trim tabs hydraulic vs electric

[mariorojas]

Guys which is the best option for a 23 ft bayliner???

[crazycat57]

bennett m 120 hyd tabs with position indicators

[Franco2boat]

IMHO you really need to crawl around the transom area of the boat and measure, measure, and measure again. The ole Measure lots before you cut adage is really at work here. Of the two competing tabs, each has benefits and deficiencies. Bennetts, are great on the hydraulic side, but don't have the versatility when it comes to mounting. Of the two recent boat shows I attended, it seems like builders are leaning towards the electric Lenco's but I could not find a sales person that could tell me why. (Not that I would put a lot of faith in the word of sales reps.) In my own case I wanted Bennetts since the read-out could be incorporated onto my Lowrance 337CDF screen eliminating the necessity for more dash space, but the top of the actuator would not fit nicely on my boat which has a molded swim platform and a curved transom. Additionally, I cannot access the point where the hydraulic line would need to enter the back of the boat. The electric actuators allow you to offset the entrance point of the wire some distance from the middle of the top attachment. The actual actuators are also shorter which gets me off the curved surface. My advice is to make a cardboard mock up of the tab then go check it out against the transom of you boat. This way there will be no surprises.

KKKKFL

[Tabman]

Franco2boat,

You posted similar concerns back on 3/8 and I posted a reply also on 3/8, you may not have seen it. Here is a link http://www.thehulltruth.com/forums/t....asp?tid=83959

Below is what I posted

Any Bennett Trim Tab system may be modifed os that the tubing can be routed outside the transom and enter the boat where you wish. The parts to do this are free for the asking and are very simple to install.



As far as size goes, I would recommend the following:

If Bennett M120 Sport Tab (10" x 12") Standard 18" x 9" or Standard 12" x 12"
If Lenco Standard 18" x 9" or Standard 12" x 12"

These are the sizes best suited to your Maxum.

I hope this helps.

Tom McGow

The tubing and sensor wiring can be routed outside the transom to any point convenient on your boat to route it inside.

Bennett actuators are available in shorter lengths then Lenco and the geometry of a Bennett system allows the actuators to be mount using less vertical clearance then Lenco. We can mount with as little as 9-1/4” and can actually get down to about 9”.



This is achieved without moving the mounting point of the actuator to the trailing edge of the Tab as Lenco does on there “Edge Mount” series. Moving the actuator to the trailing edge compromises both the trust and travel, it also buts a much greater strain on the Trim Tab hinge since the actuator is pushing “outward” more then it is pushing “downward”.

Being very familiar with all of our competitors systems I can say without a doubt that the Bennett system is the most versatile and has the most combinations of sizes, mounting configurations and options available.

Sorry if this sounds like spam, but I wanted to make sure you had seen my last post and understood the mounting options available to you.

Tom McGow
Director of Client Services / OEM Sales
Bennett Marine

[jethro1]

From a technical and customer service standpoint you cannot do better than Bennett's. I installed a set over seven years ago and they have performed flawlessly. Haven't needed customer support yet but I know that if and when I do I can count on the Tabman.

From my view, electrical components and water (particularly saltwater) don't go so well together. While the Bennett pump is electrically powered it is located in a dry, out-of-the-elements place. The Lenco electromechanical actuators are mounted right out in the open where they are subjected to rain, salt spray and whatever else.

My guess it the main reason some manufacturers use Lenco's is because they may be slightly quicker to install. Time is money and what manufacturer is not doing all he can to save him (not the purchaser) some money. Oh, but maybe he will pass the savings on to the customer (right).

[POE400]

One things for sure and w/o a doubt.....Tom truly cares about the people he helps. He makes it right one way or the other. In an industry where we must sometimes "settle for less than we expected", Tom is a shining light for others in this industry to follow. Seems everything dealing with boats is awkward as compared to dealing with cars or trucks.