2002 Maristar Trim Tab

[gregg]

After many conversations with Jeff at Lenco and Cotton at Mastercraft (Both were very helpful I might add), I ordered, received and installed a trim tab late last week. I ended up using the Mastercraft kit (same as the new 230's). The kits appear to be in the $800.00 range and Mike at MC of Charlotte or any dealer should be able to order them. Two modifications had to be done, and just took a little time and detail work. First, the cut out for the transom drain had to be cut all the way down to the pin for the hinge. This would allow the plate to be mounted high enough on the transom to leave 1/4 inch in the center and 1/8 inch at each end of the hinge clearance to the bottom of the transom. I also ground a little off the bottom of my transom drain. Next, a very slight bend of the plate had to be made on each side from the end of the hinge at an angle to the trailing edge of the plate. This would allow the leading edge of the plate to follow the contour of the hull and keep about a 1/4 inch clearance. With the plate mounted to the transom, actuator and upper mount attached to the plate, I mounted the actuator as far up as possible. With a straightedge on the bottom of the hull this left me with 3/4 inch clearance to the trailing edge of the plate with the actuator retracted. The wire runs thru the upper mount and I chose to use the reversing switch (just like the ballast pumps use) because it mounted in my shift console without any modification or cutting. I did not use the control box or indicator gauge either. Will try to post pics also.

RESULTS: Porpoising gone with a slight tab lowering (yahoo!!!), did not get to test the results for choppy water as the lake was like glass yesterday ( no complaints here), did not ski behind it yet, but appears to flatten out the wake with bow down also. All in all, very happy with results over adding hook, as I can adjust my ride around my passengers and not adjust my passengers. All that is left is to make some slight adjustments to the plate as the prop torque to the starboard side seems to get a little worse the farther the plate is lowered.

[gregg]

More pics of tab install

[NeilM]

Gregg, that's fantastic. I've been seriously considering putting a tab on my 2002 MariStar as well, for the same reasons..

Keep us up to date..

Neil

[BigBarney]

That looks really snazy G. What did you use to bend the edges. Looks a little difficult with the sides turned up. Also, is the screen on your drain plug your idea? If so, what provoked you to add it? Now I am really wanting to get the trim tab for my x30.

[Tom023]

Looks great, I am glad it solved your issue. I would be interested in knowing if you feel it makes the skiing wake significantly smaller. BTW, what is that screen around your transom drain? I have those for my ballast fill inlets, but not on the drain.

[gregg]

BB. I just used a vise and a 2x4 to bend the corners. I thought about cutting a v in the lip on the trailing edge and bending straight back from the end of the hinge, but decided to bend at an angle from the end of the hinge to the trailing corner which keeps the leading edge up. the trailing edge is at a neg. angle untill lowered anyway. I put the screen on because I use that for my water intake and exhaust for a tube sac in my port side rear storage compartment.

[bigmac]

Really great post, Gregg. Thank you very much for the effort. I don't have a porpoising problem on my '04 230VRS, but I wouldn't mind getting the bow down a little and flattening the wake a little. Plus, it looks like it would be kind of an interesting project.

I'll be very interested in your opinion of the wake changes for slalom, as well as your opinion on the effect it might have on top speed. I assume that the max speed doesn't change if the tab is fully retracted.

One question about the install...anything particularly tricky about drilling through the transom for the wiring? What size and length drill bit?

[gregg]

Pretty cut and dry, instructions are a little generic in my opinion. I believe it was 3/16 drill, 1 and 1/4 deep for the hinge and upper mount. Went all the way thru on all holes, so you will need to check and make sure no wires or hoses are in the way on the inside. The instructions say 3/8 drill for the wire, but I went smaller, just large enough for the wire to pass thru. A must for this install is 3M 5200 marine sealer for the screw holes and wire hole.

[bigmac]

I believe it was 3/16 drill, 1 and 1/4 deep for the hinge and upper mount. Went all the way thru on all holes, so you will need to check and make sure no wires or hoses are in the way on the inside.

Ah...I take it then that the plate is actually bolted on rather than screwed on? Seems like that would make it a two-person operation since you'd need someone in the bilge to tighten the nuts.

I was thinking that the plate mounted with ss machine screws into the material of the transom and the only through-hole was for the wire from the actuator.

Not that there's anything wrong with that...just planning my job schedule for the install

[prostar205]

Gregg -

Very nice job. I, too, am very interested in seeing the results while slalom skiing behind your boat. My X30 does not the porpoising issue (knock on wood) but the ski wake is less than desireable.

Did you screw directly into the transome material or are all the fasteners thru bolted?

[gregg]

I did use the SS screws supplied with the kit. My point was that the transom is less that an inch and a quarter thick so the bit will go all the way thru. Up where the actuator mounts the transom is a little thicker, so for the wire you will have to drill deeper.

[bigmac]

I did use the SS screws supplied with the kit. My point was that the transom is less that an inch and a quarter thick so the bit will go all the way thru. Up where the actuator mounts the transom is a little thicker, so for the wire you will have to drill deeper.

OK...I get it now. Thanks.

[sully]

Winter Project

I see a winter project on my horizon.

Thanks

[buy_txn]

Gregg,

Nice work! I'm having a simliar issue with porpoising on my Maristar 210. When it is all said and done, can you adjust the wake for slalom ski and then dial it up for Wakeboarding too? I'd really like to solve my porpoise problem and be able to adjust the wake "on the fly" like the TAPS system is marketed to do.

[gregg]

Here are some of my observations using the tab so far. Have not done much in the way of sking or boarding as my 19 year old is a frat boy here at KSU now and has not been out with us yet since the install. At 30 mph with a slight deployment of the plate the wake appears to improve some. Remember these Maristars are not slalom friendly so any improvement would be a bonus. The main driving force for this install was the porpoising issue. At any speed, regardless of where the passengers are a small amount of tab takes care of it. I did not have time to surf Saturday, but playing around with it, much to my surprise at 10 mph it appeared to make the surf wake taller and cleaner with the tab deployed all the way. Hope to have a more detailed report after next weekend.