Tab placement horizontal vs standard

[phragle]

lets hear your opinions and why....

[fund razor]

I have good luck with my "standard" on my boat but I am 8'6" wide and they are really big tabs. Plus, twins and a heavy boat.

I have read the arguments for mounting them horizontal on narrow boats, and I believe them. I can see how the diagonal tab would potentially kick the boat sideways some. I think if you are considering going with the horizontal on your boat, it makes sense. Especially if you are already fighting sideways forces. Just my .02

[Ratickle]

There is no perfect way, all are a compromise.

If you mount them parallel to the water, horizontal, they will work the best of any position when the boat is going in a straight line. However, if the boat is cornering, or in quartering seas, they will raise and toss the stern of the boat in the opposite direction of the way you want to control the boat when deployed.

If you mount them conventional, they work the best when the boat is cornering, actually laying on one side of the Vee for hard cornering (mostly in race conditions where you really lay the boat on its side), because then they are parallel to the water and do not raise and toss the stern of the boat in the wrong direction.

Most of us doing new boats now, especially if they are going to be used in all types of conditions, split the difference. Best compromise for handling in most positions you may get yourself into running hard. (This comes from Fountain factory race boat testing and SVL race testing).

Just think about what the tab is doing when it hits the water. It raises the stern of the boat to keep the bow from skying. So, for the best control, it need to be parallel to the water it is using to raise the stern. Anything else it will want to do odd things to the boats attitude.

The compromise.

[Ratickle]

In case you're wondering, that's the new 478 Skater Vee.

[Bobcat]

In case you're wondering, that's the new 478 Skater Vee.

I could tell by the Drain Plug

Your old tabs are in line with the Hull, Do You like the way it handled before?

[phragle]

U didn't see the video? That's why I'm going to bigger tabs and I have felt the ass end do things it shouldnt

[SFOcean]

Bigger tabs are going to make it even more sensitive. My Avanti 22 is very sensitive to both drive and tabs. I never have felt the tabs push the stern sideways but then again I rarely run them much below level with the boat at anything over 60 or so. These tabs are Victory, uses Bennett ram and pump. They are mounted parallel to the hull.
Maybe split the difference shaded more towards parallel with the hull bottom.

[Ratickle]

What's your drive height Greg? Curious if they are the same.


What video Rob?

[fund razor]

Wasn't there a video of Rob hanging it all out at Boyne?

[phragle]

[Bobcat]

You just need a heavier Throttleman

[sonicss31]

Why you want to take all the fun out of that ride?

[phragle]

Because Im working on doubling the horsepower...it will still be fun, just at a higher rate of speed...

[fund razor]

Watching the video again, I think the port side is going faster because the scum line is airing out the hull more.
Like a scum line twin step, which is where the term "twin step scum" comes from.

[Bobcat]

Fundy used to say scumline,
It's better than sunshine,
It's better than moonshine,
Damn sure better than rain.
Hey now people don't mind,
We all get this way sometime,
Got to let your scumline, slime till the break of day.

Dam, I teared up a little

[SFOcean]

What's your drive height Greg? Curious if they are the same.

16" - or 6.75" from bottom of transom shield to bottom of small pad on the hull. Completely stock 1988 drive.

[fund razor]

Ottawa River Speed Scum is very high quality speed scum. I've used it.

[phragle]

16" - or 6.75" from bottom of transom shield to bottom of small pad on the hull. Completely stock 1988 drive.

Mines a 95 and I got the exact same measurement

[Ratickle]

I was talking with Mobilemercman and he said this was the first boat that figured out the compromise tab position in a small Vee race boat. Steve Stepp figured it out, these guys made it work.

And these guys were great racers....

[Ratickle]

Also, while we were chatting and watching the video over and over, Jim asked about your steering. After I told him you were adding hydraulic currently. That you did not have it in the video. His response was don't put the cart before the horse. If you don't have good steering, you cannot tell how the boat is going to react when you have the ability to put the proper input to the boat.

Yes, all small Vees are more reactive to the input of the trim, tabs, and steering. But, watching the way that most of the time the boat flew straight and flat means that the boat is capable. But, the major falls mostly being to starboard says more about input into the boat based on the wind and seas direction to the direction of the boat. With proper steering and proper tabs, (look at the size of the tabs on Captain Maintained), input becomes capable versus borderline.

Make any sense?