[baholtz]

GaryDoug,

Hold your breath and dive down for the retractable plates.... In all honesty, I can reach them with my head above water, but not by much. Equally complicating the problem is the swim platform that I installed.

I don't think you want to change the location of the mounting. The struts are fixed, so you are changing how their distance of travel.....

[GaryDoug]

Thanks for the reply, as suspected I might have to hang off the transom by my toes if I installed them;-)

As for the mounting, I now see in the instructions that there is an alternative bolt hole to use in the plate to either lessen the force and/or change the angle. I am noticing that about 50% of the users in the 202 size boat think the 80 lbs is too much and the other 50% is ok with it. So I might try to mitigate that with a lesser angle, like 20 degrees, since I am only looking to improve the idle speed steering.

[baholtz]

Sounds like a descent idea...

I installed the 80lb actuators. I've been pretty happy with them, pretty stiff but I don't notice too much bow steer. I may back change the where the pins go in this season and see if I notice difference.

[Hunter12345]

Originally Posted by indykoch

I'm looking to add Smart Tabs on my '99 Z212 Shabah. I know some of you have here, and there are a lot of others on those lowely, plain-jane, generic, boating boards (not a Mariah specific board ). Most have claimed incredible improvements to bow lift, low speed wander, even top end! Looking at the stern of my sculpted hull, I'm questioning the fit. I'm also wandering about swim ladder obstruction, and the possibility of using composite (SX series) to help prevent cuts/bruises if accidentaly hit with your leg.



Anyone have thoughts? I strongly believe in the product after reading all the reviews, but I'm questioning how/where they'd fit on mine and if the composite types would work. Anyone own a 212 with these? Pictures, if so?



Thanks!!



Ryan

Id go with the poly style. Mine came with 80lb smart tabs, stainless, id like to change them but i honestly don't want any more holes in the transom.



'98 mariah shabah 180
5.7l 350 mag
Bravo III

[GaryDoug]

I won't be using the plastic ones. The water is too shallow under my boat-lift and I suspect they would get broken very quickly and easily.

[Hunter12345]

Originally Posted by MTH

I did not realize the tabs were capable of fixing that idle steering wander... That bugs me so bad. I would love to hear more feedback on how effective they are after you try it out!

Throw a bravo 3 on the back... steering wander gone! Haha!


'98 mariah shabah 180
5.7l 350 mag
Bravo III

[Hunter12345]

Originally Posted by GaryDoug

Ordered my Smart Tabs today, SS ones at 80 lbs (ST1290-80) according to advice from Greg at Nauticus. I just want to minimize the idle speed steering wander. Greg said these would take care of it. Don't really care about the rest of the benefits. Actually I kinda like getting a bit vertical on take-off ;-) I may miss that. Did everyone just use screws to fasten them to the transom or did any of you use bolts (if practical)?

And how on earth does anyone get to the plate retractors for these? I would have to go overboard I think. I haven't ordered those yet.

Pre drill and use the hardware provided with some 5200 and never worry about it again. I even called nauticus and asked why isnt the top mounting bracket bolted right thru? Thats the point that takes the load... lots of movement. Imo screws come loose under these conditions.
He said use 3m 5200 and you wont need to worry. Its only my second season with this boat. But they work. Cornering... time to get on plane, and low speed plane.
The idea is to get them as far away from the drive as possible ive read. Mine could have gone over a bit more i think. But they do their job.


'98 mariah shabah 180
5.7l 350 mag
Bravo III

[GaryDoug]

OK, my verdict is in. These work fine and I am happy with them. The idle speed wander is almost completely eliminated even on a windy day like today. The only time the direction changed was when a big gust of wind hit from the side and nothing but a hull redesign will ever help that. The boat come up much faster on a plane with less loss of forward vision in the process. Top speed seems to have dropped from 55 to 53 but this was a very windy day with a medium chop and that may be the main difference.

I installed the tabs in the default center positions. I may either leave the settings in the center positions or may lighten up slightly. The boat used to have a major hop over 40 when the trim was all the way up with a light load; now it is just slight and, in any case, I will never use the trim in that setting anyway. There is plenty of range left on the trim to accommodate my interests.

The boat's idle speed is dropped about 1 mph naturally, and at that speed the boat's steering is significantly more sluggish. But it stays on a course much better than before. Now remember I have the twin prop Bravo 3 and that is supposed to have minimal problems with the wander according to "some". But I seriously doubt that it makes any difference when you still have just the one drive unit.

I have some issues with the installation. I was missing one large lock nut and instead got one extra small lock nut. Luckily I had one in my shop already. The bolts used to fasted the strut to the small top mounting bracket are too short to allow the nut's Nylon locking ring to come in contact with the bolt. Again, fortunately, I had two longer SS bolts in that size.

I followed the instruction exactly in mounting the struts to the brackets on the boat and trim plate. But when they are fastened that way, I am unable to move the top bolt to any of the other two positions because of a conflict with the heads of the mounting screws into the transom. Likewise, I found it was not possible to move the lower adjustment bolt to the minimum position because of the same issue with conflicts with the head of a bolt fastening the plate to the hinge. Mounting the strut to the other side of the brackets solves both issues and should not affect the performance since the forces would still be applied to the same places. it just won't look as good, symmetrically speaking. For now, I will leave them where they are until I decide I want to move the settings. I noticed in his photo that Hunter12345 has mounted them in the best positions.

I did have to move the Lowrance Skimmer transducer for the SimRad nav unit to the right but it still works fine in that position, except for perhaps in a sharp left turn (when I won't be watching the screen anyway;-)

I did remember to install two small aluminum anodes (not included) into the spare mounting holes in the plates.

Overall, money well spent.

[Firestone]

I put them on my Z202 last year with the 80 lb and have them down to the lowest setting. I think it might have been better going with the 60 lb running at 4500 elevation.

[tpdtopcop]

Originally Posted by ASchlem

Well i'm in also. Just ordered a set of SX10512-80 from Hodges Marine online for $114 shipped. Add it to the list of thing to do in the spring. I hope they work as well on my Z250 as they have for everyone else. Keep the pictures coming if it wasn't for you guys I don't think i would have had the courage to try these.

I just looked on their site and found the SX10512-90 but not the 80lbs acutators.. Where exactly were they located on the site?