Looking for recommendations on Bennett trim tabs

[MikeyL]

Looking to install some trim tabs on the 21ft boat. Looked on the website and there are some electric and hydraulic versions.
What are your recommendations?

I saw that they have indication switches now, any pros and cons to these?
What are your thoughts on the self leveling tabs? Seems like an economical approach.

Thanks for looking!

 

[N2013]

Go electric. Bolt 12x12 probably for your setup. Harbour Chandler had the best price for me but worth calling around getting quotes. Get the indicator switch.

 

[MikeyL]

Go electric. Bolt 12x12 probably for your setup. Harbour Chandler had the best price for me but worth calling around getting quotes. Get the indicator switch.

What did it end up costing you in the end?

 

[MiddlepointBight]

Looking to install some trim tabs on the 21ft boat. Looked on the website and there are some electric and hydraulic versions.
What are your recommendations?

I saw that they have indication switches now, any pros and cons to these?
What are your thoughts on the self leveling tabs? Seems like an economical approach.

Thanks for looking!

I have hydraulic Bennets on my 21' Hourston, with the integrated helm control (OBI9000H - https://bennetttrimtabs.com/product/integrated-helm-control-hydraulic/). Boat came with the hydraulic setup, and I installed the integrated helm control thereafter.

Electric tabs have come a long way, and for ease of use and maintenance, I would recommend electric. Both work great, but the electric setup means you don't have to fuss around with fluids and a fluid reservoir. I'm sure some folks may have other insights on this front.

I personally love the integrated helm control, as it's nice to know what level your tabs are set to. Definitely a 'nice to have' vs. a 'must have', but I really like the visual, and find it helpful when fine-tuning. You can get this for both the hydraulic and electric tabs. The controls have an automatic "all up" setup when you turn on and off tabs, which is handy when launching. I did not opt for the auto-levelling (I think they're called autotrim pro), as I prefer to have more control on my end to level things out, or nose things in, when warranted.

 

[Gong Show]

I have hydraulic Bennets on my 21' Hourston, with the integrated helm control (OBI9000H - https://bennetttrimtabs.com/product/integrated-helm-control-hydraulic/). Boat came with the hydraulic setup, and I installed the integrated helm control thereafter.

Electric tabs have come a long way, and for ease of use and maintenance, I would recommend electric. Both work great, but the electric setup means you don't have to fuss around with fluids and a fluid reservoir. I'm sure some folks may have other insights on this front.

I personally love the integrated helm control, as it's nice to know what level your tabs are set to. Definitely a 'nice to have' vs. a 'must have', but I really like the visual, and find it helpful when fine-tuning. You can get this for both the hydraulic and electric tabs. The controls have an automatic "all up" setup when you turn on and off tabs, which is handy when launching. I did not opt for the auto-levelling (I think they're called autotrim pro), as I prefer to have more control on my end to level things out, or nose things in, when warranted.

Thanks!
I have seen that display control and was wondering about it.
Your review had sealed the deal for me
Thanks again!

 

[MikeyL]

I have hydraulic Bennets on my 21' Hourston, with the integrated helm control (OBI9000H - https://bennetttrimtabs.com/product/integrated-helm-control-hydraulic/). Boat came with the hydraulic setup, and I installed the integrated helm control thereafter.

Electric tabs have come a long way, and for ease of use and maintenance, I would recommend electric. Both work great, but the electric setup means you don't have to fuss around with fluids and a fluid reservoir. I'm sure some folks may have other insights on this front.

I personally love the integrated helm control, as it's nice to know what level your tabs are set to. Definitely a 'nice to have' vs. a 'must have', but I really like the visual, and find it helpful when fine-tuning. You can get this for both the hydraulic and electric tabs. The controls have an automatic "all up" setup when you turn on and off tabs, which is handy when launching. I did not opt for the auto-levelling (I think they're called autotrim pro), as I prefer to have more control on my end to level things out, or nose things in, when warranted.

Thanks for the thoughts. I'm leaning towards electric tabs from what i'm researching. On my previous boat, i had the hydraulic and basic rocket tabs and never really used my tabs to it's full potential with planning from the dig. I used it to level out the boat when i had 2 or 3 people and that's about it. I really like the idea of not having fluid in a reservoir.

 

[MiddlepointBight]

Thanks!
I have seen that display control and was wondering about it.
Your review had sealed the deal for me
Thanks again!

you bet! they are pretty sweet... once they're installed, funny things occasionally happen with the LED light levels (i.e. when tabs all up or all down, the lights say otherwise). Just recalibrate (easy to do) if/when that happens. If your tabs sit on/above bunkers on the trailer, you can't calibrate, but in water or with full range of motion on the trailer - no problem.

 

[kaelc]

Looking to install some trim tabs on the 21ft boat. Looked on the website and there are some electric and hydraulic versions.
What are your recommendations?

