Manual Trim Tabs for Boats
There are many things beyond your control that affect the balance of your boat during a ride. Maybe the wind is forcing one side of the boat down, or the sea itself is getting tumultuous, or an uneven weight distribution on the boat is causing it to tilt.
While you may not be able to control some of these external forces, there is one thing you can control: the way your boat reacts to these forces. That is where trim tabs come into play. These metal plates can attach to your boat and aid in stabilizing your boat. Keep reading for more details about what trim tabs are and how they can help.
What are trim tabs and what do they do?
Trim tabs are flat metal plates that are attached to the transom of your boat. They are controlled by rams, and allow you some measure of control over the levelling of your boat. To achieve this, the tabs can tilt up or down to counteract the effect of any external forces affecting the balance of the boat. With trim tabs, you can have a much smoother boat ride.
When you are running at high speeds, you normally don’t really feel the effects of uneven levelling. But you may realize your boat is tilting to one side when you start to slow down, however, you realize that your boat may tilt to one side. When this happens, the performance, safety, and efficiency of the boat are compromised.
You can easily adjust your trim tabs. When the trim tab on one side of the boat is tilted downwards, the water underneath pushes against it, consequently pushing the boat up on that side. This is a classic example of Newton’s Third Law: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction!
Do you need trim tabs on boats?
Yes! The comfort and the safety of your boat ride is dependent on it.