does anyone have trim tabs on an 8 kn trawler? about 2 years ago all the party boats [ charter fishing boats] here put them on and are vary happy with them. They are normally 55' deltas that run between 12 an 18kns. Even at 8 kns wouldn't they push the bow down heading into the waves and when running in a beam seas you push the wind word side down. I the old days we put a 1/4 by 2' peace of steal plate the length of the transom, we called the cavatasion plates, wouldn't that be like making your boat 2' longer. it would be like a underwater swimstep that you could weld a strong SS ladder to. just some thoughts. capt. bruce M/V CINNABAR

Bruce, I have an Ed Monk Jr. designed semi-displacement 45' boat. The boat is equipped with large Bennett hydraulically actuated trim tabs. I loaf our Cat 3208 NA's at 1600 rpm. At this engine speed the boat cruises at about 9 1/2 knots with the tabs retracted. The bow rises discernibly from the at-rest trim. Full deflection of the tabs results in an increase in speed to about 10 knots. Although I haven't measured it I estimate that the trim is changed by 1/2 to one degree in the bow down direction with the tabs fully deflected. Visibility from the lower helm is enhanced. In following sea conditions the boat does tend to yaw more with the tabs deflected and I retract them in those conditions. Algae growth on the top of the tabs is a problem even during our dreary winters. George Brooks Nereid_V 1981 CHB Tri-cabin http://Nereid_V.tripod.com La Conner, WA > does anyone have trim tabs on an 8 kn trawler? about 2 years ago all the