www.iFourWinns.com

I have a 2000 235 sundowner with 5.7, looking at smart tabs, anyone have any experience with them. All the reviews I hear are good.

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2000 235 Sundowner
Previously 2007 Horizon 190
2004 Chevy Avalanche Z71

Not sure about Smart Tabs, but the y look cool in theroy. I have IMCO trim tabs on my boat and once you get them trimmed to a good location you never really need to make any adjustments unless you loaded unevenly, but this only happens to me if I get people that all decide to sit on one side of the boat.

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

as mentioned above, sound good in theory. I recommend that you save your money and get real trim tabs or live with none.

this topic has been covered many times over at trailerboats.com, search around, I know you will find one or two that like them.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

I know that regular trim tabs would probably be my best bet for all around, but the only thing I would need them for would be to plane a little faster, and keep planed at slower speeds, that's why I thought smart tabs would be the best bang for the buck.

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2000 235 Sundowner
Previously 2007 Horizon 190
2004 Chevy Avalanche Z71

if thats what your after, look at a $50 dolphin / whale tale unit that you bolt onto the outdrive.

I had one on our king cobra outdrive, do they help.....????????? I liked it to step on to get onto swim deck.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

My mechanic told me about one of his customers who installed Smart Tabs, and he raved about the perfomance boost - solid hole shot, and cruise on plane easily at 2500 rpm. My 205 seemed to be having trouble getting up on plane, and I had little wiggle room to use the trim at speed, so I installed them.

I noticed only a slight perfomance improvement - a little better hole shot, and a little more flexibility on trim settings - but not nearly what I hoped for, nor expected.

On flat or relatively calm water they seem to help a little - I can work the trim up a bit and play around to get the best angle - see the RPM meter jump, and feel the boost. But on more choppy or rough water - or with more than three people in the cockpit - still have to have it full down.

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2005 Sundowner
2008 Highlander V6

Got a line on a set of Bennett m120's for a couple hundred or so more than the smart tabs, just have to get to the boat to make sure I have the clearance for them. My only real need for them is easier planing, could eventually need them to compensate for list when I have more adults on board ; I just refuse to use a fin, waste of money and a lot of stress on the drive from a 4500lb boat.

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2000 235 Sundowner
Previously 2007 Horizon 190
2004 Chevy Avalanche Z71

No more stress than is put on drive at any other given time........thrust produced from props is a lot of stress.

That is exactly how I view the smart tabs.

You need to feel good about what you go with and I do not think you will be disappointed with real tabs. I really like them, but, I rarely use them to help out with hole shot. I use them 90% of the time to right any listing. You may find, like I have, that trying to operate 2 tabs along with trim and throttle and paying attention to anything else, sometimes is just a bit much.

Please keep us updated on install and how you like them.

Happy boating.

I loved the smart tabs on my 21ft sea ray but even that boat was just barely above their max rating. Surely your 235 would exceed what smart tabs are rated for unless they have a new product for larger boats.

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Louisville KY
IROC-SEA
2008 Four Winns Horizon 220
300HP 5.7Gi Volvo Penta SX drive