Talk to me about removing rt188 trim tabs

[gbsmallie]

I know this has been talked about before on here. I finally got a chance to take out my new (to me) rt188 today. Loved it, with one exception....the spray from the crude trim tabs is ridiculous! Water just shooting all over whether trimmed up or down, slow or fast. How important are these and would removing them and then adding a foil or something accomplish the same thing? Not a real big deal but I was surprised how crappy the wake looks with a boat width wide spray coming off....

[TritonTRXV8]

If you have a jack plate the trim tabs are not needed but without a jack plate you wont get past 1/4 trim and you will be porpoising big time. The best combo is a jack plate and a good cupped prop. BUT taking them off will void your hull warranty and jack plates have to be 4" and factory installed to be covered. That being said a 6" plate can be installed and removed with minimal difficulty should a warranty issue arise. Several on here have done it. Im right with you those tabs would be off if it was me as well im not a fan.

[Ranger RT]

If you have a jack plate the trim tabs are not needed but without a jack plate you wont get past 1/4 trim and you will be porpoising big time. The best combo is a jack plate and a good cupped prop. BUT taking them off will void your hull warranty and jack plates have to be 4" and factory installed to be covered. That being said a 6" plate can be installed and removed with minimal difficulty should a warranty issue arise. Several on here have done it. Im right with you those tabs would be off if it was me as well im not a fan.

Yep

[Obsessed]

Congrats on the boat. If you purchased it used, I understand 2nd owner on only gets 5 yr hull warranty anyway so cutting them off or shortening them is worth a try. You could always weld new ones back on if the foil on the engine doesn't give the needed stability. I understood they were due to the boat porpoising issues. Maybe someone has tried somethings can shed a little light on the issue.

[gbsmallie]

Thanks for the reply. No jackplate on this boat and aluminum prop it came with (for now).

[TritonTRXV8]

Congrats on the boat. If you purchased it used, I understand 2nd owner on only gets 5 yr hull warranty anyway so cutting them off or shortening them is worth a try. You could always weld new ones back on if the foil on the engine doesn't give the needed stability. I understood they were due to the boat porpoising issues. Maybe someone has tried somethings can shed a little light on the issue.

I did not know that if that is the case then there would be no question for me then they would be gone as soon as I got home and a 6" jp would be bolted on

[Gsmith223]

The guy who had my war eagle before had to have them added to help with porpoising. Removing them would be a last resort for me. Try to polish them and remove any rough spots. The also help with cornering at high speed. The first year RT didn't come with them in a bunch of people had to take the boat back in a have them added. If you do a search I bet you can find the thread.

[Panama]

I am with Gsmith223. It would be a last resort for me too. The boat drives better, safer and corners better with them. I did not have them on my 2013 but had them added. The boat was faster with them added than without because I could trim up better and the nose lifted up. I cannot comment on the part about adding a JP because I don't have experience with that------ but I have a LOT of experience driving this exact boat both with and without the tabs. Like Gsmith says about his War Eagle, a lot of people and manufacturers have added them to help with the total performance package which includes drivability, cornering and the time it takes to come out of the hole. Like Gsmith said, it would be my last resort. And ----- if I am ever in an accident with the boat, I would like to have it rigged like the manufacturer recommends. There are a lot of people out there these days that are just looking for a reason to take you to court.....Wonder what a court would say about a jack plate on a boat where the manufacturer told you not to use one.....

If you are looking to get every tenth of a MPH out of the boat, you might decide to remove them. I like my warranty and am not concerned about maybe one mile per hour on an aluminum mod V hull fishing boat. Is is not made or designed to go fast....But it fishes great....Plus I like the way the boat acts with them a lot more than before they were added....Things like the wind, the right prop, and waves, and the driver make more of a difference than a couple of little pieces of metal that probably cause less drag that a transducer mounted on the back.

[gbsmallie]

I am with Gsmith223. It would be a last resort for me too. The boat drives better, safer and corners better with them. I did not have them on my 2013 but had them added. The boat was faster with them added than without because I could trim up better and the nose lifted up. I cannot comment on the part about adding a JP because I don't have experience with that------ but I have a LOT of experience driving this exact boat both with and without the tabs. Like Gsmith says about his War Eagle, a lot of people and manufacturers have added them to help with the total performance package which includes drivability, cornering and the time it takes to come out of the hole. Like Gsmith said, it would be my last resort. And ----- if I am ever in an accident with the boat, I would like to have it rigged like the manufacturer recommends. There are a lot of people out there these days that are just looking for a reason to take you to court.....Wonder what a court would say about a jack plate on a boat where the manufacturer told you not to use one.....

