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[AsLan7]

Southerncomfort - I am looking to add trim tabs to my 242 as well to help with keep weight in the bow as the water on lake tahoe gets very rough. Do you have any pictures of your final install? What size did you install and what kit?

Thanks

If you have extra weight in your bow, trim tabs are not going to help you.

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He wants to help drive the bow lower (simulating extra bow weight) at times depending on water conditions. When we did not have full tanks in our two Cobalts (or Fountain back in the day) the tabs helped with ride conditions on Lake Erie to smooth out operations in rougher seas.

[bruceb58]

I boat on Lake Tahoe and there is no way I would be using tabs to push the bow down. The waves are too close to each other and you will get waves over your bow(stuff the bow) if you push it down to far. In the ocean, it is a completely different story with swells.

The Chris Craft on Lake Tahoe last year, that had the 8 people drown when the boat filled with water, likely stuffed their bow when trying to make it back north into a storm.

My boat doesn't have tabs and I wouldn't be adding them for rough water alone.

[AsLan7]

I boat on Lake Tahoe and there is no way I would be using tabs to push the bow down. The waves are too close to each other and you will get waves over your bow(stuff the bow) if you push it down to far. In the ocean, it is a completely different story with swells.

The Chris Craft on Lake Tahoe last year, that had the 8 people drown when the boat filled with water, likely stuffed their bow when trying to make it back north into a storm.

My boat doesn't have tabs and I wouldn't be adding them for rough water alone.

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Over deploying tabs can certainly submarine a bow on Tahoe. Of course that can be done without using tabs as well which is what happened with that Chris Craft you mentioned. In that case, a sudden, powerful microburst storm with high winds (up to 40 mph), large waves, hail, and snow caught the boat off guard as it tried to return to shore. The boat took on water, the engine failed, and it capsized broadside to the waves. Eight people died, and two survived.
Most victims were not wearing life jackets; one survivor had one on, and another clung to one.

In the many Boat US classes we have attended, there are constant warnings about open bows and how they can become instant bath tubs quite quickly on the water without the proper precautions being taken.

Trim tabs can significantly help on Lake Tahoe by improving performance, especially in choppy conditions or with uneven weight, allowing for a faster plane, better fuel efficiency, and a smoother, safer ride with improved visibility. As you mentioned, certain wave conditions would preclude their use at times but the benefits mentioned outweigh the occasional disadvantage.

When running into a head sea, you want to trim the bow down so the sharp forward sections of the boat do their work cleaving the waves. This provides the most comfortable ride and minimizes stress on the boat (and passengers). There is a balance between ride comfort and bow ploughing.
In a following sea the tabs should be fully retracted for maximum steering response.

We’ve owned many boats which have been operated on various lakes, some rivers, saltwater bays and the Atlantic Ocean. IMHO, having trim tabs is another tool in a boat Captain’s tool box that allows for ride adjustments (smoothness, load balancing, planing, etc.) while running on the water. With the proper training and knowledge, I’ll take that option every time.