Hello everyone. I have a 3900 Convertible with the dreaded Volvo QL trim tabs. They've failed and I'm looking to replace them with traditional tabs such as Lenco or Bennett. I'm curious if any other owners have gone this route? What tab did you choose and has it been successful? Thanks in advance!
Peter Durfee
I have often wondered about those tabs. Did they work well (I mean before they didn't)? The engineering behind them seems sound, but creating less drag than a regular planner type tab seems a little off to me. I also read they react much quicker than regular tabs.
Are you going to regular tabs due to cost, performance or what?
03-01-2020, 09:00 AM (This post was last modified: 03-01-2020, 09:02 AM by Reel Teaser.)
(02-26-2020, 07:15 PM)Sans Peur Wrote: I have often wondered about those tabs. Did they work well (I mean before they didn't)? The engineering behind them seems sound, but creating less drag than a regular planner type tab seems a little off to me. I also read they react much quicker than regular tabs.
Are you going to regular tabs due to cost, performance or what?
I just bought the boat recently and they’ve never worked. I was thinking about going to traditional tabs like Bennett or Lenco but that would require a bunch of expensive fiberglass work to fill in the notch where they’re mounted. I might just install a set of zip wakes which are similar in style to the Volvo’s but more reliable.
(03-01-2020, 09:00 AM)Reel Teaser Wrote:
(02-26-2020, 07:15 PM)Sans Peur Wrote: I have often wondered about those tabs. Did they work well (I mean before they didn't)? The engineering behind them seems sound, but creating less drag than a regular planner type tab seems a little off to me. I also read they react much quicker than regular tabs.
Are you going to regular tabs due to cost, performance or what?
I just bought the boat recently and they’ve never worked. I was thinking about going to traditional tabs like Bennett or Lenco but that would require a bunch of expensive fiberglass work to fill in the notch where they’re mounted. I might just install a set of zip wakes which are similar in style to the Volvo’s but more reliable.
Coincidentally, when I spoke to Tiara about it, they said this is the only boat model they ever installed the Volvo tabs on.
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Vessel Info: I work for the Westcoast Tiara dealer Silver Seas Yachts. I'm one on the lucky few who gets to try all the models and engine combos.
Posts: 80
Threads: 1
Likes Given: 14
Likes Received: 6 in 5 posts
Joined: Mar 2016
Home Port: Newport Beach,CA
Vessel Info: I work for the Westcoast Tiara dealer Silver Seas Yachts. I'm one on the lucky few who gets to try all the models and engine combos.
Did you ever figure out a solution? If you go Bennett don’t do the the auto trim control they have. Every time I’ve Captained a flybridge boat with the currently offered Bennett auto trim system it scares that crap out of me. The Lenco system is better at leveling the boat without overreacting but the electronically actuated rams fail every couple years. If your already setup for interrupter blades I’d just switch over to the ZipWake interrupt your blade system. It’s pretty amazing.
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