If you are looking to get every tenth of a MPH out of the boat, you might decide to remove them. I like my warranty and am not concerned about maybe one mile per hour on an aluminum mod V hull fishing boat. Is is not made or designed to go fast....But it fishes great....Plus I like the way the boat acts with them a lot more than before they were added....Things like the wind, the right prop, and waves, and the driver make more of a difference than a couple of little pieces of metal that probably cause less drag that a transducer mounted on the back.

I get all of this and agree with most of it. I just think its a pretty crude solution and the boat looks just plain stupid running at 40mph with a 10' wide x 6' high spray shooting all over. I was real happy with every aspect of the boat yesterday on its maiden voyage other than this one thing. I was just a little surprised by it and wasnt expecting such a glaring flaw, thats all. All things considered, I will live with it for now and enjoy the heck out of fishing this thing this Spring/Summer. As a second owner with only a 5 year hull warranty anyway, I will absolutely consider a 6" jackplate and removing them if I have this boat in a few years

[Panama]

I have heard this complaint before and I am sure it is valid on some boats. I do not have the issue with mine.....But you don't have to take my word for it...
Here is a video of a 2016 RT188 running with the Merc CT 115. The camera gets the view from different angles at different speeds. If yours is running like you say, you have a problem somewhere that is not evident on this and many other videos.....But you are not the only one that has said this....I guess being handmade that they are positioned differently on work...I don't know. What I do know is that the one in the video below is running like it should and is fine IMO.

I get all of this and agree with most of it. I just think its a pretty crude solution and the boat looks just plain stupid running at 40mph with a 10' wide x 6' high spray shooting all over. I was real happy with every aspect of the boat yesterday on its maiden voyage other than this one thing. I was just a little surprised by it and wasnt expecting such a glaring flaw, thats all. All things considered, I will live with it for now and enjoy the heck out of fishing this thing this Spring/Summer. As a second owner with only a 5 year hull warranty anyway, I will absolutely consider a 6" jackplate and removing them if I have this boat in a few years

[Ranger Ryan]

I removed the trim tabs, tested multiple props. Ended up Removeing factory 4" microjacker. Added 8" atlas Hydraulic plate and bingo. Boat came alive. However, 50 mph is it and only in a slight chop. Smooth water, she slows a tad.
Evinrude 115 HO

[BassNvlog]

I am balancing the idea of a 4/6” jack plate. Worried about the length of the steering cable to accommodate the 6” jack plate in my RT178. Should I be?

[Pipercub]

I am balancing the idea of a 4/6” jack plate. Worried about the length of the steering cable to accommodate the 6” jack plate in my RT178. Should I be?

I have a 4" jackplate on my RT178 and from what I can tell I don't believe putting a 6" would be a problem. I can't say for sure but I believe you would be ok.

[PolarKraft195]

Ranger is putting trim tabs on their RT188's?

[fishon396]

Thinking about a manual jack plate for my 178 what would be a good brand to get in a 4 or 6. I am not looking for speed just a little better handling. There is at least one person on this forum that has removed the tabs and posted about it.

[BassNvlog]

Same boat as you, theoretically the 6” should be better. I’m concerned about having enough steering cable though.

[fishon396]

That is one of the few reasons I am thinking about a jack plate is to get the cables off the rear deck.

[tcesni]

I get all of this and agree with most of it. I just think its a pretty crude solution and the boat looks just plain stupid running at 40mph with a 10' wide x 6' high spray shooting all over. I was real happy with every aspect of the boat yesterday on its maiden voyage other than this one thing. I was just a little surprised by it and wasnt expecting such a glaring flaw, thats all. All things considered, I will live with it for now and enjoy the heck out of fishing this thing this Spring/Summer. As a second owner with only a 5 year hull warranty anyway, I will absolutely consider a 6" jackplate and removing them if I have this boat in a few years

I prefer to be looking forward when boating and not looking behind me but you might be able to grind off a bit of the tab and substantially reduce the spray without totally losing their purpose. But I wouldn't take any step until I had a good cupped stainless prop worked out because it is easier to take off metal than it is to put it back on.

[fishon396]

I have a 4 blade spitfire X7 on my rt178 what kind of benefits might I gain if I have Mark add some cup to the prop.

[fishinSteve]

I get all of this and agree with most of it. I just think its a pretty crude solution and the boat looks just plain stupid running at 40mph with a 10' wide x 6' high spray shooting all over. I was real happy with every aspect of the boat yesterday on its maiden voyage other than this one thing. I was just a little surprised by it and wasnt expecting such a glaring flaw, thats all. All things considered, I will live with it for now and enjoy the heck out of fishing this thing this Spring/Summer. As a second owner with only a 5 year hull warranty anyway, I will absolutely consider a 6" jackplate and removing them if I have this boat in a few years

The only time I have had spray any higher than back of boat was when water was running up under transducer mount and spraying side of cowling. I little wrap with electrical tape solved that....and I think humminbird makes something to plug that gap. The tapes seems to do the same thing.