Question: Do I need trim tabs for my boat? Neil P

Answer:  Trim tabs are a welcome addition to nearly any boat.  They serve some basics needs that apply to any planing hull boat. First, they can help you level  boat with uneven weight distribution.  So if you are in a small boat, and only one person onboard, it may list or lean to the side the person is on. With trim tabs you can adjust the tabs to make the boat run level.  Another good use is for boats to get on plane easier. When the trim tabs are down it will help hold the bow of the boat down to get on plane easier and ride on plane at slower speeds. Trim tabs can also help a boat run at a more efficient attitude saving fuel.  A final benefot is that you can adjust the bow so it cuts through the waves in a head sea, or stays above the troughs on a following sea. 

Trim tabs come in both electric and hydraulic versions.  We recommend hydraulic when you plan to leave your boat in the water.  Electric are fine for trailered boats or boats kept on lifts.  Bennett Marine makes hydraulic tabs.  Both Bennett and Lenco make electric tabs.

There are some new uprgades that have come on the market in recent years to help you get the most of your tabs.  These include auto tab retraction in case you forget to retract them when storing the boat.  Another new feature is auto tab control to help keep the boat level and running at an optimum attitude.