Im Gonna Need Good TABS!
 

My 280 is getting Procharged as we speak and Im gonna need some sort of performance trim tabs. K planes are Expencive. but if i gotta get em i gotta get em. Is there any other brand that is just as good and maybe a little cheaper. Ill prob get 16 to 18" tabs. I think that will be sufficent for a 280. Any advice/input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Lucky bugger!!
Good luck with the new power!

Maybe search the classifieds for used stuff....

you will also need to get a new prop. I just rec'd mine from BBlades and it looks great. I got a 26 pitch labbed for PQ hull. I am trying to sneak out of work early today to run it down to the lake and test it out.

I would highly recommend bblades though

EddieMarine makes a K plane replacement that you can have black or any color you want... And they are a little cheaper but still pricey

got that coverd too. Brett is doing the rent a prop program with me to test diferent sizes to see what i need. Were gonna start with a 32p. I am running a 26p rt now. that i will have for sale if ya know anyone interested.

I saw the Eddie Marine ones. Thay look nice. I guess it wouldnt hurt to go with the 23" thay have. over kill isnt a bad thing i dont think.

I like the Large tabs at the top of the list. IM going to PM you so we can talk business. Thanks.

Do you have hydraulic steering?

I wish. Thats next on the list. Ill have single ram by mid summer if not sooner.

Just got back from the lake (aka hurricane) and the new prop did very well. It was tough to judge top speed because there was so much chop and wind blowing me around.

I went from a 24 pitch to a 26 pitch labbed. I gained in hole-shot which surprised me and gained 2mph top end. I suspect the top end will be higher on a calmer day. I still feel like I need more trim to get the boat out of the water but end up shooting a massive rooster tail. I am still looking for a 1" spacer to get more prop in the water.

Whichever prop you end up with make sure you have Brett lab it.

I just got off the phone with him. Its in the worx.

And I have a 1 inch spacer on my drive. What kind of numbers are you seeing. Im running a stock 26p B1 with the spacer. with a stock 502 MPI with CMI headers. turning 5100 rpm at 67mph GPS.

Go with steering before tabs. The hull is going to handle how the hull is going to handle, at any speed. If you need tabs to adjust how the boat is running in rough water or with a cross wind, you are not going to be at the new breakneck speeds your forced induction is taking you to. If you end up with chinewalking or a hop after forced induction, you shouldn't be trying to fix that with tabs anyhow.

Do you have Bennet Trim Tabs on the boat now? If so, you can upgrade to longer plates. http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/
BTT are no where near as strong as K-planes, but they are well made; probably best light duty tab out there.

I don't know what kind of power you are going to have or which motor you are supercharging, but anything with forced induction should have hydrauilic steering.

what size procharger are you doing? i would think you should be starting with a 28p bravo. 32 is pretty large. best overall prop is my 28. i get great cruising with my 26 5 blade but less top end. i think i have a conservative 550hp. you may need to have whipple program your computer to make up for fuel. cant be to lean otherwise you burn it up and cant be to rich otherwise you wash out the cylinders with fuel. i still have the short tabs. i have been keeping en eye out for longer plates but surviving fine without them. i have a single ram latham assist steering. that is a must! good luck with the upgrade.

+1. steering is way more important than tabs in my opinion. I have 280's on my boat and hardly ever use them unless its real rough. Even then they don't make a huge difference other than slow me down. I may be interested in your prop if it's a stock 4 blade

I have the stock dual ram tabs the boat came with. thay dont work rt now. I Think the pumps bad. Ive checked everything else. Steering is more affordable than tabs so im fine with that first and tabs later. LOL.

Its a M-1sc. I would blow a 28 out with a procharger. Rt now im turning that 26p Bravo at 5100 at 67 gps. Before I bought the procharger I was talking to Brett about the 28. He was going to lab it for me and that would have been the perfect prop for me. So He is thinking we need to start with a 32 and see where im at and go from there. The computer got sent off the same day i payed for the procharger. Mark ad Precision marine is doing it. Hes one of the best. What did you pay for your Latham and where did you get it?

IMCO makes a nice system. I'd go full to the helm if you can swing it.

Ive looked at them and have talked to a few dealers about different brands. IMCO are very nice. = very expencive. lol. Im prob gonna go with the mayfair. It seems to be the most affordable. Im not building a race boat. Just a bolt on weekend toy with some balls under the hatch.

If they are Bennett's, give their tech line a call, they will walk you through troubleshooting, and if it is the pump, repair for a very fair price, sometimes even free. I have NEVER been charged by them for a defective replacement part. Called them a few times, and since they are local to me, picked up the parts in person, owner of the company came down to the lobby, and personally handed me the part. Best customer service in the industry. BTW, here is a pic of my tabs, dual bennett rams, on some modified K-plane style tabs:evilb:

http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/...inder/new3.jpg

Not sure on the price, give them a call

http://performancehydraulics.net/products.htm

Thoes are not what i got. Mine are some ****ty looking stainless sheet metal ones.

I just put the mayfair system on my boat. It was only a couple hundred cheaper than imco but you don't have to drill and tap the top cap with the mayfair. As far as tabs, there's always some for sale in the swap shop for a fraction of the cost new. Good luck with your new set up , I'm sure its going to really wake up your boat.

Boat leveler makes a decent dual ram performce set -3/16" stainless

Yeah,

I got lucky and found these already modified to accept the bennett rams

Do your rams look like the ones above or do they have exposed hydraulic hoses that route through the hull? If your rams have external hoses then they are Boat Leveler tabs. I believe PQ used Boat Leveler tabs.

http://www.insta-trim.com/

Thats what mine are. Boat Leveler dual ram. but thay dont work rt now. should i just get them fixed and see how it does and spend my money on steering??? I think so!

Here's some options http://www.keitheickert.com/c-884-trim-tab-kits.aspx

mine are Boat levelers also...they are black and almost 5/16 '' thick....they work well...

Be sure to research the length of tab you are going to use. I believe there is recommended length of tab in relation to hull length. Installing too long a tab and you could be asking for a serious stuffing situation. I'm sure some experienced boat racers could explain it better. Good luck on the upgrades. Sounds like your in for some fun.

Mine also. Thay are black, dual ram, about 12" long bout 10" wide. not sure if thay are alum or stainless but thay are that thick also. I guess ill get them working and see how thay do and just buy steering instead.

i think you'll like them...go with steering first...jmo

Josh,
The prop you are going to sell is B1, RH 26 if so I may be interested what price are you asking

any updates on this? have you had it out to test it?

+1

I had 12" boat levelers on my 280, I ordered 16" plates from them nd reused everything else, it was like $350 or something, the 280 chine walks and I always thought it needed some tab, I thought the 16" helped

I've seen pics! :whistle: