Trim Tabs Install - Lafayette Area

[Fourreel]

I need to install trim tabs on my 21' Nautic Star. Anyone have recommendations on someone to install around the Lafayette area?

[meaux fishing]

Call redmonds

[Visco]

Did you already buy them? If not look at the Smart tabs, I installed them on my 20' Tidewater and love them. It improved fuel mileage, overall speed, and porpoising.

[Fourreel]

Didn't buy any yet, just starting to look into it.

[juicegoose]

I just installed some lenco 9x12's on my 21' nautic star. Pretty easy install. It's for sure a self install if you want to take the time. I highly recommend the upgraded LED switch too.
Mine were installed to help a porpoising issue and they helped a lot. Especially nice to even out boat in cross chop and such.

[Dogface]

Sterlings in New Iberia. They will do a very neat and professional job.

[wishin i was fishin]

hey Juice, can you post a shot of the tabs on your boat. I want to put some on my 2110.

[juicegoose]

Here are some pics from my install. So first a little back story.
The 07 era 2110 isn't as wide as the 22' bay and also they had the little bulges on the back sides of the boat for floatation. This makes placement of trim tab actuator difficult. There is also a reverse crease line on the back of the 2110. This makes placement of the tab itself only available in really two places. The crease line is shown roughly with the red line in the picture below.
1. The tab can be placed inboard but Lenco doesn't recommend this and you loose a lot of the cross wave/leveling ability of the tabs.
2. Place the tabs outboard like Lenco recommends but you have to notch the tab for the scrubber holes and you also have to mount the actuator arm rotated. The rotation isn't a problem because you are pushing a cylindrical object. You do have to make sure you mount the arm as it lies on the boat hull naturally though(top and bottom hinge has to be parallel).

I opted for option 2 because of the power pole and lack of space for transducer etc. etc.

After deciding on the location I clamped a 2x4 to the bunk of my trailer and flush with the bottom of my hull. I then followed the instructions and used a shim to rest the tab on. Shim on 2x4, tab on shim. They want the front edge of the tab above the bottom of the hull. Mark the holes and your done mounting the tab. Oh I used a dremel tool and sharpie to cut the half circle using a cutting wheel.

The Upper bracket was a little more tricky. Lenco wants the back of the tab up something like 3/4" from the bottom of the hull when the tab is fully retracted. Again I cut a little shim, clamped the shim to the 2x4 and the tab to the shim. Then I rotated the upper bracket close to the same angle of the bubble of the hull and let the actuator fall where it wanted to on the hull. Mark and drill the holes and bam. You can see what I mean in the close up shots.

One word of caution. The screws they give you are large and Phillips headed. I actually had 2 break on me. Yes I drilled the correct size pilot hole per their instructions and yes I wasn't using power tools. I would recommend going up a 1/16" size in the bit they recommend. Trust me you don't want a screw to break in your fiberglass. I got lucky and just the head sheared off so vise grips took care of the job.

Lastly I bought mine 9x12 tabs with upgraded led switch for cheap from BOE marine online. I think it was like 5-600 dollars.

Let me know if my ramblings are confusing.

Note: Yes I hate the bottom paint as much as you hate looking at it. I would love to chip it off but that would be a ton of work and it helps with oyster rash. The spot next to the jackplate is the glue under the power pole arm. Don't ask me why the previous owner mounted like they did. Probably same reason they put bottom paint on the boat.

[juicegoose]

So when you going to install the trim tabs?