution is to have both. However, since your boat performs fine without either, my vote goes for the power trim and tilt.<br /><br />Maybe I'm just lazy, but I don nbot want to tilt a motor, even if it is twice a year. I'll NEVER have another moderately powered boat without TNT.<br /><br />I think you can find an OEM trim unit fairly reasolnably, the Merc. units were relativelky simple in design and the trim motor, etc was inside the boat.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

Yeah, none of this is an emergency, as the boat does perform fine. I never have bow up, porpoising, or any of that. I can give it part throttle and it comes on plane quick enough, and my economy and top speed are fine. I guess I am feeling my way around as to going with power trim vs trim tabs. On boats I have used with power trim I have liked having it, but I havn't missed it that much not having it. More of a want than a need. I am still hoping to come across a tilt/trim unit at a reasonable cost. It can be from any inline six and the early 70-80 horse motors with power trim. One nagging reason for the power tilt is just reducing draft so I can get into shallower areas to fish without manually tilting. Thanks for the input, I still have a few months before I have to worry about it..

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

JasonJ;<br /><br />Well you have strong opinions from two points of view. Since you asked my opinion, I will give you my best answer. <br /><br />There is no question that the convenience of tilt trim is nice. It will also help you adjust bow up and bow down when running, and facilitate planing.<br /><br />The use of the motor / prop to adjust boat attitude burdens the propultion unit (the prop and the motor) with additional functions that should be left to other devises. For example; you have never seen an airplane without trim tabs, flaps, and a rutter. It also moves through a liquid. The most important job of the prop is to propell. <br /><br />I do not think that manually adjusted trim tabs are best for your boat because it is not what i call a destination boat. Larger (26 + feet) are destination boats. They leave the port, set a course, trim the boat, and stay the couse for an extended period. That is not the way you use your boat. Every time you change directions you would need to re trim.<br /><br />If you minimum plane speed now is 22 mph then you will reduce this to about 15 or 16 mph with Smart Tabs. Because the system is active, you will ride smoother, track better, turn flater, eliminate porpoising. You will also eliminate low speed wander, and stop flat since the tabs will deploy when the speed is reduced. Bow rise will be 50% or less of the current attitude, and tracking through wave at an angle can be done hands off the wheel. Hard to believe - yep - but true.<br /><br />Tilt trim is nice, but it will not change the overall handling.<br /><br />As for using the tilt trim on the 24 ft. boat insted of the trim tabs - what ever he is comfortable with is best for him. <br /><br />Call if you have any more questions, I do not want to start a debate on this site. You will never quite understand until you try them, even after reading the posts from customers who have used them.

 

[catfish1]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

You will never quite understand until you try them

that is a fact! <br />when i tried smart tabs, they did everything nautijohn said they'd do.

 

[JasonB]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

I too am a happy Smart Tab user on my 19' I/O boat. They really changed the way it handles for the better. I didn't expect that much change, but I have been pleasantly surprised.<br /><br />On my 16' Tri-Hull with 85hp, no power trim, (similar boat to Skanky Beast), I have a set of doel fins and they work pefectly for that boat. The stern lifts better, planing is faster, and the boat doesn't tend to slide in turns as bad. I would like to try Smart Tabs on it, but for what that boat is used for, I can't justify the expense when I already have the fin and it does much of what I need.<br /><br />You would not be dissappointed with the tabs though.

 

[DJ]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

I don't think anybody said that trim tabs were not useful. I agree, they are VERY useful.<br /><br />However, they will not help me keep my prop out of rocks, logs and other nasties lurking in shallow water.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

I have been thinking about how I actually use the boat and how it performs and what is best for it. There are very few shallow areas where I fish, as the river and lake have steep banks. The boat performs fine, other than what I consider a high mimimum planing speed. I feel like I can get away with putting on the Smart Tabs first, and when a deal for the power tilt/trim comes along, I can then do that as well. I'll continue to do some thinking on it.

 

[JasonB]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

[catfish1]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

i think you'll like how they perform, they look pretty cool to.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

Hi Catfish and JasonB; Happy New year to you and yours! I am very happy you are pleased with your tabs.

 

[DJ]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

JasonJ,<br /><br />I was never trying to convince you either way. They both have their own benefits.<br /><br />I was just giving MY opinion as to which priority I would put my acquisitions in.<br /><br />Good luck. Let us know what you decide.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

djohns, I know your werent trying to sway me in a certain direction. Thankfully I have plenty of tiem to soak in the facts, opinions, and experiences and then go with whatever it is I go with. I will say that it *seems* that the smart tabs would do what I would want them to do, but there is always that possibility that once installed, I may wish I also had power trim to offset something. We'll see. The power trim is the main problem, at least I know I can get the smart tabs whenever I want.

 

[SeaHorse]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

I thought about adding power trim but just looking at the wiring schematic was enough to give up on that idea. My hydrofoil worked a little bit but cut speed and efficiency. I switched to smarttabs and never looked back. They work great, much lower plane speeds, no adjusting.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: To Nautijohn-trim tabs Vs power tilt/trim

I have seen on Ebay that they have a complete power trim assembly for an inline 6 for a Buy It Now price of $349. Iboats has the CMC PT 130 for $439. I figure it would be more smart to buy the new item at a small increase in price rather than the used item for a bit less. I still don't feel like spending a ton of cash on a problem that really is barely noticeable. I think waiting for a kickin' deal is the best bet. Besides, not that I have added a bow mount trolling motor, casting deck with pedestal seat, and second battery to the front, I'll bet I get on plane a bit quicker.