Smart-tabs (zipwake - dynamic trim-control)-gctid806304

[mj989]

I'm planning to install smart tabs on my 185.

while investigating various options I came a cross Zipwake product. Looks very interesting, but as there is little experience to separate marketing from real benefits..

Maybe somebody has those or have heard from others if they are worth the spent (it's a few thousand $..)

http://www.zipwake.com/

[Douggy]

A few thousand? Look's way to complicated and expensive for a 185. Save yourself the thousands and just buy the Nauticus Smart Tabs. They work great on a 185.

[RobMick]

"Douggy" post=806306 wrote:
A few thousand? Look's way to complicated and expensive for a 185. Save yourself the thousands and just buy the Nauticus Smart Tabs. They work great on a 185.

+1 on the Smart Tabs....a few thousand??

[mj989]

well, I'm looking for an solution, where the tabs would operate in auto mode, so those are already around a thousand+.. so the zipwakes are more expensive, but I wonder if there are any tangible benefits of it to justify the spending...

[Douggy]

"mj989" post=806324 wrote:
well, I'm looking for an solution, where the tabs would operate in auto mode, so those are already around a thousand+.. so the zipwakes are more expensive, but I wonder if there are any tangible benefits of it to justify the spending...

Nauticus Smart Tabs are only ~100 bucks and they are stationary, no adjustment after the initial setting.

Those fancy expensive tabs look more for bigger boats.

[Guest]

I have Bennett hyrdaulic tabs installed on my boat and I highly recommend them. I opted for the M120 sport tabs with LED indicators built in to the switch. I purchased them from iMarine USA and they ran $650 shipped.

If you wanted M120s with auto tab control, you would need to buy the AutoTrim Pro system separately but you would also save a lot of money on the tabs themselves because you wouldn't need to buy the kit with the indicators since the switch would be replaced. From iMarine USA, a set of M120 tabs with standard rocker switch would run $472 and $414 for the AutoTrim Pro. You may be able to find tab kits that already have the AutoTrim Pro in the kit to save additional money. They also make an electric trim tab, marketed as the BOLT series and they offer AutoTrim pro for them as well.

I'm not familiar with the interceptors that you have posted, but I will say 99% of the boats I see have Bennetts or Lencos installed on them. Pay close attention to your transom to ensure what ever you buy will work. Some of the 185s have curves on their transoms that will prevent some tabs from working. Bennetts actuators can be adapted to work with curved transoms.

Here are the M120s installed on my 2011 185. The pump is installed on the starboard side to the left of the the access hole behind the rear seat.



Smart tabs are a great option but if you're willing to spend the money, nothing will compare to hydraulic/electric tabs.