25' - 26' aft cabin single engine cruiser.

How does the actuator work?

The photo does not show it.

Interesting installation

That's why I'm asking.

Maybe the hydraulic or electric actuator is on the inboard side and mounts onto the transom? Seems a little odd; the hull designer goes to the trouble of designing in the recessed pads either side of the transom, presumably to generate lift or confer stability, then they get completely filled in by large trim tabs which stop them doing their job!

Graham

Alternatively Graham, the recesses are FOR the tabs, and they are so large (wide) just so there is a surface so the actuator can be mounted to the transom, as you suggest. Interesting design.

Boatmaker?

Phil,

I see what you mean. It's just that my FW 245 Sundowner has those sort of recessed pads, but the trim tabs hardly encroach into those areas at all; maybe only 25% of the tab area, going very much from memory. With an aft cabin/ single engine the cruiser probably needs as much lift as it can get, hence the large size of the tabs ( width and length).

Graham

Pretty interesting design, but it kind of defeats one of the advantages of tabs and that is to act as sort of an extension of the hull.

Still, it's pretty trick.

"extension of the hull" may equal more drag. Tucked under as shown in the raised postition the net drag of the plates is zero...

--at least, that's my theory on THEIR theory. In reality, I'll bet water being forced up in the voids in front of and above the tabs probably cause more drag than if they're just hinged off the transom normally...

I wouldn't mind trying that boat to see how it feels.

What mid cabin cruiser was this?

Yup, looks a lot like a Four Winns hull to me too. And the hull design is great when the load is balanced properly with weight in bow and cockpit areas, but if it's not (and I find this often with my 20' that has the same shape) then you're wishing for trim tabs. This thread caught my eye because I had concluded that tabs would not work with this design unless they were the Volvo QL tabs, and even then some fiberglass work would need to be done to do it right.

Seabuddy, are we right? Is the boat a Four Winns?