www.iFourWinns.com

Over the last month, I've met some pretty cool people around the boating industry in Seattle. This is due to the storage, rigging, and delivery process for the new 318.

One of the coolest things that I got my eyes on is this sweet little "black box" that completely automates your trim tabs.

http://www.smartmarinetechnologies.com

This box is essentially a little embedded systems control with multi-point axis control and a gyro to control your trim tabs on your boat. Unlike the competition - which uses a "set point" for reference when setting the tabs - this unit actually uses your GPS for speed/direction references in conjunction with the gyro-axis-more-than-I-understand thingies to constantly monitor and adjust your boats leveling.

Not as big a deal for those who don't take longer cruises with the big Vistas - but they are definitely seeing noticeable improvements in fuel burn with this unit.

It's primarly developed by a local yacht service/brokerage owner and an embedded systems developer here at Microsoft. It's been a pet project for a while.

Check it out - what do you guys think?

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

I dont like there web site, you say somehow they are in bed with 'microsoft'??? they need a better site.

I have read write ups on competitors products, I would like something like this to run the tabs for cruising. But as with most things for boating, they are just wants.

Get the system and give us a write up!

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

Yeah - the website needs more detail. No, they are not "in bed" with Microsoft. ha ha -- but the developer who wrote the software for the unit does work for Microsoft as well.

I'm thinking about giving the unit a try. I know they have a couple units at Regal being tested by them. (Regal is considering this for their cruisers).

I spoke with the developer at a fair length. it seems like a pretty cool product. Bennett has the auto trim system already - but they use a "set point" for determining the optimum angle.

This particular design is really hooked into the GPS. It can literally track your every move. The sensors update trim level like 5 times per second. And since trim pumps are usually not mounted equally between both drives, it even has automatic compensation for a tab that trims faster than the other.

Is this something that cuiser users would be interested in? Their price point is 499-699 I think.

Or - do most cruiser owners have thier tabs already set up and feel comfortable with how they work?

Just getting some opinions...

Personally - seems like an awesome idea. However, I will be a slow-boater more than a long distance cruiser more often than not - so I am not sure how much sense it makes for me.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

The comments about the web site are correct it does need some work. The product however seems interesting. I have found that our 318 needs a lot of tab adjustment. I think that is result of the cockpit layout with most seating set to starboard. Having the leveling done automatically would be a nice feature. Always something more to think about.

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2008 318 Vista "Ka-wai-ola"
350 MPI/BravoIII DTS Seacore
2006 1500 Key West -70 Yamaha
Previous Boats
Key West 2300CC
Pacemaker 270 Sport Fish
290 Sea Ray

Terrible web site and Bennett already has a product which is tested and proven and also interfaces with NMEA.




http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/catalog. ... imgCheck=1

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Brett DiMichele

The Bennett product isn't as advanced as this one. One of the specific problems with the Bennett is that it does not interface with your GPS for speed/turning.

The Bennett solution provides a "set point" that the driver sets when the driver of the boat feels they have reached maximum efficiency. Once set, the Bennett system is only smart enough to "maintain" or reach the 'set point'. It doesn't have the intelligence to make adjustments on the fly for other boating conditions.

Try turning a boat with the Bennett engage - you will find that the Bennett will attempt to move the trim tabs to correct the lean angle of the boat when you are trying to turn the wheel. You'll literally fight the Bennetts (according to the designer I spoke with).

The system that I found is 100% artifical intelligence. It takes speed and directional data from the GPS and balances it with the multi-axis gyro built into the unit to interpret a set of movements.

I am thinking hard about the Bennett system -- but it has exactly what I don't want -- the "set point" that the driver has to establish with the system.

I would want something that I turn on and "it just works". No set points, no user input (unless I tell it to correct).

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Not sold on either/any of the automatic systems. Im not sure the trim pump/trim tab movment, and the actual trim position of the boat could possibly respond fast enough to the 5 times a second adjustment. Whenever I make a tab adjustment is seems to be a slightly delayed reaction before the input of the tab actually changes the trim of the hull.

The only thing about the trim tabs I don like on our boat is the fact you dont know thier poistion. This is mostly when you have been on plane for awhile and you have to slow down or stop, and then take off again. I like do the 5 count to raise both tabs fully and start over. I have been contemplating installing the Bennet trim tabe indicators to resolve that issue.

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Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

If you have a NMEA2000 interface on your vessel, Bennett makes a very affordable replacement cap which plugs into the network and displays the position right on your chartplotter screen. Saves cutting another hole in the helm.

http://www.boaterschoice.biz/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_26&products_id=994

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

IMHO, I think I would go with system for $700 on a nice cruiser as yours. Because we have a small narrow cruiser I am always adjusting the tabs, that's why I would consider system. I have never been on a wide beam cruiser, maybe you will find that system is not justified.

Because we are trailer boaters and we camp in shallow water next to beach I installed bennetts device that sends the tabs to full up 'home' position when the ignition is switched off. I do like this set up, and it only cost approx $70.
I have also never found the 'need' to know where the tabs are while under way, just adjust where they need too be to give result desired.

Vista Al was the one who installed the bennett system on his 268 and has a write up, took me a while to remember where I had read about it. Here is a link to it
http://members.toast.net/boatguy/proj-10.htm


After rereading al's write up, it looks like this new system may be the way to go, I am now more interested in it, but toy $$ this year is going to the jeep (bigger lift and axle locker, for Moab). I will be curious if anyone does get set up and how they like it, then maybe next year look into getting it for our boat.

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