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| Vista 268 handling/trim tabs https://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15717 |
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| Author: | chris268 [ Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
No expert by any means, but I have a 2002 vista 268. I put tabs down just to get on plane, then raise them completely up. Then I Use one tab or the other to level. With one an completely down, I think that would be affecting your ride. |
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| Author: | firecadet613 [ Sun Sep 10, 2017 11:11 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
chris268 wrote: No expert by any means, but have a 2002 vista 268. I put tabs down just to get in plane, then raise them completely up. The. Use one tab or the other to level. With one an completely down, I think that would be affecting your ride +1. Try and keep your tabs even and just do a quick press to adjust one at a time to level out the boat. So, quick press and give if a bit to see how that affects your ride before adjusting again. |
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| Author: | alex8q4 [ Sun Sep 10, 2017 7:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
How did it handle with no tabs at all? With the tabs did it behave this way in waves and in calm water? If just waves, what direction were you taking the waves? Head on, to the beam, following seas? What you are describing sounds like "broaching" which happens in a following sea when you come off one wave and essentially stuff your bow into the next. The main cause is running too fast, and having the bow trimmed down makes it worse. Likely not too dangerous at 25mph in smaller waves, but something that should be avoided. |
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| Author: | chris268 [ Sun Sep 10, 2017 8:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
My 268 has an arch. May not make a difference. But it does seem top heavy, I think it's combined with the 8.5' beam makes it feel that way. My last boat was a 19' runabout with an 8'beam, so a little wider, but nearly 10' longer overall |
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| Author: | Surface Interval [ Sun Sep 10, 2017 8:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
You said you had both relatively calm and choppy seas. Which way was the wind blowing compared to your heading? Was it gusty or variable? A crosswind will push the bow off course. You instinctively steer in the direction you want to go. If the wind is gusting you will have more difficulty maintaining your course. As you turn into the wind to maintain your course the boat "leans" into the turn, but the wind keeps the boat from turning. You will use a trim tab to help level the boat, but a gusty crosswind will make holding a heading and keeping the boat level more difficult. This does not have to be a direct crosswind, you may even notice this with a headwind that occasionally changes direction by 10 or 20 degrees. When you are adjusting trim tabs, make minor adjustments and give it time to see what happens. You said that the three of you were at the helm and you were "constantly having to adjust the port tab". In rougher conditions it may be difficult to keep the boat level all the time. Pushing the top of the port (left) trim tab switch means that you want the port side of the bow to go down. The port side switch actually controls the starboard trim tab. In order to get the port side of the bow to go down the starboard trim tab is extended downward. This raises the rear starboard corner of the boat causing the port side of the bow to go down. This also causes the bow to veer to the starboard. Often, the trim tab adjustment is only half of the overall adjustment. The other half is turning the steering wheel to compensate for the heading change when adding a trim tab adjustment. One thing you might try if the water is not too rough is to trim the outdrive up a little bit at cruise. This might make the boat more stable and more level at cruise, and maybe even be more economical. Keep in mind that the outdrive is trimmed up too much if the bow of the boat "porpoises" or bobs up and down. I often find myself being able set trim and steering and take my hands off the wheel for a period of time in relatively calm conditions. Hang in there and get acquainted with your boat and its behavior. Yes there may be an occasion when the boat does something unexpected, but spending time aboard will pay off in a lot of enjoyment. |
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| Author: | chris268 [ Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:22 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
