Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Actually, I know I DON'T need them, but would they be really worth
installing on my boat.

23' Marquis Cuddy w/ 350 Chevy V8 and "MR" mercruiser outdrive.

The boat has never had them on it, and I was wondering if it would be
beneficial for me to install a set. Do the advantages outweigh the
cost? This boating season, it's going to get a lot of lake time, and
maybe a weekender river cruise on the Ohio/Mississippi and/or the
Illinois river.

not going to be out (if possible) in choppy water, or having an
unbalanced boat with excess weight on either side.

What do you think?

THANKS!

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Tim wrote:
Actually, I know I DON'T need them, but would they be really worth
installing on my boat.

23' Marquis Cuddy w/ 350 Chevy V8 and "MR" mercruiser outdrive.

The boat has never had them on it, and I was wondering if it would be
beneficial for me to install a set. Do the advantages outweigh the
cost? This boating season, it's going to get a lot of lake time, and
maybe a weekender river cruise on the Ohio/Mississippi and/or the
Illinois river.

not going to be out (if possible) in choppy water, or having an
unbalanced boat with excess weight on either side.

What do you think?

THANKS!


I had trim tabs on a 21 ft 3900 lbs cuddy (Crownline 210ccr) and liked
them a lot. It was the first boat I had with tabs. It took a little
while to get use to them. And you can always just leave them up.

The things I like were being able to maintain a slow planing speed if
desired. Assisted in getting on plane when the boat was loaded heavey
with guest and stuff. Being able to level the boat out if the load was
not ballanced or in a hard cross wind.

The one thing you would need to try not to do is allow to much downward
pressure as you can create a "bow steer" condition that is not much fun.

I got so use to them that I would put down the drive leg all the way and
then just back it up a little. Then do all trim adjustment with the tabs.

The little bowrider that I now have I would not add then to. But if I
ever get another cuddy I would most like have them put on if they were
not already installed.

Capt Jack R..

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Unless your boat has a list when on step I wouldn’t worry about it. A
boat that size with an outdrive shouldn’t need the help in the planing
angle. If you were fully loaded up with lots of gear for a weekend
trip it would definately help your boat level out and plane even.
Save your money for gas........

"Tim" wrote:
Actually, I know I DON'T need them, but would they be really
worth
installing on my boat.

23' Marquis Cuddy w/ 350 Chevy V8 and "MR" mercruiser
outdrive.

The boat has never had them on it, and I was wondering if it
would be
beneficial for me to install a set. Do the advantages
outweigh the
cost? This boating season, it's going to get a lot of lake
time, and
maybe a weekender river cruise on the Ohio/Mississippi and/or
the
Illinois river.

not going to be out (if possible) in choppy water, or having
an
unbalanced boat with excess weight on either side.

What do you think?

THANKS!

--
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Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

On 4 Jan 2007 19:53:30 -0800, "Tim" wrote:

Actually, I know I DON'T need them, but would they be really worth
installing on my boat.

23' Marquis Cuddy w/ 350 Chevy V8 and "MR" mercruiser outdrive.

The boat has never had them on it, and I was wondering if it would be
beneficial for me to install a set. Do the advantages outweigh the
cost? This boating season, it's going to get a lot of lake time, and
maybe a weekender river cruise on the Ohio/Mississippi and/or the
Illinois river.

not going to be out (if possible) in choppy water, or having an
unbalanced boat with excess weight on either side.

What do you think?

THANKS!

Given the conditions you've stated, smooth water and balanced loads, I'd
probably not spend the money. You didn't say how much money. I have them on
a 21' cuddy, and seldom use them. If the boat is heavily loaded, I usually
have a person or two go up to the bow until I get on plane. I *think* a
little trimming with the tabs may get me a couple mph at cruise RPM (around
3200, for me), but I'm never sure if it's the tabs or the wind/waves.