I saw that they have indication switches now, any pros and cons to these?
What are your thoughts on the self leveling tabs? Seems like an economical approach.

Thanks for looking!

What are you trying to achieve?

 

[SpringVelocity]

I may have to put hydraulics on. Cant find the electrics in size I need. There is supplier shortage right now.

 

[Gong Show]

I have self leveling in my skiff and hydraulics on my 24 aluminum.
I want more control with the bigger boat than self leveling allows.

 

[brutus]

Self levelling are not that great for heavier boats I was told,never tried electric but great reviews on those, I have always had hydrolyc not much maintainence if you have no leak, I tossed the indicator myself, I just go with feel, I found those things useless IMO

 

[N2013]

What did it end up costing you in the end?

It was probably at little bit under 2 grand last year. Worth every penny. Aids in listing with passengers/loads and can set up to run in the chop. I like the indicator switch as I always know where my tabs are. They have auto retract as well hooked up to my ignition. Check out Lenco as well.

 

[d_Westie]

I have hydraulic Bennett trims tabs on my boat and they work well. No issues with them and they are over 20 years old. On my previous boat I had them as well and decided to put the auto tab control on them, It was Bennett's first generation auto control so I hope they fixed the issues on the second gen.
To work the tabs to level the boat requires a bit of patience. Short correction, give the boat time to react the adjust accordingly. With the auto tab controller it just hammered on them way too fast and the boat would violently roll to the side. Very dangerous. I called Bennett and they told me I need bigger tabs but that would have just made the issue worse. They need to dial back the time constant of their control algorithm.
In the end I just took the auto control out as it was totally unusable and unsafe.

 

[Rayvon]

Lenco electric on my last boat worked great and was about $1000 without the fancy switch.

 

[Eden Island]

Bennett hydraulics are one of the few original things still on my '84 Hourston. I have not touched or topped up the hydraulics in 21 years. When I repowered, I got power trim on the leg, so the tabs are now just for lateral adjustment - which I find very important, especially with larger groups - up to 7 when 2 families come along - and of course, they are mobile. No visual display, but I did have auto-retract added.

Can't comment on electric.

 

[wolf]

Bennett hydraulics are one of the few original things still on my '84 Hourston. I have not touched or topped up the hydraulics in 21 years. When I repowered, I got power trim on the leg, so the tabs are now just for lateral adjustment - which I find very important, especially with larger groups - up to 7 when 2 families come along - and of course, they are mobile. No visual display, but I did have auto-retract added.

Thats all ive ever used as well and like you have never had to touch them I look every year and oil level is always fine.. dont need a gauges to show me how to level I can feel and see when the boats not right lil tab here lil tap there and boats perfect, But then again I dont need a fancy car to parallel park for me or back up a boat trailer as well . its called experience.
Do you remember when we used to buy things for the functionality of it and ohhhhh i have to get that cause its fancy???!!!!! LOL

 

[Aquaholic]

Thats all ive ever used as well and like you have never had to touch them I look every year and oil level is always fine.. dont need a gauges to show me how to level I can feel and see when the boats not right lil tab here lil tap there and boats perfect, But then again I dont need a fancy car to parallel park for me or back up a boat trailer as well . its called experience.
Do you remember when we used to buy things for the functionality of it and ohhhhh i have to get that cause its fancy???!!!!! LOL

 

[wolf]

Thats funny

 

[mbowers]

I've had Bennett hydraulic and to me they are the most reliable thing in the marine industry. But from reports on the electric tabs I would use them in the future. Bennett's customer service is outstanding. The moron that built my current boat used a Lenco template to drill the holes so the Bennett tabs didn't fit. Rather than patch and redrill he bent the rams to make the tabs sorta fit. Only lasted two years before the rams failed but Bennett still replaced everything that was totally the builder's fault.

I love the indicators. I don't like the auto retract because I drift fish a lot. Most of the time when I turn the engine on again after a 10min drift, the sea conditions are the same so I want the same tab positions.

Interesting article here on Using trim tabs

"

• Use your power trim and trim tabs as a team: We’ve shared why a boat needs trim tabs — it’s so important, it’s also on our list of tips. Remember to use the power trim to adjust the prop path parallel to the water flow. Use trim tabs to trim the hull of the boat — both up and down and from side to side. When you use the two of them together, each controlling their part of the trimming process, you maximize your boat’s performance.

 

[SpringVelocity]

These trim tabs are a complete pain in butt to get. I can't seem to get any Bennett M80 hydraulic (no wonder Yamaha owns Bennett) sport tabs or any limited space bolt ones (which I wanted) that fit for my podded mailbu 185. Everywhere is completely back ordered, and don't know when they will be here.

I did find an alternative. The M120 is 10 inch span by 12 inch chord. Is that too big for my hull? Alternative is I could make the plates if that is an issue.