YYZ-RC wrote: I think you've pointed out exactly where I was going wrong. I was using the tabs in small increments but I wasn't doing a good job of coordinating that action with steering. I would tab, wait, tab some more, wait, bow levels, steer, boat lists, tab again. I guess I need to get confident at coordinating the inputs based on the amount of listing and prevailing wave/wind conditions. In a situation where the bow pulls aggressively and the boat lists somewhat significantly, what is the best method of recovery? Should I just come off the throttle completely and let the boat stabilize? Do you recommend automatic trim tabs for a noob like me? Thank you! You will figure it out, I would think that the automatics would be nice, but not worth the cost. I try to hit the waves at an angle, vs straight on or parallel to them, whenever possible. The waves here are no where near what you deal with up there. Once on plane i take tabs all the way up, then i trim the drive up a little, maybe 3 instant pushes on the trim button. If the bow starts to porpoise i trim the motor down til it stops. Then I level the boat by using the tabs, small increments. If you are turning the boat at all, the boat will list. even the smallest amount. The high center of gravity will add to that. Mine, like all list a little. I have 2 batteries on each side plus a partial tank of fresh water. Get some hours on her, you will figure it out in no time. Enjoy! |
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| Author: | John1290r [ Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:55 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
You have got a ton of good advice already so I'll try not to repeat much of it, but I'll add some encouragement. Back in March I felt the EXACT same way on my first trip on my 248. Even my girlfriend was wondering what was wrong with the boat. First, watch the trim tabs and the out drive trim and have someone else actuate the switches. I wasn't sure how quickly the tabs or the out drive moved compared to the switch presses. I thought they moved much faster. My tabs take a while (25 seconds) to fully deploy and then the same time to come back up. This lead me to often being unsure of their position making it hard to level the boat out. After 15 or so trips out I've got it down and the boat is stable and comfortable as can be. I found on my boat a more comfortable, but faster cruise, is around 32MPH at I'd say 4000 RPM. Usually 3 people, half tank of gas, full water. No gen or AC. I'm at 2000 feet, I don't use any tabs to get on plane, once on plane, before tabbing, I raise the out drive until I get the RPM's up a little and you'll feel the boat and engine just sound better. It might take some practice, but you'll get it. I then make some slight turns to really get a feel for how the boat needs to be tabbed. Once back on course, I usually need a 2-3 second push of "Port Bow down" on the tabs, as I normally have a starboard list. Once it settles, there, make a few turns again and get the boat to roll. If it feels like it's rolling far to one side and then the other in turns, you just have a bad combination of tabs, out drive trim, waves and wind. Reset and try it again. I always hold the trim tabs switches down together for 30 seconds to ensure I have fully retracted them. Best of luck and let us know how it goes the next time out. |
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| Author: | deafwish [ Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
Do you have a Wale Tail fitted to your outdrive? These can often cause nervous/ dangerous leans during turns... |
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| Author: | Terrieal [ Tue Sep 12, 2017 4:55 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
Surely if the OP's boat was weighted unevenly to starboard due the people on board, the starboard tab should have been lowered to raise that side of the boat and level it out, rather than using the port tab which would add to the list? I'm sure you'll work it all out for your next outing. |
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| Author: | Surface Interval [ Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:21 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
As stated earlier, "The port side switch actually controls the starboard trim tab. In order to get the port side of the bow to go down the starboard trim tab is extended downward. This raises the rear starboard corner of the boat causing the port side of the bow to go down. This also causes the bow to veer to the starboard. Often, the trim tab adjustment is only half of the overall adjustment. The other half is turning the steering wheel to compensate for the heading change when adding a trim tab adjustment." |
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| Author: | firecadet613 [ Wed Sep 13, 2017 11:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
You will get better with time as you learn the boat and get comfortable with it. It has been interesting for me piloting the 240 vs the 318. Definately a lighter boat! |
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| Author: | Graham R [ Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Vista 268 handling/trim tabs |
My advice would be to fit the Bennett trim tab position indicator, Sure, if you use the boat every day or every week, you'd get the "feel" of the trim tabs. "Experts" will tell you it's unnecessary. For me nowadays, using the boat as infrequently as I do ( due to external circumstances, not choice !) the indicator system is extremely useful ( my 278 Vista seems extremely sensitive to trim tab position so much so it can feel it'll topple over in certain sea conditions if the tabs are wrongly set) |
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