If I didn't have them, and they were *really* cheap, I might go for them.
But if they were more than a couple hundred bucks, I'd probably pass. I
bought my boat used, and the tabs were already there.

Let us know what you do!
--

John

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

I have them on our stingray bowrider. I use them full down to run at a
slower speed for wakeboarding and I put them down a little in the chop. I
don't bother with the load balance, I just tell someone to move:-) They are
pricey even though I did the installation myself.

"Tim" wrote in message
ups.com...
Actually, I know I DON'T need them, but would they be really worth
installing on my boat.

23' Marquis Cuddy w/ 350 Chevy V8 and "MR" mercruiser outdrive.

The boat has never had them on it, and I was wondering if it would be
beneficial for me to install a set. Do the advantages outweigh the
cost? This boating season, it's going to get a lot of lake time, and
maybe a weekender river cruise on the Ohio/Mississippi and/or the
Illinois river.

not going to be out (if possible) in choppy water, or having an
unbalanced boat with excess weight on either side.

What do you think?

THANKS!

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 4 Jan 2007 19:53:30 -0800, "Tim" wrote:

Actually, I know I DON'T need them, but would they be really worth
installing on my boat.

This is an interesting question and you are likely to get a variety of
answers.

To my way to thinking, probably not given how you are planning on
boating.

However (ain't there always)...

Trim tabs to help keep the boat level on those days when you are
running with a beam wind (and you do have a lot of windage) or even if
the wind is coming off a quarter (bow or stern), it will help a lot to
keep the boat straight and level.

The problem is this. If you have a moderate V (deadrise) - say 18
degrees or higher, the boat will be prone to leaning to one side or
the other no matter now much you try to put a balanced load on the
boat. The simple act of moving from one part of the boat to another
while underway will make the boat lean a little. To give you and
example, when I had the Contender Fisharound, and being 6'3" and 250,
I could make the boat lean to one side or the other when running just
by moving around. That boat had a 9'5" beam as I remember, but 24.5
degree deadrise - it made the boat very fast and it was stable on the
run, but not so much at low speeds where just moving from one side of
the cockpit to the other while trolling could offset the balance. I
could tell you a really interesting story about trim tabs sometime.
:)

Anyway, to make the point, I can stand on the gunwale of my Ranger
which has a 8'8" beam, jump up and down holding onto the T-Top and the
boat won't move at all - flat as a pancake on a griddle. I actually
experimented with it - I took a piece of aluminum square stock and
attached it to the T-top of the Ranger - it extended six feet out from
the side of the boat. It took 125 pounds at four feet away seven feet
in the air from the side of the boat to make the Ranger tilt at all.

Of course, there is no deadrise being essentially a flat hull.

With respect to putting the boat on plane, I frankly don't believe it.
I can't prove it and would be willing to be proved wrong, but on boats
that I've run and tested with trim tabs, they essentially can have an
effect on plane angle, but I maintain their worth as a adjunct to
getting a boat on plane quicker is suspect - their true worth is in
keeping the boat level which is just as complimentary to getting the
boat on plane. Just my opinion - flame suit on.



It looks to me tht in it's past life, my little ChrisCraft 169 had trim
tabs installed on it at one time, but were removed before I owned it.

My old 27' Chris Craft Cavalier had trim tabs on it, but they were
permanent mounted plates with some sort of shock absorber mounted on
them, with no manual control. but it was direct inboard.

maybe I should take it out and see how it handles first.

I do like the comment on getting better economy, even though it's hard
for me to imagine that a couple plates dragging in the water can
improve your gph.

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

"Tim" wrote in message
oups.com...

I do like the comment on getting better economy, even though it's hard
for me to imagine that a couple plates dragging in the water can
improve your gph.

It's all about the "lift" the tabs provide. Properly sized tabs work like
the tabs on a plane, they divert the water down to raise the stern reducing
the amount of water the boat has to displace.

Small, improper sized tabs will do just as you say- drag through the water
and reduce gph.

