Trim Tabs Electric or Hydraulic

Captain PartyMarty

Crew Member
I know this is a very polarizing question. But if you where going to replace the trim tab system on your boat would they be Electric or Hydraulic?

I am tending towards Hydraulic I don't like the idea of electric motors submerged in salt water but I could be convinced otherwise...
 
Hi Capt, have you made any decision on your pod?, using original fuel tanks?
There are some good pictures of a 26 Seasport for sale in Port Alberni, shows mods on a new factory Seasport with outboards
Regards
 
electric, never been happier. one less thing to have on the transom

I may be misreading this, but electric or hydraulic, you’ll still have a trim tab hanging off your transom, unless the electric ones are invisible.

I would go with the hydraulic Bennetts, they’re not that much more money and are marginally more difficult to install. If you’re lacking space in the bilge area for the hydraulic pump assembly then I suppose the electric might be better.
 
I had hydraulic on my last few boats and never had a problem but I guess there is some potential issues with the pump.....rams and hoses? This boat has electric ones and the biggest thing I notice is how fast they respond. Which makes sense since the servo motor is instant when you activate the switch and not waiting for the pump to charge the ram. It's not like it's a big deal but noticeably faster. This boat rarely needs any tabs but when I do use them it's a bit of a test to see how fast I can get my finger off the switch or it's too much. The tabs are faster and this hull also responds ridiculously fast to any tab at all. Other than the risk of a ram leaking and killing the motor I'm a fan so far......
 

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I may be misreading this, but electric or hydraulic, you’ll still have a trim tab hanging off your transom, unless the electric ones are invisible.

I would go with the hydraulic Bennetts, they’re not that much more money and are marginally more difficult to install. If you’re lacking space in the bilge area for the hydraulic pump assembly then I suppose the electric might be better.
i meant the pump and lines to the tabs on the transom
 
I have hydraulic but one advantage of the electrics is seen in "Reelslim's" picture, the electrics automatically retract when off I believe. On his trailer it would be a must have.
 
I have hydraulic but one advantage of the electrics is seen in "Reelslim's" picture, the electrics automatically retract when off I believe. On his trailer it would be a must have.

Yep.....you would only forget to not retract them once! lol
 
I put electric on my boat this year. It had nothing before. 542. My last boat had hydraulic. I am quite happy with the electric, much easier install and work great.
 
Lenco electrics all the way... Not sure how often you'd have to change your hydraulic fluids in the hydraulic version... While it may not be a common occurrence, I am sure there can be the rare issue with hydraulic line breaks/leaks etc... Lenco has 5 year warranty on all new lenco electrics. I am happy with them. Yes, I am sure there is a small possibility of the waterproof outer shell/casing leaking saltwater into the motor(which is built into the cylinders which move the trim tabs) but I don't believe that occurs all that often. Everyone I've spoken to with Lencos likes them. Good luck with your decision.
 
I have a leak somewhere. Maybe I'll switch over.
 
Keep it simple is my motto. Sounds like a feature which will cost more money that may or may not be used. More things to go wrong and replace in my opinion.

Glad we are here to help you spend your hard earned $$$$
 
Have any of you installed the auto trim pro switch from Bennett? Reviews seem to be mixed, I like the idea of auto balancing the boat but I worry about how well it will actually work.
I did and it works perfectly fine after ~2 yrs on my boat.
 
Just installed. Awesome. Totally awesome
What size boat? My Skagit is very sensitive whenever someone moves around I’m constantly adjusting my trim tabs. Curious as to how quick the auto trim adjusts. Does it seem to fix the pitch and roll of the boat before you feel it or does it seem to hunt and correct?
 
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