www.iFourWinns.com

I installed Smart Tabs on my previous boat, an 89' 21ft Sea Ray BR and the results were night and day. it felt like a different boat and everything that changed was for the better. I just purchased a 2008 FW H220 and it just doesn't seem to handle as good as that Sea Ray with the Smart Tabs did which has me considering putting them on the H220. Here's what I'm hoping to solve for

Seems to fall of plane when turning at lower speeds like 18-20 for tubing
Holeshot seems somewhat slow

Both of these may be correctable with a prop change but I'm going to start another thread for that as well. Mainly for this thread I'm just curious if anyone has installed them on the stepped hull+after pods design and what the results were. It kinda seems that since the Smart Tabs would be on the back of the boat which is slightly higher than the bottom of the boat that it might lift them out of the water some once i'm on plane making them less effective.

thanks
Hodge

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

I have not needed them with my boat. I have duoprop w/F6 props. If I were you I would try a 4 blade 21 pitch prop first.

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2008 H220SS
VP 5.7 320 HP, DP
2010 Chevy Silverado Z71

I did just see where someone mounted them to the true transom on either side of the outdrive to where the edges of the tabs were actually under the afterpods but most of the tab was still inside the area between the pods where the outdrive is.

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

Well, a prop change helped quite a bit. I'm going to run it like this for a while before I make any more changes. Here's my post about the prop change.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8916

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

I have considered them but not to help me get on plane but to help keep the boat running level. This boat loves to lean into the wind...even just a slight breeze. That is mainly due to us having the bimini up all the time.

Mine does the lean as well when I have the bimini up, which is pretty much any time I'm on the water other than when I'm pulling a skier, tuber, wakeboarder, etc.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

interesting. I noticed a little lean while I was out friday night. can't recal if it was windy or not but I did not have the bimini deployed. may have had more weight on one side than the other. it was a minimal lean though. the smart tabs on my old sea ray seemed to help alleviate that when caused by an uneven load. I'll have to pay attention now to if it does that with the bimini up and a breeze.

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

God I really love this forum!!! My boat has a bit of a lean also when I have the bimini up, I thought there was something wrong with my boat! LOL!! Everyone doing the curly shuffle with the bimini up so my boat is fine. Thanks you all answered a question before it was actually asked. As far as the prop I know the boat tops out at about 52 or so and the holeshot is fine with me and I don't pull tubes or skiers so it's fine whatever the prop is set at. The DP would get really expensive to change props around

Does your boat have Double or single prop? Our boats are nearly identical. One of the issues I have is porpoising and I have to cut throttle. This is with the trim all the way down. Do you have this problem? I have not really looked at my prop/pitch but I do think it is a stainless 4 blade. I am going to take a look this weekend to see what I have. I have also looked extensivly at bennett tabs (like Daleg)...

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2003 Horizon 240 With 5.7 Volvo Penta

I have the DP drive and only get that issue if I trim too much when running over 3500 rpms (about 34 mph). I really have no need to control the tabs. But after looking closer the normal SmartTabs are not rated for boats and HP engines our size. We would need to go with what they call Nauticus ST1610-120 Smart Tabs II and they look enormous.

I dug up the old thread http://www.boatingabc.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/432598/3.html...this is going to get me thinking. But damn I need to stop adding things to this boat

Yep! That is exactly what I have been planning.

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2003 Horizon 240 With 5.7 Volvo Penta