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 13:26:10 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:



And now - I'm off to go fishing.

WHOO HOO!! Look out redfish.

Where *are* you now? Tell us how the fishing was, please!
--

John

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

John Blum wrote:
"Tim" wrote in message
oups.com...

I do like the comment on getting better economy, even though it's hard
for me to imagine that a couple plates dragging in the water can
improve your gph.

It's all about the "lift" the tabs provide. Properly sized tabs work like
the tabs on a plane, they divert the water down to raise the stern reducing
the amount of water the boat has to displace.

Small, improper sized tabs will do just as you say- drag through the water
and reduce gph.


Ah! the lift and drag factor[s].

forgot about that John, your right, like a hydoplane, the object is to
get the boat out of the water

Thanks, John

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 09:58:15 -0500, JohnH wrote:

On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 13:26:10 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:



And now - I'm off to go fishing.

WHOO HOO!! Look out redfish.

Where *are* you now? Tell us how the fishing was, please!

Charleston and it was great.

I'm glad you had an excellent time.

how was the catch?

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 5 Jan 2007 06:38:40 -0800, "Tim" wrote:


I do like the comment on getting better economy, even though it's hard
for me to imagine that a couple plates dragging in the water can
improve your gph.


I'm not convinced of that actually. The main efficiencies are gained
by the angle of the drive to the water - it you can move the prop to
gain efficiency, trim tabs are meaningless in that context. Same with
getting on plane. I also don't buy the slower on plane bit - that's a
function of weight and hull style, not trim tabs.

Then again, folks will convince themselves of anything.

Trim tabs are for boats like cruisers or larger vessels. Boats like
ours they aren't really necessary except for stability or like in my
case with the Contender stability and prop torque.

Well I disagree with you on several points. I could keep my 21ft cuddy
on plane so slow with the tabs down it was almost like I could walk
faster then it was going :-) As far as faster planing, Major difference.
Not really needed when it was just the me the wife and kids. But when we
had friends and gear it made a major difference.

I have no idea about fuel consumption, never had a way to really measure
it that closely

I had that boat 10 years - The difference in using them or not was easy
to see.
Sure they are not for everyone, but if I got another cuddy or small
cruiser I would most likely add then.

Cheers:

Capt Jack R..

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Jack Redington wrote:

Well I disagree with you on several points. I could keep my 21ft cuddy
on plane so slow with the tabs down it was almost like I could walk
faster then it was going :-)


jack, I'm taking your word for that comment.

So, if a person was going for a nice river cruise, I take it the tabs
would be benificial, to not have to plow along at slow speed?

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Tim wrote:
Jack Redington wrote:

Well I disagree with you on several points. I could keep my 21ft cuddy
on plane so slow with the tabs down it was almost like I could walk
faster then it was going :-)



jack, I'm taking your word for that comment.

So, if a person was going for a nice river cruise, I take it the tabs
would be benificial, to not have to plow along at slow speed?



Yep - Slow speed planing can be much slower with trim tabs.

It would stay on plane at very slow speeds. One time on Lake Murry
outside of Columbia SC we got caught in a pretty bad thunderstorm. Spray
was really bad with the wind angle we were dealing with. I tucked the
drive leg in and put the tabs all the way down. As it was easier to deal
with the conditions remaining on plane. But not going to fast. But I
didn't want to run at displacmewnt speed either. Heck I don't even think
the speedo was registering anything. When one looked back you could see
the "whole" that was being created from the plans pushing down.

Sold that boat last year as we now have a small place on Lake Hartwell
on the Ga/Sc border. So we sold cuddy and went with bowrider.

I will say this, all boats are different and the tabs need to be matched
to the boat. Hull design is bound to make a difference. My 210ccr
Crownline was 21ft 3900lbs dry weight and had 18 degree deadrise at the
transum. Power was 5.0lx merc Alpha drive. It was not a speed demon, but
was very nice for running around and hanging out in coves.

