Trim Tab Basics: How To Use Trim Tabs

Babyboomer

http://www.boatus.com/magazine/#video

glynnalan

thanks for the share.  I've had a lot of wandering at low idle speeds on my 280.  just last weekend i chugged thru the marina and tried lowering my trim tabs all the way down.  this helped stay straighter course right away- reduced the wandering to almost nothing.  wish i tried this a year ago.

jhorta

Thanks for this.  As a new boater, I have read about the proper use of the trim tabs, but have never seen it actually work on a video.  Have any of your ever considered the Lenco Auto Glide solution.  A fellow from SeaTow who lives a few doors down from me installed them on his 33 foot cruiser last year, and swears by it.  Just curious. 

Michael T

I found them "twitchy" as in over responsive and opted for  the manual units. 

rasbury

I find I'm putting my tabs down to get my boat to plane, a little different on the video...

rasbury

But was interested the tip about putting the tabs down while going slow. My lenco tabs light up nicely in the dark but can't really read them during daylight..

Cableguy Greg

I have found that at slow speeds having them down does help with the single engine wonder.

TonyWalker

A trick I learned with the tabs.  If one engine is inoperative, put the tab on the side with the good engine all the way down.  It will make a huge difference in how the boat steers.

raybo3

Dont forget that the port switch controls the S/B tab and S/B switch controls the port tab..........

Handymans342

why is that backward?

raybo3

The law of physics. If you lower the tab on the port side its raises the stern on the port side so the bow has to go down on the S/B side. Next time your boat is in the water push down on the a corner of the stern and watch what side of the bow comes up......