another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Don't want to beat a dead horse here but wanted to let any doubters know that I finally installed smart tabs on my '91 1900z and it made a huge difference! I had to place them closer to the outdrive than I wanted because of the swim step design. I can't believe I waited 2 seasons before installing them.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

:wink_thumbup:

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

I love mine too, but it did cut about 8 mph off the top speed.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Hmm up on plane quicker or top speed, decisions decisions. Oregon whats your top speed I know your boat is a few feet longer then mine I am running 502 with 26 props didn't get it wound right out this year but did low 60s so far, probably a bit faster now that the blackfin fell off lol.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Hmmm when I put on a 4 blade 19 pitch prop my boat gets right up on plane quick. I wonder if I should go ahead and try the smart tabs anyway. Heard a lot of good things about them.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

I have just the std 454 (330hp), bravo 3 with 26p. it will only go 41 now. Used to do 50.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Ok thanks I am fast enough then will check into tabs. When the old boat was getting near 60s I was doing the chine walk of doom almost, this girl felt solid as a rock and smooth as silk :)

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

It'll help keep your boat on plane at lower speed. It's saved us on gas, and made the boat handle better. Plus I don't have to shift passengers around like I used to. I've been very impressed with them, well worth the investment.

I have seen more than one person mention that these have cut down on their top speed... mine wasn't affected though, if anything my acceleration is 1000% better because i'm not fighting to jump out of the hole. Then again, I only have a 3.0L, so I don't have much of a top speed anyways lol.

Nic

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Well I'm not concerned about top speed anyway. I rarely go over 40mph. Mainly just pull wake boarders 18 to 22 mph. The prop helped tremendously, more than I even had hoped. So if the tabs will help even more to keep me planed at those slow speeds I think I'll have to try them out.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Just for giggles tonite, I removed one of the shocks from each side and went for a rip. it still rolls up quickly, yet I picked up 3 mph both with and against the wind and a totally full fuel tank (128 gals) and only two of us in the boat. tomorrow I will have a full boat (8 kids/4 adults) pulling 2-3 tubes all day.

We ran for 5 hours tonite cruising around 30 and used 22 gal's. So 4+ g/hr is great compared to the 6g/hr I was using. next test will be to remove the other shock and do the same test.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

the test went as planned.

We ran 6.75 hours (nearly non-stop) pulling kids up and down the river today. Used 31.25 gals. (4.8 gph)....not too bad.

Next test will be to remove the other shocks (no tabs) and see what effect going from 24 to 26p props did.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Will be waiting to see the out come might not have to buy tabs lol

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

i can tell you that with the removal of just one shock, it turns quicker

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Him ok just wonering what the difference will be to getting on plane? Is the only thing now mine seems abit slow to plane, though I was used to a 400hp mostly aluminum sbc in a 20' boat before and I usually was only running a 21 pitch for pulling boards and skiers.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Members with boats larger than 24' might want to look at the Nauticus site before considering the installation of Smart Tabs.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

What are you referring to on their site ? This is the system that I have.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

We've had a couple of members here in the past attempt to install the standard composite Smart Tabs on boats in the 24' range and they just didn't work very well. The tabs that are designed for 24' - 30' boats (per Nauticus) are a recent addition to their product line so i dont know how much testing / feedback they've had on those larger S.S. versions. If i was considering installing them on a larger boat, i think i would do a fair bit of searching around on the internet to see what other larger boat owners have to say about them.

I know a few years back when a few of us first installed them, Nauticus had their recommendations on what boats should use what size actuators etc. What we found out was that their recommendations were off and where they recommended 80# actuators most of us found that 60# arms worked much better. My only thoughts are that it might take a bit of playing around with the setup to get them working as well as they are intended to work by the mfr.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Thats what Im doing for everyone here.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

And we appreciate it if it really doesn't do much saved me some time and money, and some holes in the hull lol.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Experience has shown me that what applies to one boat doesn't necessarily apply to everyone else's boat. My apologies for questioning you.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

your point of "over shocking" their kits though appears to be true with me as well.

after my next test it is noticeable they are gone, I will contact the mfg and get some softer shocks and run just one set.

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

Oregon,

Which kit do you have on your boat? Is it the metal tabs? or the composite? It's weird, the tabs improved the handling, gas mileage, and turning of my boat... along with the acceleration. I'm also able to idle along without looking like a drunk driver.. as my boat constantly slithered through the no wake zone at the local marina.

I suppose I have saved gas because my boat doesn't have to fight to get on plane now.. and the turning before tabs was tight, but not as balanced as it is now. I also noticed a significant difference when crossing another boats wake.

Anyways, glad you took the time to test these on your boat, as I hope to eventually step up to a bigger boat one day (although I have a friend trying to talk us into buying their dealerships 230 Seadoo when it comes off demo at the end of the year. I'm just not sure i'm ready to make the jump from my Mariah to something with two motors and a jet drive. I'm still trying to learn about what i have lol.

Nick

Re: another satisfied smart tab customer
 

I have the Smart Tabs II (ST 1610). They shipped them with twin 80# shocks. Being they were designed for boats up to 30', I went with the maximum plane of 24 degrees initial. Im now thinking that it was too much and the adjustments dont allow for enough reduction.

My boat never has had a problem idling thru a marina straight and true or jumping up on plane fairly quick (for a 30' boat), but the planes definitely improve cornering (especially while pulling tubes).

With them initially installed, I lost mileage. The boat fought too hard to run smoothly thru the water. Much better now with only 1 shock installed.