Author: Boat Accessories Australia Date Posted: 3 September 2015
Improving Boat Performance with Bennett Self-Levelling Trim Tabs
Regardless of style, any boat worth owning should be able to perform in a variety of conditions and situations. This means sometimes one straight off the factory floor won’t do exactly what you want even once its setup has been customised.
This is due to a number of factors including weight distribution, horsepower, prop size or inherent problems with the hull. More often than not it is the setup throwing things out and luckily this can be fixed.
Bennett Self Levelling SLT Trim Tabs
Bennett Self Levelling SLT trim tabs work by using water pressure that pushes against a tensioned spring. The more pressure put on one side, the more the spring works to level the boat. Since they are spring loaded, you have no electrics or wiring to deal with, which makes them ultra-easy for most people to install.
The instructions are easy to follow and both sides can be done in less than an hour. Everything needed to install the tabs is included in the kit. Available in two sizes, these tabs offer a very affordable option to increase or improve the performance of your boat.
Putting It to the Test
In this example, we have a 4.75m plate boat with a 60hp four-stroke tiller steer engine on the back. Seating consists of two removable fibreglass Eskies situated right at the back of the boat.
This means most of the weight is at the stern when driving alone or a passenger. A casting platform is located at the front, which can also be used for seating, and it has ample storage underneath.
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| Head-on shot without the SLTs – boat leaning to one side. | Head-on shot with the SLTs installed – boat remains level. | |
While there is nothing wrong with the layout in terms of practicality, it had a small issue with getting the nose of the boat down when jumping on the plane and restricting trim when under way. While this was partially rectified by adding a wedge to where the engine was mounted and putting a hydrofoil on the engine, something was still needed. Given the weight of the boat, engine and room on the transom, the larger SLT10 (10”) tabs were deemed suitable for installation on the boat.
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| Measuring to ensure the SLT10 is in the right spot. | Installation of SLT10 on 4.75m alloy boat |
Results
The hole shot dramatically improved whether it was one or two-up. It could even get onto the plane easily and with a bit of trim, whereas before the engine had to be fully trimmed in and was sluggish out of the hole. There was also a noticed improvement when driving the boat alone, with the driver’s weight sitting on one side. This is probably where the advantages of having the SLTs was most noticeable, with improvement in performance and in the boat ‘self-levelling’.
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| Stern shot without the SLTs fitted – boat leaning to one side. | Stern shot with SLTs installed – boat remains level. |
Apart from making the boat easier to drive, the driver also felt safer and more in control. If you regularly fish by yourself or have a side console boat, a set of Bennett SLTs could be what you are looking for to improve your boat’s ride. Bennett also has a range of electric trim tabs that allow you to refine the trim and level of your boat even more, giving you the ability to control even the slightest adjustments.
For more information about Bennett Marine Self-Levelling Trim Tabs, head to the product page here or check out the video below.
Product Information Source - http://www.bnbfishing.com.au/boating/positive-results-from-bennett-self-levelling-trim-tabs/
Trim Tabs
By: Yash on 1 March 2023Can i change my bottom plate from a 6 / 8 to a 10/10 with out changing actuator auto tabs
Boat Accessories Australia Response
Hi Yash,
Yes, that’s right. You can swap the plates out on any trim tab set, and the actuators stay the same. It’s only when you start looking at the very long plates when you might need to look into two actuators per plate, but for a 10/10 plate only 1 is required.
If you have any further questions, please let me know.
Thanks, Alison
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