My Bennett Sport tabs arrived today! Now what?

M

Mr. Fisherman

New member
Well I bought myself a little early B-Day gift. My Bennett Sport tabs arrived today!

I surfed around and looked at all the trim tab posts but still am not sure how to go about mounting them up.

I am going to need a kicker mount to make room for them. I wonder if I can get Tyboo Mike to fab me up one?

Any tips on how any of you have mounted your M120 sport tabs, pumps and switches would be welcome. I am concerned about taking my hand off the wheel or the throttle to adjust them. What do you like or dislike about where your controls are mounted?
Are you happy with your pump location? If you had it to do over where would you put it?
 
I mounted my pump at the extreme back end of the starboard lazarette, necessitating four small bolts through the transom. I also had to fabricate a small wedge out of Starboard to compensate for the angle of the transom to keep the unit plumb, as recommended. It was somewhat of a bugger to install, as the space is somewhat narrow, and you can expect quite a few skinned knuckles. But once you get it in, and given that you'll rarely have to access it again, it makes for a great location as it is otherwise wasted space.

The toggle switch controls I mounted in a small Starboard box just down and to the right of the shift/throttle controls. I find it a convenient spot since my right hand is often futzing with the controls anyway.

Other than that, the installation was pretty straightforward. There are pics and discussions in the C-Brats/Dogs archives on positioning the tabs, etc. You'll absolutely love them!
Al
 
Mr. F":3v9sutcv said:
I am going to need a kicker mount to make room for them. I wonder if I can get Tyboo Mike to fab me up one?
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No promises, Ray, but I reckon I can find enough SS for another one. It is doubtful it will be before Cathlamet, though. They got me pretty busy at work, and they've been watching me close, too. Well, they are watching all of us, but I take it particularly personal. I wouldn't even mind sticking around after work and fabbing the thing on my own time for you, but about the only way to escape 'em of late is to leave and let the phone ring.

I won't suggest you go out and buy one, because I have yet to find a manufactured unit that will negate the 19º transom angle without getting and destroying a high priced fancy adjustable job. You will really like what the bracket does for you in keeping the end of the kicker out of the water when cruising.

You will really like what them Sport Tabs do for you, too. Got 'em on there yet?

When I stuck the things on the TyBoo22, I mounted the pump unit under a gunnel and shielded it with a piece of clear Lexan. I have always liked things out in the open where you can see and service them. Plus, having the tank visible will let you know if the tabs are up or down, just by looking at the oil level in the translucent tank. But with your cash, I am sure you will get the level indicators anyhow.

So, let's get with the trim tab performance reports here.
 
But with your cash, I am sure you will get the level indicators anyhow.
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Yea Mike, I got one alright. So long as I keep feeding him and we are out of swimming range I can tell him to go back there and tell me if they are up or not :lol:

Don't get in any trouble on my count. I can't afford to run out and buy one. As for the reports, I doubt I'll develope the guts to get it done before Cathlamete either. I need to do some glass work when I pull the fuel cell this time and I want nice dry warm weather for that. I'd pull the boat into the house of I could. Looks like I am waiting for Spring...
Hey, was that old growth lexan you used? :lol:
 
Hello all who are contemplating trim-tabs:

They don't do much for you. I installed a Bennett kit recently but you know, the C-Dory hull really doesn't need them. It gets up on the step readily and rides in about the correct attitude without them. They are very difficult to use on the C-Dory, causing very ticklish, I would say dangerous, steering if not used very carefully. One would think that by lifting the ass end out of the water the speed should increase slightly but this is not so--in fact it decreases slightly. In short, in my opinion trim-tabs are much of a muchness on a C-Dory and I will be taking mine off when I lift the boat for the winter.

Regards to all,

George.
 
George -

Do you still have a 50hp outboard on that CD22? If so, then that may be why the tabs don't do what you expect them to. You are probably mighty light in the stern anyway (ain't that a nice thing to say?), and the tabs might be doing too much. I know on the CD22 Cruiser with the Bennett Sport Tabs that I had, just taking the kicker motor off made it squirelly, and exagerated the effect of the tabs. If you are keeping the small motor, then it might just be best to jerk the tabs off of there. The lighter motor, and the shorter Angler cabin might indeed mean that you are better off without the tabs than with them.

Dan, on the other hand, will be so pleased that he went ahead and got the tabs. The Bennett M120s might as well have been made for the CD22 Cruiser hull. Do it, Dan. You will not be sorry. On my 22, I could fiddle with the tabs and the motor trim and get sometimes as much as 2 kts additional speed at cruise than without them. Plus, because them Hondas have so much torgue and power, the RPM would not change enough to notice as the speed went up. When it was ideal, the motor (I am reluctant to use the word "propeller" - anywhere) would be running almost square to the water. And I don't care what engineering school you went to, that has to tell you that the fuel economy is enhanced.

Ask old B~C if them tabs are worth having. And Dusty would give up his fishfinder before giving up the trim tabs on a CD22.
 
Mr. Fisherman":1h9lzhua said:
So.... did you ever find that scrap piece of SS lying around?
Funny, I haven't saved any money for a kicker bracket yet...
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Funny is right - I just left you a cryptic message on ifish about that very thing. I can't save money either, so I can't be taking the chance of losing the puny source for it I have now, you see. Things are tough in the paper industry, and they got no sense of humor no more.
 
Well I finally opened the box and all the pieces are there.
I am concerned about the hydraulic hoses where they come through the transom. How much room does it take to route the hoses 90 degrees?
I have a fuel cell back there and am considering swapping the actuators for the ones that have the hoses routed through the top so I can bring them over the transom instead of through it. If I go that route it may not look quite as clean but it will save me from having to remove the fuel cell again and I won't have to worry about the hoses being kinked behind the fuel cell.
Anyone have advice or perspective on this delima?
 
I measured the space between the tank and the transome and it looks like about an inch and a half. The radius in the tubing looks to be 4 inches so I think I need to go with the top feed actuators.
I sure would like to hear from ths who have been through this.
Any help or info welcome....
 
When I put the Bennetts on my 22, I just used the actuators that came in the box, although I would have preferred swapping them if I wouldn't have had to wait. If you have the time, swap them for the top ported jobs. It's free. I didn't mind the holes in the boat so much as not being able to see the fittings. I am weird that way. But, I had plenty of room to route the hoses past the tanks, so on they went.

What you can do to get the tubes past the fuel tank is put a 1/8" NPT nipple about three inches long through the hole in the transom and screw it into the actuator. Then put a 90º fitting on the inside end to attach your compression fitting to. Then you got it. Others have have said on here that they did this, and the Bennetts I took off the TyBoo25 were plumbed that way. The Bennett pump is only worth 300 to 400 psi, so I would feel safe using a standard schedule 40 brass nipple. They are rated at 150 psi, but at that small diameter it will hold back the pump pressure no problem because it is still well below the safety factor in the pipe specs. The stupid plastic threads will pull out long before the tube ruptures. (Note: I am adding all these qualifiers here for two reasons. If your pressure line bursts and you get a $25,000 fine for pumping the oil into the water, it ain't my fault. That, and I know DoD will jump all over me.)

Ain't boats fun?
 
Well, I can't get the tubes "past" the fuel cells... I need to route them in the 1 1/2" space between the transome and the fuel cell. I don't want the line or fitting to rub against the fuel cell. I think the nipple will work if the planets line up and I can get the right size. I don't have a threader to make one custom. I suppose I could use tubing and a swedgelock but I would prefer to keep soft joints to a minimum. I like the idea of having the hose fittings visible to inspection and readily accessable. Maybe I should just go with the top tap ones. Decisions decisions....
 
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