Why Do I Need Trim Tabs?
 You may not be familiar with them, but you've probably experienced the problems that trim tabs solve for boaters all over the world. After using Trim tab systems for years - and discovering just how durable and serviceable they can be - our customers can't imagine boating without them.
Do These Conditions Sound Familiar?
• As your boat slows from maximum speed, it begins to settle at the stern or "squat," creating an inefficient, untrimmed condition. At this attitude you use more fuel to drive the boat.
• As the boat pushes forward, it creates a "hill of water." In this bow-high position, visibility is limited and the hull bottom is pounded. Also because of significant hull drag and extreme prop angle, fuel economy is poor.
•Uneven weight distribution makes your boat harder to handle, even harder to get up on plane, and it causes your boat to list to one side. Your passengers complain when you tell them to move from one side to the other.
As a boater you know that no two boating days are ever alike thanks to ever-changing weight, weather and water conditions. Bennett Trim Tabs are designed to adjust for these changing conditions and provide lift in order to give you the best possible running attitude.
Get the Best Ride Possible
 
What Trim Tabs Do
Most boats are designed to plane at a particular speed and weight distribution. However, as weight increases (due to additional fuel, passengers, or gear) and/or speed decreases, the stern settles down creating an inefficient, untrimmed condition. As the boat pushes forward, it creates a "hill of water." In this bow-high position visibility is limited and the hull bottom is pounded. In addition, due to significant hull drag and extreme prop angle, fuel economy is poor. Properly sized Trim Tabs enable your boat to overcome this "hill" and plane at speeds slower than designed planing speed.
As the helm control is pressed, the stern rises, lowering the bow. Without touching the throttle, speed increases and optimum attitude is achieved regardless of speed or weight distribution.
Trim tabs reposition the boat's bow to cut through the water reducing pounding, drag, and engine laboring. Repositioning the bow creates greater visibility which increases safety. Reduced pounding means greater comfort. Less drag and engine laboring translate into increased performance, greater speed, and reduced fuel consumption.
With all the advantages and efficiencies created, trim tabs virtually pay for themselves.
How to Use Trim Tabs
GETTING STARTED
The key to obtaining optimal results from trim tabs is to operate them in short “bursts” and let the boat react before making another adjustment. The amount of time between corrections is influenced by the size of the trim tabs and the boat’s speed. This will help avoid overtrimming or ending up with one tab too far down when correcting lateral trim. You will quickly become acquainted with a boat’s particular traits.
TAKE OFF
Properly sized trim tabs can significantly reduce the time needed to get up on plane. They also allow a boat to keep its bow down and stay on plane at lower speeds. As the throttle is advanced the stern of the boat begins to squat, lifting the bow. As the boat accelerates, push the bow down position of the helm control in short bursts. The boat reacts by the stern lifting, the bow coming down, speed increasing, and reduced engine laboring. If you over do it and deflect the tabs too far the boat will end up overtrimmed. When over trimmed, the steering becomes “over sensitive” and wants to pull off course to port or starboard. If this occurs, operate the control “bow up" until the desired attitude is established.
CORRECTING A LISTING CONDITION
As a result of uneven weight distribution, prop torque or wind, a boat runs with a list. Deep "V" hulls are particularly vulnerable to this condition. Running with a list is uncomfortable, as well as unsafe. Bennett Trim Tabs operate independently for effective list correction. To correct for list, lower the trim tab on the side of the boat that you are listing to. This will bring the boat level.
TRIM TABS AND POWER TRIM
It is a common misconception that if a boat has power trim on the outboard or outdrive it does not need trim tabs. Power trim can be used to adjust the boat's attitude, but it is highly inefficient. A propeller is designed to force the boat forward. When trimming the boat with the prop, the prop must not only push the boat forward but raise the stern as well. In this situation, prop slippage is greatly increased thereby wasting RPM's. Power trim cannot correct listing, and is ineffective at slower speeds. Bennett Trim Tabs, in combination with power trim, enable both the hull and prop to be trimmed independently. The trim tabs trim the hull, while the power trim adjusts the prop. The result is optimum performance and efficiency not attainable by the use of power trim alone.
To achieve maximum performance, first adjust the trim tabs to achieve the desired running attitude. Next, use the power trim to position the propeller thrust parallel to the water flow. If necessary, re-adjust the trim tabs to fine tune the attitude. By observing the boat’s speed and engine RPM's the best combination of trim tabs and power trim will be apparent. Trim tab angle indicators and a power trim angle indicator are particularly useful in duplicating effective settings.
TRIMMING TO SEA CONDITIONS
When running into a head sea you want to trim the bow down so the sharp forward sections of the boat do their work cleaving the waves. This provides the most comfortable ride and minimizes stress on the boat (and passengers). In a following sea the tabs should be fully retracted for maximum steering response.
CORRECTION OF PORPOISING
Operate the tabs in very short bursts of about half a second. Continue until porpoising subsides. The objective is to have only a very slight amount of tab deflection, just the amount needed to cure the up and down motion of the bow.
Description courtesy of Bennett Trim Tabs
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