2019 XStar gen2 surf tabs bend - anyone else seen this?

[wilhelmwake]

Hi,

I pulled my boat out couple of days ago and while I was cleaning the back of the boat and the tabs I saw this had happened to my starboard side surf tab:

[wilhelmwake]

Sorry that the pics are sideways, but the pics are of the starboard side surf tab and you can see how the hinge has bent severely. We did 78 hours this summer and maybe 45-50hours of that was surfing and 95% of that on the port side (starboard side tab actuated). Now after spotting the starboard side tab hinge was bent I looked at the port side surf tab and noticed that it has also started to bend slightly after just very little use:

[wilhelmwake]

You will need to zoom to see the star of the bend below the attachment screws... seems to me that MC should make the tabs a bit thicker to increase the rigidity/durability of the tabs. I put this topic up as I am just curious whether others with new gen Xstars have noticed this. And for the record I have not hit anything with the boat this is purely due to using the boat for surfing.

[eecyclone]

Do you use triple autolaunch as well?

[wilhelmwake]

Do you use triple autolaunch as well?

I have not used triple auto launch at all.

[John Johnson]

I'm not certain they are not designed that way. That would take a $hitload of force to bend them like that.

[wilhelmwake]

I'm not certain they are not designed that way. That would take a $hitload of force to bend them like that.

This is why I am asking the question that the Xstar owners would shime in

[John Johnson]

Take a straight edge and go from one end of the hinge against the hull to the other. The hinge cannot bend with the curvature of the hull. My guess is that the hinge is straight and the hull is concave which is why it appears bent.

[moosehead]

^Not sure about that JJ. I don’t think the transom wall is curved, and if you look at WW’s pics, you can see the mounted hinge piece has been pulled aft of the mounting screws on the starboard side of the starboard tab. WW’s pics of the port side show it slightly pulling away but otherwise not indicating a curved transom wall.

Further, agree with the notion that MC needs to offer 18-19 owner’s an actuator solution and deal with Lenco afterwards. The arms race of bigger, heavier boats continues.

[jbmccul]

If nobody posts anything definitive, I'll probably be at the dealer this weekend and can check out a new one and get back to you.

[wilhelmwake]

If nobody posts anything definitive, I'll probably be at the dealer this weekend and can check out a new one and get back to you.

Thanks

[jtkeller]

My dealer has told me of this happening before to people while loading their boats with triple auto launch on. Boat is loaded, mostly on the bunks and you go to put the boat in forward gear and the tabs deploy and press against the bunks, bending the tabs.

Looking at my x26 on its trailer, I could see how this could happen.


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[SS LS1]

Hmm, interesting. First thing I did to my trailer after buying the boat was to cut the bunk boards back flush with the back of the boat and recover with carpeting. I didn't know If I would need to drop the tabs (and swim platform) for winter storage but would not be able to with the stock bunks so long. So I trimmed them back to be ready if I did need to drop the tabs. Guess I luckily avoided this trailer bunk conflict problem indirectly.

[wilhelmwake]

My dealer has told me of this happening before to people while loading their boats with triple auto launch on. Boat is loaded, mostly on the bunks and you go to put the boat in forward gear and the tabs deploy and press against the bunks, bending the tabs.

Looking at my x26 on its trailer, I could see how this could happen.


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Fortunately this is impossible to happen as my bunks are only under my boat hull and do not extend over it and I have never tried to move the tabs while having the boat on the trailer. Water has caused my tabs to bend as I stated in my initial message.

[wilhelmwake]

My friend in Holland has a 2018 Xstar and the same exact thing has happened to his tabs!!! He uses the goofy side so his port side tab has been severely bent. He has 150 hours on his Xstar , see the pics. So this definitely confirms that using the boat normally causes the tabs /hinges to bend. They are not made strong enough for the different drag forces. See pics that he gave me consent to publish on his behalf.