www.iFourWinns.com

You have Bennett tabs on your boat.
Installation is as the instructions say. No surprises.



It seems that Graham did.......

Since we are digging up some old mud here. Our current boat has the tab position indicators installed at the factory. I never pay attention to them. I wish they were sound level meters for the stereo rather than the trim tabs, that way the bling would be of some use.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Here is my opinion which is based on how my boat reacts. I do not have a dual prop drive, they may react differently. A fundamental truth is that out drives run more efficiently when trimmed up part way. If you can trim your drives correctly and control your boats attitude and handling with trim tabs, you will run more efficiently. Except when going up on plane, I run with my drives at 1/4 up and vary the degree of trim tabs. I think a trim tab indicator would be an excellent resource. Dan

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Current Boat: 1994 278 Four Winns Vista

My boat has trim tab indicators and as some of the others have said once you get the feel for where the tabs should be a gauge is just more for info than anything. Only time I use my tab gauge really is to check to see where they are at after sitting a long time at the sand bar and sometimes I forget and if conditions change on the lake as they often do by us you may want to make an adjustment to them, but I do it more by feel now that I have got used to them.

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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)

Thanks for the info.

Without an indicator, i have to hold the buttons down for 5-10 seconds to ensure they are "up" and out of the way for take off. After throttle up to about 3000-3500 rpm, i press the button to lower them for a few seconds, see what happens, press again for 2 more seconds, etc etc. When i finally get near max speed, I try and add up all of my seconds used to achieve a perfect plane with max speed at whatever throttle setting / RPM I've chosen.

To be honest, I think i count differently each time! LOL I even lose track of my seconds when I overshoot and then get it wrong. The back and forth adjusting for boat listing and such throws my count off.

Yeah, over time I think I'll nail it with say 12 seconds on the buttons, but an indicator would be easier.

Is it worth close to $300 and time for installation? probably not, but it sure is cool looking!

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2007 Four Winns Vista 358

We have the indicators. I agree that you can adjust them by feel but having the visual is handy to some times remind me of where they are and sometimes answer why the boat is tracking differently. My wife is a visual person and the indicator makes them less scary to use.

We have the separate indicator unit and it works well.

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Jnizi

2007 Vista 338 "Better Yet"
Previously:
2007 Vista 258 " Just Right"
2005 Horizon 230

They arent 'needed' for sure, my last boat had lencos with the indicators and I kind of miss the lights - but not enough to install them. The auto retract would be nice, just waiting for the day I forget to retract them and put it on the lift. But since I have a long no-wake zone cruise before getting to my dock if they are down you know it at idle so its hard to forget. Anytime I'm off plane its habit for me to retract them anyhow.


Under way this 248 is so sensitive to weight shifting and current the lights wouldnt do much good since you have to change it all the time, but after a while its easy to lose track of how far down/up one side is but it only takes a couple seconds to retract them and start over.