Not sure how long you have had this boat. Seems like I recall you have
aquired one not too long ago. Thus i would run it a few times first and
see if it performs the way you want before changing it.

If it were me I would most likely add them

Cheers:

Capt Jack R..

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 09:58:15 -0500, JohnH wrote:

On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 13:26:10 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:


And now - I'm off to go fishing.

WHOO HOO!! Look out redfish.
Where *are* you now? Tell us how the fishing was, please!

Charleston and it was great.

i was secretly hoping that you had not come all the way down here (SW
Fla) to my new secret redfish spots. ;

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

On Sat, 06 Jan 2007 15:32:52 GMT, DownTime
wrote:

i was secretly hoping that you had not come all the way down here (SW
Fla) to my new secret redfish spots. ;

I'm all ears...

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Sat, 06 Jan 2007 15:32:52 GMT, DownTime
wrote:

i was secretly hoping that you had not come all the way down here (SW
Fla) to my new secret redfish spots. ;

I'm all ears...

in the water, by some small ledges, close to shore, just up from some
downed mangroves on the beach. see ya there!

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

JohnH wrote:
If I didn't have them, and they were *really* cheap, I might go for them.
But if they were more than a couple hundred bucks, I'd probably pass. I
bought my boat used, and the tabs were already there.

Let us know what you do!
--

John

That's just it, John, the *really* cheap ones, look exactly like that,
some kind of flat plate on some springie deal that has no controls at
all, look to me as to be worthless, and not drilling into the transom
over. Seems like good ones (Barnett) with full controls go for $500 on
up to over a thousand, that is, of course, depending on the model you
chose, but it looks to me like somewhere in the 5 to700 $ range.


eh,

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

On Mon, 08 Jan 2007 01:47:30 GMT, DownTime
wrote:

in the water,

That comes as quite a surprise. :-)

by some small ledges, close to shore, just up from some
downed mangroves on the beach. see ya there!

Heading west towards Punta Blanca Creek and Sword Point?

I ususally see a few flats boats fishing the mangroves along there.

I took the new Searay out for a nice run up Matlacha Pass and back
yesterday, all the way to Matlacha Isles where I had bever been
before. Real skinny water up there, followed a sailboat part way,
but the last I saw he was standing in knee deep water trying to push
off a sand bar.

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

On Mon, 08 Jan 2007 09:02:28 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

The tabs on my Parker earn their keep by:

[snipped]

3. Allowing me to get the boat on plane a bit faster and plane at
slightly lower speeds.

To me, slower planing speed in choppy water is the biggest single
benefit. Tabs help to keep the bow down and the stern up which keeps
the boat moving through the chop without a lot of slamming around.

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

On Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:18:03 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

To me, slower planing speed in choppy water is the biggest single
benefit. Tabs help to keep the bow down and the stern up which keeps
the boat moving through the chop without a lot of slamming around.

But that's the fun part!!!

There was a guy south of here in Marco Island who slammed is boat off
a wave once too often last weekend:

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/...lities/?latest

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readar...d=10484&z=3&p=

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:28:46 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:18:03 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

To me, slower planing speed in choppy water is the biggest single
benefit. Tabs help to keep the bow down and the stern up which keeps
the boat moving through the chop without a lot of slamming around.

But that's the fun part!!!

There was a guy south of here in Marco Island who slammed is boat off
a wave once too often last weekend:

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/...lities/?latest

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readar...d=10484&z=3&p=

Well, there's fun - then there's stupid.

Then there is fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt8xsyP98b8

Do I need trim tabs on my 23' Marquis?
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

That's about right actually.

Which brings up the whole subject if you need them or not. I don't
think you do unless you are unduly concerned about side-to-side
trim issues.


I think thats the way, Tom.

yes, I'll give it a good run in various conditions, see whats
happening, and go from there.