Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

I have a 30' V w/3 steps and twin 496ho's, 28p Bravo One's, that tends to chine walk over 70mph depending on water conditions. I realize I need both the full hyd helm (have the outside rams already) and trim tabs to fully combat this problem.

Q is: If I only have enough cash to do one at a time, which is the choice of those who know???

Re: Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

Since you already have external hydraulic , I would add the tabs to help stabilize things.

Then start saving for the full conversion next year.

Re: Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

Agreed.

Re: Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

Adding full hydraulic to the external rams completely cured my boats walking problem.

Re: Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

See, this is just the problem I am running into. I don't know what the exact cause of chine walk is in my case although I have read many opinions on OSO and elsewhere, so I am not sure the proper way to cure it.

It seems tabs would be the most direct fix

Re: Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

Does your boat run straight without constant correction from the stearing wheel?

Re: Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

generally, yes. when it walks, I am always correcting it. The cable steering system has about 1/8 turn slack - everything is mechanically sound so I have been told that is the nature of hte beast.

Re: Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

When I was running the cable with external rams I was constantly correcting with the wheel. At high speeds it was scary, when I changed to the full hydraulic it went away, I can let go of the wheel at 100 mph and the boat runs straight. Just for fun, run your boat on a hose, go to the back and shove the outdrive one direction or the other and watch it take off. The water does the same thing when you are running.

Re: Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

GPM - I take it that the drives wander because the motors are on? they don't have any play in them (from the outside) on the trailer.

I am thinking that I would use the steering all the time and the tabs much less, so go with the steering and keep the speed down if it doesn't fix it until tabs arrive.

Re: Which First - Full Hyd or Tabs???
 

LHC, a 30ft V should have tabs... IMHO any performance boat should have tabs.
And any boat doing 70+ should have full hydro steering.

Get the tabs for this season. If it doesn't fix the problem, don't do 70+ till you get the full hydro.