Tab/K-Plane position
 

Ok on my 342 the K-planes are negative in the up position.

As I drop them down right at about 1/2 way is when there are level with the bottom of the boat....

Now i never have to use them as the boat jump up on plane fine, and am not running it hard, BUT whats the proper position?

should i be cursing in the netral/5 area making the running surface longer? (but that is also more drag??/)

should I have them tucked up all teh way like i have been?

I know i dont need them down normally and have used them to smooth out the ride, or what have you... but really more interested in the whole pulled up or neutral areas

really no one has an opinion? on this?

I basically dropped them a bit getting onto plane or to level out the ride when the wind was abeam, otherwise I keep them parallel to the chine. My PowerPlay responded very well to trim imput so I really never used them to control the attitude. Not sure if I was utilizing them properly but that's what I did.

thanks for a reply!

that my thing the boat responds to thre drive trim well. so i dont need the tabs really. but i have been running with them way tucked up, negative. did not know the beinifits or bads from running them parallel to the chine

I run mine all the way up unless conditions call for otherwise, even when plaining off I don't need them

My boat feels good with them level with the bottom of the boat. Then they are close and ready any time it gets rough where I might want to drop them down a touch or so. I do use them more during a poker run to help keep the boat stable running in some rougher water with lots of other boats cross wakes. They are like a "team mate" to the drive trim. Instead of tucking the drives all the way down (negative trim) Maybe try keeping the drives level with the bottom of the boat so the props can act the most efficient and thrust the boat forward. Then use a little tab to control the boat in the rough. Yes my boat also responds well to the drive trim. We have very similar boat bottoms. My boat also has stellings boxes and the tabs are the long 380 K planes. I also like to make small adjustments on trim and drive especially when driving at speed.

Good luck and good question. I am sure if we took Tres Martins class we would learn more! But then we would have no fuel money left to run our boats! :lolhit:

I actually wish there was a section on OSO for "driving technique". But then idiots like me would be giving out incorrect advice causing people to crash. Maybe if the section only let "knowledgable" people answer. But then it would cut into Tres' income, then he would stop being a site sponsor, etc etc. The politics of OSO!

Every boat is different and there is not set rule for where to run your tabs. The water conditions, speed you are running and the attitude of the boat dictate where the tabs need to be.

+ 1. I would say the most important thing to do with tabs is take a straight edge to the hull and run the tabs down to where they are level with the boat's running surface. Then mark that positon on your indicators.

In our course we cover how to adjust and manipulate the boat, the correct way! Not a OSO political thing. Knowing where they are is a great knowledge but adjusting for speeds and conditions can make you look better than others and offer safer ride for others in your vessel. Safe boating!

Never said that is where to run them all the time. I stated I want to know on my indicators where level is. I'm looking to learn here. If this knowledge is worthless or somehow could lead to a false sense of security/boat attitude, please explain. I was always told you want to know where level, or "0" is on tabs. Just another input to use along with other sensory information.