How do you use your trim tabs?

All of the time at planing speeds......you will usually gain 2-3 knots of speed.......get to cruise and start putting them down in 1 second button pushes and watch your speed......

Helping to get up on plane is the only time I have used the trim tabs.

If the boat is listing I will re-stow what ever it is that's packed wrong.

Except the time when I was fueling up and the power went out just after the port tank was filled and the starboard was under a quarter tank.

My Post almost never list to either side enough to use the tabs.

I do use them to help bring the nose down on plane. It seems to go faster with the nose down. When the nose is down it will be a wetter ride than with the nose up at cruise. This obviously depends on the sea state.

The boat will actually run fine without any tabs but a few tweaks hear and there can help level you off and pick up a few knots here and there.

Also in my 46 Post, I use ZERO tabs in a following sea because there is almost no deadrise.

I also have a small commercial pilot house with a single outboard.
That boat lists to port when up and running because of the prop torque.
That boat needs tabs to run level at cruise.

In a following sea you do not want to use trim tabs........it can cause you to pitch pole.......but in a head or beam sea the boat will usually ride better by using them and again you will gain speed and efficiency and ride quality by using them.

Don't use the tabs in a following sea!

Trim tabs are very useful, both for major tweeks such as getting on plane faster, and for minor tweeks such as when hefty Aunt Bertha sits to one side of your boat. As noted you want to use very little tab in a following sea so that you don't plow into the trough, but you'll use more in a head sea to cut through the sea with the cut of the bow rather than slapping under the belly. You'll also use them when taking seas more from one side to dip that side into the waves. It'll make stearing and holding a course much easier. Using the tabs is much easier than moving your load as your load is often from things like refigerators and generators, and allows for constant changes as sea conditions change or when Aunt Bertha moves around the boat. I clearly remember a time bringing a 43 Ocean into Ocean City, Md. in about 9' seas and an outbound current. Keeping off the rocks required constant work with the wheel, throttles, even gears and tabs. They're one more very useful tool.
As Capt.J pointed out they're correct usage can increase speeds by even several knots, and at the same time they'll also reduce your fuel burn.

On the Hatt I'm currently running we have automatic tabs, which are not working (They pop the breakers). Anybody have experience with these? This is the first time I've encountered these, and I don't like them. I'm planning to go back to manual tabs. Like an auto-pilot they react instead of anticipate.

The Humphree interceptor tab alternatives looked very cool at the show. Cost was 11-12k for basic system and you could upgrade to full motion control which claimed to get you 60% of the fin system. Plus only system to control pitch. Anyone have experience with this.

What he said ^ ^ ^

If it's calmer, play around with them and watch your speed on GPS.....

In 5'-6' seas I'd be more concerned with slamming my body or abusing the boat than getting wet. There's also a lot of positions between full tabs and no tabs. Very few boats run at their most efficient or even most comfortably with no tabs at all.

I must be getting old because if it is 4 to 7' seas, I am staying at the dock for an extra day!
Unless they are more than 4-7 seconds apart.

Better make that 6-9 seconds apart. 4'/4 seconds or 7'/7 seconds will not be enjoyed. The rule I've learned works is minimum of 2 seconds over the wave height up to 10' (4'/6 seconds- 7'/9 seconds). Over 10' all bets are off, but up to 15' I'd want at least 5 seconds over. Biggest I've gotten caught in I'd estimate at about 18' in a 43' SF, and I never want to be there again.

NYCAP.

your right.

that is what i was thinking but somehow it came out wrong when i typed it.