[mikeyt]

I dunno if anyone was looking to buy & install a set of Bennett Trim tabs but this seems like an awfully good price from River Marine in Miami....

http://www.rivermarinesupply.com/xca...cker_Swit.html

[djmccormick]

When I was in the store the other looking at boating accessories, I saw this Hydrofoil Stabilizer that mounts directly on the Outboard that appears to do the same thing as the smart tabs, but without having to drill holes.

Since your one of the masters here, was wanting you input.

Thank You

[mikeyt]

One of the 'Masters' here? Master-bater maybe....

I dont like foils cuz they're ugly. There. I've said it.

Now, there are two designs that i know of. A 'doelfin' which is shaped somewhat like an airplane wing and a 'stingray' which has a trailing edge that curves downward. Both will get you onto plane quicker that an outdrive/outboard without one. They both produce extra drag which will (in theory at least) lower your top speed. I've also heard stories (although never witnessed) that they 'can' make your boat a little squirrelly at WOT. I have seen 2 instances where the ventilation plate broke though when the fin struck something underwater.

The advantage to springing for the Nauticus Smart Tabs is that they dont produce extra drag, can actually improve your boats handling at both lower speeds and WOT stability, shouldn't affect your top speed any and have some give in the event you do hit something underwater. They are no more diffcult to install that either of the hydrofoils i mentioned above.

The advantage to the Bennetts (or Lencos) is that they give you total control of the positioning of each tab in the event you need to balance the boat while underway. The disadvantage is the cost & difficulty of installation.

[djmccormick]

Thank You for the info
By the detail of your reply, I would say you are a master
Based on your detail If I decide to do this, I will go with tabs

[wssb11]

When i bought my boat it came with the hydrofoil it has on it. Its the se 300 i havent experinced any type of handling problems at wot and it seems to plane very well. If it came down to it and the boat didnt already have the foil on it idk what i would do drilling holes in the fiberglass on my boat would definatley not be easy for me, but the other side of that is that i would really like to add a swim platform to the boat and the foil is in the way now. The previous owner said the boat was having probelms plaining when wakeboarding behind it, and he said the foil made a huge difference.

[indykoch]

Hydrofoils usually do help a boat plane, as advertised. But I've heard of the "squirrelly" handling as Mikey stated **when the outdrive is trimmed aggressively up or down**. Nauticus has a clear illustration of this HERE.

As someone stated on another board (and I have to agree) - hydrofoils are a huge neon sign on the back of a boat that reads "Don't buy me, I'm grossly under-powered".

[djmccormick]

I had 5 By Pass Surgery on January 9th and was out of commission. But you know there is always a bright side to things, The breast bone should be healed by April 9th, 90 days, and Boat season doesn't start for us until Memorial day, so I should have my Act together. by then.

Back to the Tabs, since the economy has closed some of our local Marina's, does anyone have any suggestions for the Local Joplin, MO area, and the Brand also please.

My Boat is in storage at Freinds Barn until at least the end of April, so I have plenty of time to find someone.

[mikeyt]

If you go to this page at Nauticus, there is a link to all of their on-line dealers on the left side of the page: http://www.nauticusinc.com/smart_tabsSX.htm

[22empire]

Not a recommendation so much as a story. A buddy of mine stuck one of these on his Zodiac to help keep the front end down when he was in it by himself. One day while cruising across Georgian Bay in a large surf he was pulling the Zodiac behind his 28' boat. He felt a hard tug and turned around just in time to see the water grab the hydrofoil and rip his outboard clean off the back of his boat.. He actually took the GPS readings and went back in better weather to see where it was.. 183' of water. Later a friend of his sent him a sonar reading of the area where you can clearly see the outboard. I will see if I can find the picture.. I think you guys would get a chuckle out of it..

[ShabahZ280]

Originally Posted by 22empire

He felt a hard tug and turned around just in time to see the water grab the hydrofoil and rip his outboard clean off the back of his boat.. He actually took the GPS readings and went back in better weather to see where it was.. 183' of water. Later a friend of his sent him a sonar reading of the area where you can clearly see the outboard.

YIKES!