When you guys plane out after take off, what do you trim first, tabs or drives?

I've always followed the Reggie method of bringing up the tabs and then adjusting drive trim according to conditions. I was recently told that on a stepped hull it makes sense to trim up your drives to get the thrust going in the right direction and then bring up the tabs to adjust running attitude.

Does it really matter?

I have dual switches on my throttle so normally bring both up-out as it rolls over.

Tabs first, then drives. On some boats, bringing up (out) your drives while your tabs are still down could possibly result in contact between the drives and tabs, especially in an evasive maneuver. Get the tabs up to neutral, and then play with your drives.

SydWayz, Excellent points, I hadn't considered that. Not a problem on mine, but certainly on others it could be problematic. Triples even more so.

Your tabs should never be able to hit your drives when adjusted. I was told to always adjust the thrust first as your making your drives and motor work harder by adding drag from the boat, Then adjust the tabs.

You guys actually use your tabs??

Never on the any I've owned getting on plane

I guess it depends on the boat? Fountains with their sky high X-Dims certainly benefit from the extra leverage of the tabs.

To be honest I have never tried taking off without drives tucked and tabs down. I was taught to do that from my first 13 foot runabout to the performance boat now. I have seen some guys use the tabs for getting on plane but as soon as they up and running they haul them up and out and leave them there.

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280s down to 7 on old cable indicator every time when planing on my 38ZR. Old indicator is now gone but I still hold
for about 7 seconds. Drives tucked all the way in. Once props break loose and boat begins to come over I begin lifting them up, then start adjusting trim. Don’t have to use them much unless in some pretty nasty water. Trying to plane without could take a mile or more. This is with propshafts 2” above bottom of boat and 17.25” 5 blade cleavers