Trim Tabs

[fishontop]

Guys, I have noticed that most of the vessles on this sight have trim tabs. Mine doesn't. Having never owned them, how important are they. A lot of my fishing is done off shore looking for tuna. I worry about losing fish, especially tuna on the tabs during the fight. Appreciate any perspective, especially from those that have run similar boats with and without tabs. As a reminder I am running a Pacific 26 cc. Thanks.

[NUKE]

IMO you dont need them (tabs) but people like to put stuff on boats and that cost dough. that dough can be used for terminal tackle or any thing else that will help you put fish in the boat .
BUT lots of people have tabs and would know if they presented a problem landing tuna.. Lets ask Capt George L. of the LadyDiane He must have an opinion...
What say you ,Codfisher ?

[Tin Man]

Most of my long trips are for tuna south west of San Diego. The trip home is typically right into the chop and I have found trim tabs to be very helpful. I can keep my speed up to a level that is economical and still not get pounded.

Mark

[warthog5]

Welder needs to chime in here, as his boat did not have them, then they were installed. :)

[welder]

OK, I'm here, I have ran with out trim tabs and now with .

GET THE TABS, the ride will be even better and when 3 fat guys and a cooler are on one side you can level it up .

Once you learn when and how to use your tabs it makes a big differance.

Our hulls are built for tabs . I thought my 23 ran great with out them and now after the install I recomend everyone to just get them.

Most of the time I don't even use them [ Just the install made a diff ] but when needed , very little movement is used [ Read , don't kill the MPG ] heck the RPM's dont change.

[Ironwoodtuna]

Trim Tabs of any kind are used to trim the level of your boat, while running in cornering seas the keep the chine edge pushing into the oncomng wave. In a head sea, you use the tabs to lower or push the nose down allowing the vee of your hull to cut through the head seas and keep your speed as high as possible with the least amount of pounding.

The Volvo Boat Trim system is IMO the very best for an aluminum boat...the unit is made of specail plastic/nylon so no electrolisis to worry about, the unit is nearly flush to the transom and I have had big tuna rub lines against it without breaking them off, in fact, the units probably saved a fish or two.

You can go to this site: http://www.volvopentastore.com/QL_Trim_ ... _id.345015

And here are a picture of them on my boat:

[JETTYWOLF]

I have Lenco's on my 26 BLM

I don't use them alot, but when the water gets really snotty, the winds blowing, or I have 450 pound passenger on the boat, you can bet they get used then.

I'll never wear them out from over useage. But very nice to have.

I don't think you have the bracket for the tabs, which they are usually mounted on, do ya? That usually comes from the factory, and our boats may have space for the Volvo tabs,not sure...The volvo's will need a bracket /plate also, I think to mount them on past the lip that extends of the hull bottom.

So you'll need to take a look at the bracket on a set because on our boats that the tabs are mounted too.

Here ya go, here's my bracket/tab:

I know it's hard to see....the tabs are not mounted to the hull they are mouted to a welded on bracket, and then threads are tapped and all hardware is screwed into the threaded alloy plate.


I guess you could have a thick plate welded on, like Marty's boat and then have the Volvo tabs mounted on under there, to extend past the bottom hull lip. Marty's got a big flat space, we don't.

If you need a closer up pic, I can take one and post it here for you.

Tuna....well in my opinion not matter Tabs or not, you better keep it away from the stern any how, because the whole stern means trouble. I don't see how a lipped Lenco would be any worse than a transducer or engine.
I personally don't Tuna fish, but do all my Shark, Redfish, Drum, Tarpon fishing off the stern...and never had a cut off yet.

[NUKE]

Looks Like your boat is in Town (Yarmouth Maine) to get something done I'm guessing. Looks as good as the new ones . notice how much overbuit the transome is on your boat ? very interesting to see earlier boats and how the design has evolved . Good Luck. Maybe i'll see you down there some time.

[AlloyToy]

Big plus for these boats....... easy to install

[fishontop]

Thank you all for the input. Lot's of great info. My boat is in town at Jays and I saw Georges boat there. I specifically looked at his tabs and it looks like he mounted directly to hull w/ 5200. Lots of options but the Volvo tabs look interesting. I am not exactly sure how they work. Do they extend up/down. They look very slim- how effective are they? Thanks again guys. I am going to install, but probably next years winter project and I am not sure which brand yet.

[JETTYWOLF]

I think I've seen pictures where they were put right onto the hull.....personally I'm not into the making holes in my hull, and poted as you can see from my pics that I had them put on aty the factory and they use a stand off bracket to attach them.

Yes the Volvo tabs have a little tab thing that goes in and out. Really can't see how creating such small portions of "drag" can make the boat move up and down like a set of lenco's, but I guess it does.

And thier web site really stinks, and doesn't show them in action at all.

[fishontop]

I have read a bunch of reviews about the Volvo tabs and everyone seems to love them. I am very interested in them. If I can get them to fit I am leaning that way. I would have a bracket welded on. don't want any holes either. You guys are a huge help. Thank you all.

Chris

[cptom]

I have Bennet tabs on my 26 Black Lab that were factory (or Jay maybe) installed (they were on the boat when I took delivery). I don't use them often, but as other people stated they are nice in certain seas. I used them today on a charter to raise the windward side of the boat to reduce the spray that was blowing in. 15 knot East wind opposing a 3 or 4 knot falling tide made for choppy seas and I was running with the wind on my port side. Raisng the port side with the tabs reduced the spray considerably

[coast2coast]

I have Bennett tabs, both on this boat and my previous one, and I use them constantly. They really make a difference, especially when people are moving around the boat. They also improve fuel efficiency when the boat can run at the proper trim. I wouldn't have anything larger than a skiff without them.

[JETTYWOLF]

I have Bennet tabs on my 26 Black Lab that were factory (or Jay maybe) installed (they were on the boat when I took delivery). I don't use them often, but as other people stated they are nice in certain seas. I used them today on a charter to raise the windward side of the boat to reduce the spray that was blowing in. 15 knot East wind opposing a 3 or 4 knot falling tide made for choppy seas and I was running with the wind on my port side. Raisng the port side with the tabs reduced the spray considerably

GOOD GAWD......Look who came to visit!!
Where ya been Island-man???

I hope you have been getting that baby off the lift alot. I had a buddy heading to Simpsons to fish his yak the other day and said he saw a boat like mine going down the road on a trailer heading north on Hecksher drive.
I told him it was probably Tom, maybe gassing up or hunting a full tank of road fuel.

Glad to see you're still with us, Cap!

How's the boat doing??

C'C'mon...... :D

[cptom]

Captain Dave,

I've been busy on a lot of stuff that didn't include fishing or chartering. But I hope life is about to improve to include more time on the water. I haven't trailered my boat lately so there must another aluminum boat sneaking into the neighborhood.

You'll apreciate that I am now so dedicated to metal that I put a metal roof on my workshop instead of normal shingles. This metal stuff must be addictive.