Permatrim

[Roy & Dixie]

I have made only one test run of 40 mi in my newly acquired 22 CD cruiser with an 80hp 4-stroke Yahama engine. It was done starting with about 30 gal fuel, full water, 2 POB weighing total of 300lb, no supplies of any kind. We had some no wake zones to start and end the run, smooth to light chop on open lake and wide river. I had to use idle speed to stay below 4 kt. Anything faster left too much wake. I wanted to cruise at 10 kt as part of the test. The engine sounded like it was laboring, turning @ 2500rpm, and bow was very high, and a very large wake resulted. Increasing speed to 13 kt, @ 3600 rpm, got the bow down and the engine seemed much happier. I adjusted the tilt angle for best speed at each rpm. Engine was trimmed down in each case.

I studied the 7 pages of posts concerning installation of a Permatrim foil and most seem to feel this a very good option. I had been considering trim tabs, and may add those someday, but I wanted to try the Permatrim first. I want to cruise in the 8-12 kt range with the bow trimmed down as much as possible. Side to side trim is not my biggest concern.

What are the latest thoughts on this item for river and ICW long distance cruising, same 2 POB, but supplies added for several days cruising.

I can order online directly from Permatrim, $149 shipped. Is that the best source.

I have sailed for years, have had a 37ft 6kt trawler, and was captain of a 200ft overnight passenger ship for 30yr before retiring, but this trim tab/permatrim thing is new to me.

 

[srbaum]

Roy and DIxie,
I too like to cruise at about 12 kts and my boat did not have the Permatrim or trim tabs when I got it. First I installed trim tabs and though this help both list and trim, I was not satisfied the the tabs had to be down so far to keep the bow where I liked it. This also meant that I had less available downward motion if I needed to account for more list (because the tabs were already down so far). I installed a Permatrim and am satisfied that I can adjust the bow angle without having the engine trimmed down so far, plus the tabs are only used for list issues.
Bottom line... I'm happy to have both tools, for my slow speed and moderate speed operations.

 

[potter water]

On my boat, (22 with twin 50 hp Suzies) 10kts has me not quite in the comfort zone to plane. My boat is running pretty well on plane, though a bit bow high with tabs in neutral at around 11.5 knots or so. at 7 to 8 knots, I'm off plane and fully in the displacement zone and pretty comfortable with the trim tabs and engine trim close to neutral. I couldn't run comfortably and economically in that 10 knot range. It is in a 4 knot wide transition zone from displacement to plane. I wouldn't want to run any boat of this class without trim tabs, because of the wide variations in lateral loading and longitudinal loading from trip to trip. So, my adjustable trims are for balancing the boat in both axis and I use them a lot. The permatrims are, I believe, going to help you with the longitudinal variations in loading during trips, but you will have to move people and stuff around to get rid of lateral load balance. Off plane, I leave the tabs in neutral and dink with the engine trim a bit. On plane, the tabs and engine trim are my very best friends.